O'KEEFFE/STIEGLITZ LETTERS O'Keeffe, Georgia 1942, Jan.-July Box 1 Folder 18 Jan. 20, 1942 [Jan 20/42] Henwar I have your little note. Thank you. Being with you is always some thing special for me --- reinforcing. I wanted to write you Sunday night and tell you how much I had enjoyed the hours with you. Just your being in the town makes the town seem better. These days to me seem a sort of lull before many changes that I feel must come --- and even tho I know it with my mind the realization is difficult -- hard to grasp -- It is an odd feeling that I wish to have my eyes open -my hand ready --then must laugh at myself - - because -- tomorrow is always uncertain - unknown. --- maybe an (?early) awareness that comes with times like these is worth while - - Come as often as you can -- Alfred and I agree that you are special -- we both like seeing you always any time you can come. G. June 1942 Henwar I wonder if you are moving into my place when Alfred leaves. Do so if you wish. I am paying Saga sixty a month any way so she will clean up for you a couple of times a week as she did last year without any thing from you. If Peggie comes and you want her full time as I have her give her five more a week. She always seems to feel the heat so much and my wanting to be sure she will be about till my return are my reasons for the arrangement - I plan to pay her 80 when she beings my moving - So much for that - - Let her know - . I think of you - . June 1942 I am riding along through Nebraska at a pretty fast pace - about 72 and 75 where the road is straight - It rained in the night so that everything is green and lovely - it begins to feel very flat and wide and it makes me feel that I love all the world -- so warmly and so widely I thought I must tell you that I feel I am coming to life after all my deadness and indecision in the city I wish you were here - you would love it so -- I hope I see you again some time when I am alive as I feel now. G June 1942 Just past Raton -- and I want to say good morning to you and tell you it is wonderful to be here again -- wonderful like you are wonderful to me -- only different. You always seem to be a part of it -- It is a grey morning -- cool enough to put on Bunnie's suit and like it -- It is already green over the land -- many flowers again like last year I just saw my first prairie dog. So I know I'm really getting ?skinny? -- --- As I sit here looking out this window the sky is clearing to big spots of blue Yes it is all here -- wonderful as we know it. July 1942 [*end of July/42*] Henwar This morning I had Alfred's last note before leaving 405 -- a telegram saying he had arrived at the lake and you note about seeing him off -- It all made one feel a little sad but I see nothing I can do about it. I do not write because the days move rather evenly and uneventfully except for the fact that I always am so glad I am here. I have been working a little but I was so tired when I came --- have been slow in getting over it. -- haven't even yet the extra kind of energy one needs for working --- It annoys me -- but there is nothing I can do about that either --- Maybe it is partially a state of mind --- the war seems to paralize me -- It makes so much seem senseless -- As I waked this morning -- only half awake - thinking - I wondered -- will the time ever come where the human being has gone far enough so that a war like this can not happen again -- and one just can not know -- We drove over beyond Youngsville and Coyote -- to the West last night --- there for some distances Up over a new mountain road to the left -- we stopped to see a Mexican who works for us some times -- we gave a woman with three children a ride to her house up where the valley was very narrow and very red we stopped and talked to a woman -- young woman chopping her wood -- her little boy sitting on a stump beside her -- all her house and place looked very neat --- There another place where there were three houses and as we sat looking - a woman came out with what seemed like endless children and horrid dogs I some way feel that war is going on in those remote places all the time - and its pretty cruel. No -- I do not think you are crazy. I do not think of knowing any one more sane -- I oddly feel that your sense of rightness is right -- no matter what you choose to do. I don't see how anyone can escape what is going through the world -- The idea of wanting to escape seems almost too odd -- I hope that whatever comes will keep you out under the sky or free to be there Think of you always when the coyotes howl -- and I usually think of you when I see the dawn as I did this morning and yesterday -- so when space is very big and wide -- Last night just before we turned in the ranch gate there was a rattler very pale in the light of the car on the dark [and] oiled pavement -- My love to you Henwar -- and a few things I wonder about -- but I see no use in asking or being answerd. So I kiss You Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.