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nards party, but it rained when I arrived and in fact all night and Sara had a bad cold, so we did not go. Found my father still very feeble but a little better than he had been. Maurice did not come home. Heard he was drinking again just as he has got over his last bout. He is hopeless and this made me most unhappy.

Saturday Dec. 23 1882. A doubtful, hesitating day. I went for a walk out beyond the cemetery and made two pencil drawings of winter landscapes. Park always goes along and is as delighted with a tramp as I am. Spent the afternoon painting a little sketch from one of my pencil notes.

Sunday 24" A long walk after breakfast with Park, down through the woods back of the old Wilhelms Hasborouck house and over the hills stopping for a sketch. Then down through the woods beyond the Roatina returning by the road across the lake and over the hill towards the Alms House and home by Ludlums woods. The whole walk was a delight. Such charming winter landscapes, such a never ending variety of effect of light and shade and tender color. On the hill near the Alms house I saw a beautiful effect in the mountains of which I made a note and hope to get a picture from it. The winter is certainly more picturesque than the summer to me. There is just enough snow now and all the color is most delicate and varied. I made three drawings, all very suggestive of pictures. Mary and Girard had a Christmas tree over at their house and we all went over there. The children were delighted. Girard got Maurice up there during the day, but he did not stay. Ashamed I presume to meet us all. Wrote to Booth last night.

Monday 25 Xmas. A lovely mild day. We had our presents all arranged in the dining room after breakfast and distributed them there after which I went out back of Ludlums to take another look at the subject I sketched yesterday and made a more correct drawing. It looked charmingly today but different at 2 o'clock Sara and I had Tom drive us up to Kingston and we called on the Bernards, then to the ((Osterhands?)) who were not at home. Then made a call on Mrs. Dewitt Roosa. A letter came from Gussie who is in N.Y. with Joe and expecting to come up with Janette on Wednesday. I came away by the 6.16 train and arrived at my room at 9.30. My head is full of winter pictures and I am eager to get to work at them.

Tuesday 26. Breakfasted in my room. Painted on my Jersey picture and prepared a canvas for my Winter. Janette came to see me and also Harry Donaldson and Lilys Mr. Brown. Harry impressed me very favorably indeed.

Wednesday 27. Began my winter picture and worked hard all day. Calvert, Gussie & Janette went to Rondout today. Met Eastman Johnson in the street. He asked me to dine with him which

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-03-25 15:32:18 One name not transcribed in Xmas Day entry