Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

cumulus clouds reflected.; It was here we formed the vague plan of going south awhile, and then heading westward towards Cook’s Forest.; South on 44—our evening meal by the roadside—overlooking the wide Bald Eagle Valley;—the valley seeming to extend westward for miles. Bathed in afternoon sunlight—the sun sending down gentle shifts thru the clouds—the Bald Eagle mountains to the south. B could not get over the vastness of the endless tree-covered mountains—to me it is always a little frightening. ; South on 88 thru a gap to the Nittany Valley and then Westward on 780. A beautiful valley, giving the impression of luxurious farms—great barns indicating opulence. Huge wheat fields, some uncut, others with shrubs, in great number indicating a huge crop. In the low afternoon sunlight, a feeling of great beauty and romance. I thought of Inness’ “Peace & Plenty”—we began to think of our nights’ lodging, but I felt we would love to get thru the Bald Eagle mountains to route 220, as our roads ere were not travelled enough to make cabins pay.; Our supper under some apple trees on the roadside with the beautiful farm lands to the south. The great unbroken Barrier of the mountain range to the south reminded me of Dansings [sic] Stone “Poltaines [sic] Beholder of Ocean—it was easy to imagine some strange fabulous world if one could climb to the top of the ridge & look over the rim. ; We headed for Howard on 220, but soon ran into a detour, and turned west on an un-numbered road, towards Bellefonte—Fine country—noting a barn with a round arched door at one end. I thought I’ve seen something like that before, and then suddenly realized I had on a trip with Carl Wild, made a water-color of the house back in 1932(?)—