Thoreau

24-February 1852 - "I am reminded of spring by the quality of the air. The cock-crowing and even the telegraph harp prophesy it, though the ground is for the most part covered with snow. It is a natural resurrection, an experience of immortality. The telegraph harp reminds me of Anacreon. That is the glory of Greece, that we are reminded of her only when in our best estate, our elysian days, when our senses are young and healthy again. I could find a name for every strain or intonation of the harp from one or other of the Grecian bards. I often hear Mimnermus, often Meander. The empressement of a little dog when he starts any wild thing in the woods! The woods ring with his barking as if the tragedy of Actaeon were being acted over again." - The Diary of Henry David Thoreau


Title: The Actaeon Sculpture Group in the cascade at Italy's Royal Palace of Caserta
source: Wikipedia

The greek goddess Artemis was bathing in the woods when the hunter Actaeon stumbled across her, thus seeing her naked. He stopped and stared, amazed at her ravishing beauty. Once seen, Artemis punished Actaeon: she forbade him speech — if he tried to speak, he would be changed into a stag — for the unlucky profanation of her virginity's mystery. Upon hearing the call of his hunting party, he cried out to them and immediately was changed into a stag. His own hounds then turned upon him and tore him to pieces, not recognizing him.

22 February 1841 - "The whole of the day should not be daytime, nor of the night night-time, but some portion be rescued from time to oversee time in. All our hours must not be current; all our time must not lapse. There must be one hour at least which the day did not bring forth,—of ancient parentage and long-established nobility,—which will be a serene and lofty platform overlooking the rest. We should make our notch every day on our characters, as Robinson Crusoe on his stick. We must be at the helm at least once a day; we must feel the tiller-rope in our hands, and know that if we sail, we steer."


title: the labrynth inside grace cathedral, san francisco, california
flick user sfbrit

February 20, 1844 - "I must confess there is nothing so strange to me as my own body. I love any other piece of nature, almost, better." - The Diary of Henry David Thoreau


Title: Red Latex Tank Top Wednesday, Me
taken by me.

18 February 1841,"Sometimes I find that I have frequented a higher society during sleep, and my thoughts and actions proceed on a higher level in the morning." The diary of Henry David Thoreau


Title: Pinky Up (Because I'm All About Being Cultured)
Flickr User Dave 77459

16 February 1859: What we call wildness is a civilization other than our own. The hen-hawk shuns the farmer, but it seeks the friendly shelter and support of the pine. It will not consent to walk in the barn-yard, but it loves to soar above the clouds. It has its own way and is beautiful, when we would fain subject it to our will. So any surpassing work of art is strange and wild to the mass of men, as genius itself. No hawk that soars and steals our poultry is wilder than genius, and none is more persecuted or above persecution. It can never be poet laureate, to say “Pretty Poll” and “Polly want a cracker.”


Title: Hen Harrier, Muirshiel Park
Flickr User RE Teacher

14 February 1851 - "We learn by the January thaw that winter is intermittent and are reminded of other seasons - the back of winter is broken"


Title: Reflections of Winter
Flickr User Images1960

12 February 1851: "I trust that the walkers of the present day are conscious of the blessings which they enjoy in the comparative freedom with which they can ramble over the country and enjoy the landscape - anticipating with compassion that future day when possibily it will be partitioned off into so called pleasure grounds where only a few may enjoy the narrow and exclusive pleasure which is compatible with ownership. When walking over the surface of God's earth - shall be construed to mean trespassing on some gentleman's grounds. When fences shall be multiplied and man traps and other engines invented to confine them to the public road. I am thankful that we have yet so much room in America."


Flickr User: Green Woman 46

10 February 1852 - "Now if there are any who think that I am vainglorious, that I set myself up above others and crow over their low estate, let me tell them that I could tell a pitiful story respecting myself as well as them, if my spirits held out to do it; I could encourage them with a sufficient list of failures, and could flow as humbly as the very gutters themselves; I could enumerate a list of as rank offenses as ever reached the nostrils of heaven; that I think worse of myself than they can possibly think of me, being better acquainted with the man. I put the best face on the matter. I will tell them this secret, if they will not tell it to anybody else."


Title: Telling Secrets
Flickr User Sierra Romeo

February 8, 1852, "What if there is less fire on the hearth, if there is more in the heart" - The Diary of Henry David Thoreau


title: hands on fire
flickr user pranavsingh

February 6, 1844, " I feel slightly complimented when nature condescends to make use of me without my knowledge, as when I help scatter her seeds in my walk, or carry burrs or cockles on my clothes from field to field." - The Diary of Henry David Thoreau.


Title: Grasses
Flickr User robnjay