Thoreau was a skilled surveyor, one of his many professions of which he claimed to have as many as the fingers on his hands. Writer, naturalist, philosopher, handyman, gardener, builder, explorer, teacher and pencil-maker were among the others.
Thoreau did this drawing of Walden Pond in 1846, in the middle of his two year stay along its shores. Walden remains much as it was when he began his sojourn on Jul 4, 1845. The water retains its mysterious purity and the Raildroad to Concord & Fitchburg still runs along the western edge.
The area is far more wooded than in Thoreau's time when most of Concord was cleared for farming. A path skirts the perimeter of the pond, but it's probably the same one that Indians used for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. An ugly concrete bathhouse defaces the eastern shore. The site of Thoreau's cabin is marked by a cairn of stones piled up by visitors.
Walden is by far the favorite spot for skipping school. Concord-Carlisle High School is just a short stroll down the tracks in the direction of the arrow at the lower right.
Rain has resumed, dreary and depressing, gray and godforsaken.
Bright spot, a great interview with Quincy Jones.
Q ... Absolutely! I love recording studios. That's why I never had a studio in my home — to me a recording studio is a sacred, hallowed place. I used to have a saying: “Let's always leave some space to let God walk through the room.” Because you're looking for very, very spiritual and special moments in a studio. It can't be just some place you hang out in and take for granted.It doesn't get any better than that.
1661 ... Wampanoag Indian chief Massasoit signed a peace treaty with the Pilgrims.
Walden Pond. Drawing by Henry David Thoreau.
No comments:
Post a Comment