Tuesday, October 15, 2013

down by the river with Thoreau


Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, 
taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of the earth.

Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.


We need the tonic of wildness...at the same time that we are earnest 
to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and 
unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and 
unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.


When we are unhurried and wise, we perceive that 
only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence, 
that petty fears and petty pleasure are but the shadow of the reality.


We must look for a long time before we can see.


[some of my favorite quotes from Henry David Thoreau along with pictures from a recent walk we too by the Matanuska River]

19 comments:

  1. This is a really beautiful quote... together with these idyllic photos! Love the selfies of you two... always lovely!

    Hugs and kisses

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  2. I love this post, Whitney! It reminds me of a scene from a Terrence Malick film. Just gorgeous. Thoreau is such an intriguing, inspiring figure.

    ♡ Natalie of LIVE TEACH ALASKA

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  3. This is a beautiful post! I am a new reader to your blog and have definitely become a fan. Your pictures are so incredibly beautiful. Alaska is such an amazing place :)

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  4. Beautiful! I felt so peaceful reading this post! Thanks!

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  5. Love the shots of the rocks and fall leaves. Alex is always picking on me because I take pictures of every little thing when we're out hiking, but will later say he's thankful for a wife that can see the beauty in anything. It looks like you have that same gift. I'm a big fan of Thoreau too and loved these quotes. Hope you had a good weekend!

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  6. Thanks Andrea! I've been wanting to but I didn't want to lose all my old comments, which is currently the case. Supposedly they're importing over but I'm scared it won't work for some reason. We'll see!

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  7. WOW! Gorgeous shots. Those mountains don't even look real, they look like a painting or something. Have you lived in Alaska your whole life?

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  8. Hannah @ Joyful LifeOctober 16, 2013 at 4:17 AM

    STUNNING photos!!

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  9. Hannah @ Joyful LifeOctober 16, 2013 at 4:19 AM

    also been thinking about using Disqus....

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  10. I've come across your blog a couple of times and shame on me for not commenting sooner. :) I'm a fellow Alaskan, born in Anchorage and grew up in Big Lake. I moved away ages ago (I'm quite a bit older than you) ;), to go to college in Texas, met my Texan hubby and we moved to Europe. It had been years since I'd been back home to Alaska as my parents moved to Texas a long time ago. However, I had a chance to go September of last year and take my 3 kids to show them where I grew up. It was a trip of a life time! I was set on having family photos taken while there and our photographer took us to the Old Glenn Hwy bridge crossing the Matanuska River. I will cherish those photos forever!! I have an elderly friend in Butte, our families have known each other for ages. My grandparents lived at the Pioneer Home in Palmer and Wasilla was my stomping grounds! I'll look forward to reading more, living vicariously through you and gushing over my home state through your photos! :) Tina

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  11. Thank you so much Jessica! It was such a beautiful day. And yeah, I've lived in AK my whole life :)

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  12. Thank you! I really like it for the ease of replies and getting notifications for them. I still haven't gotten my old comments to load yet so that's sad :(

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  13. Aww Tina, small world! So glad you finally said hi!! I'll be happy to keep you connected to your valley roots ;)

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  14. Beautiful photos! Your little guy is seriously aborbs.

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  15. Thank you Hannah, I love taking pictures and it's nice when other people can enjoy them too :)

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  16. Yes! So true, his words just give me shivers and I love to read them over and over!

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  17. Thanks Maxima, you are too sweet xoxo

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