Letters O'Keeffe, Georgia 1 Feb. 1944 It is good to hear from you For water at the Ranch there are two good sized tin cans Orvill Cox lives near Espanola - and would fix up the water works if you want him to. We got drinking water from Abiquiu. Do as you wish - my love to you G. Your mother suddenly stood at my door Sunday afternoons - She stayed for supper - it was nice. G Sept. 1944 [*1944*] The Gramma grass is seeding The Chamisa is yellow in such golden yellow along the old River Road I am sorry that another summer is passing and you have not come It is a startlingly clear still day -- I will be in N.Y. on Oct 15th ~ Will you come for lunch? Spring 1944 [*1944*] No I haven't written but the visitors got us down - that is Maria carried on terribly and that got us down - Maurice was here with the children and Maria couldn't stand him - she was fairly bursting with jealousy because he said he could do everything for me that she does - it was awful - he is so nice too - a really civilized sort of person - I've never had any one around who fitted in better - he loved the country - and it spoiled the rest of New Mexico for him - but he left politely - I had to choose and I did not want to make a change but as a result I have to tell Maria that another year she is not to return- I'll have to get some one else - I'll not risk having anything like it happen again The children very tall are lovely -- Tho food was a problem -- Ben eats to beat any thing you ever saw -- it was like having about 5 extra people -- having the 3 -- and when there is any one [here?] Maria never cooks well so it seemed to me the food was awful -- but must also say it was fine -- Ben had a saxaphone that he could gather in all the horses with -- it was very amusing - Think they all had a good time -- Then Peggie came for three 3 days after Ben -- that was lovely -- I believe her new man is good for her -- it is all another sort of thing than we think of -- but I love her and enjoyed every minuet of her stay -- She seems fine -- After I mail this I go out to the cliff to paint where the owls will hoot at me and talk to me when it begins to be dark - and the coyotes may call too I think of you often and love you -- I hope you are doing something that interests you. I have two or three paintings G Summer 1944 Henwar - it is one of those perfect nights where the sky is perfectly clear - the moon so bright one can see the color in the cliffs - a coyote howls so near and toward the mountain that I bring in the cat and hope the coyote will not come in too - it is cool enough to have a fire - it smells and sounds good A little before the sun went down I walked out to the cliff with a canvas to make a drawing - then climbed and climbed very high til I could see - oh so very far - I in shadow - but the light of the sun still across all the plain and mountain and part of the cliffs - It is pretty wonderful - I climbed way up when there are such beautiful old cedar stumps Oh - yes - my world is beautiful but it has me almost licked this year - I went camping last week and the storm clouds gathered so thick I didn't dare stay - it is too cold to enjoy or want to endure the rain and the mud with our slick tires would have been impossible But wasn't it wonderful out there - I got a good start on painting there didn't dare stay - I'd like to go back in the morning with this clear sky - I've been up on the roof -yes- the beautiful world hints of you misses you Fall 1944 [*1944*] It is hazy -- and my mountain floats out light blue in the distance -- like a dream -- Yesterday you could see every tree on it and last night I thought to myself -- It is the most beautiful night of the world -- with the moon almost full -- and everything so very still -- I should tell Henwar about it -- Today the wind blows hard with the haze -- maybe it is dust in the air -- It is the time of year when there seems to be gold in the air -- it seems always me the perfect time. I wish you were here Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.