Robert Indiana kept a series of illustrated journals during the late 1950s and 1960s, in which he discusses the development of his work as well as his daily life on Coenties Slip.

In his journal entry for May 26, 1962, Indiana records that it was a "glorious day" and that he spent it mostly in working to set up a summer garden in his loft's tower: "the rubber plant, [the] corn plant, and all [the] other avocados v[ery] much provided a garden, [the] whole shaft a greenery." He then hung the Botanica sign, a "consolation prize" given to him by Ivan Karp the day he and gallerist Leo Castelli came to visit, over the shaft's doors, replacing the wagon wheel from Fire Island that had been there.

Indiana writes that J. (his partner, fashion designer John Kloss) picked up canvases for him from New York Central, providing him with "twelve fresh small surfaces to work on," and that the artist Tom Smith stopped by late in the afternoon. He notes that Smith came up to see his new work, and that of the small paintings he liked BB, so he gave it to him, stenciling "Tom" on the back in addition to his "signature element." He also describes his evening walk with Kloss, which began with walking Smith to Wall and William (streets), and continued to Corlears Hook (where Koss had never been before) and Grand Street.

Indiana also records typing a two-page letter to artist Dick Smith in London, noting that he had probably already met up with Ellsworth Kelly, who was there for his solo exhibition at Arthur Tooth and Sons. He writes that there was no farewell from Kelly before he left, or from Jack Youngerman, who had just moved to Paris, "a really bleak situation on [the] Slip."