My philosophical friend Henry David Thoreau headed back to town after living for only a couple of years at Walden and during his time at the now famous pond, it's said he made regular trips home to have his laundry done.Be that as it may, others took his philosophical thoughts as gospel and many still do.
Two such people were Harlan and Anna Hubbard who took his words very literally. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams said Thoreau. The Hubbards did just that and more.
No living lives of quiet desperation for these two remarkable people. They went to the woods to indeed live deliberately and not when it came time to die, discover they had not lived.
As a young man, Harlan saw the industrial development in America as a threat to the natural world and as a result he completely rejected the consumer culture.
In 1929 he started writing a journal outlining his thoughts on society and in 1943 he married Anna Eikenhout who was to become the power behind the throne.
In 1951, at Payne Hollow on the banks of the Ohio River, they built by hand their basic but beautiful house which was to be home for the next forty years. They lived with no electricity or modern conveniences.
They ate the food they grew or caught.
There's more to see here and here about this remarkable couple who walked the talk.
Anna and Harlan Hubbard lived life as few people in modern times have and in doing so discovered at least two very rare gifts.
Contentment and freedom...
I can see there was real love there, and that makes so much possible -and a whole lot nicer.
ReplyDelete"Payne Hollow" is always up for a re-read..nice book
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sixbears, real love makes all things possible. Sadly, today, most of that reality is focused on self and love of "other" things. I really wish there was as much promotion of the true values based lifestyles lived by magic people like these two as there is on world politics!! Great article Keith.
ReplyDeleteI often thought I would like to do something like that, but not where I live now. At this exact momint it slightly over 102 degrees in the shade. Even my dogs only go outside for less than a minute.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the introduction to Mr. Hubbard. Had never heard of him, but knew that Thoreau was just one mile outside of town, and his mommy did his laundry.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought Helen and Scott Nearing to be rather an inspiration, too.
ReplyDeleteLove the massive fireplace . I always thort they lived on a shantyboat .
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