"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion." Henry David Thoreau
It's quite interesting, picking up a book like 'Walden,' as an Australian reader. Unfamiliar with it's place in early American literature and quietly ignorant of transcendentalism also, I feel I am only able to bring to the reading pop culture references. Be it, John Keating encouraging his students to challenge conventional thinking while quoting Thoreau, among other writers, in the film 'Dead Poets Society,' or books and blogs making mention of the beauty of nature and referencing 'Walden.' Most recently, a suggestion of further reading in the closing pages of 'Down to Earth' encouraged me to seek out a copy at the library. Have you read 'Walden'? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
In terms of knitting, only a couple of inches of ribbing and the addition of buttons, are separating my cozy from my hot water bottle. Replacement needles have been brought for the 'Larch' cardigan after snapping one. However, I decided to quickly cast on and knit the ribbing for a baby knit with those needles before resuming the 'Larch' and knitting the rest of the baby knit in needles the next size up.
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Joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along.
