We Took to the Woods

Originally published in 1942. "Discontent is only the fear of missing something. Content is the knowledge that you aren't missing a thing worth-while." (p. 322) I guess that depends on how you've lived your life according to YOUR own standards.

This is my first read of 2019, and I can tell you now that it will be one of my top reads of the year. Louise Dickinson Rich is a very visual writer, and she can sure tell some stories. I love her sense of humor. Not once did I get bored, nor did I begin to count the pages.

On page 142, she wrote something here that caught my attention and just might explain the attitude of so many unhappy youths, even adults, of today, speaking of her son: "I want him to know what he's fighting for-and Freedom show more and Democracy won't mean a thing to him, unless they are all tied up with memories of things that he has loved..." Today's youth do not have exciting, fond memories of adventure or memories of things that they loved. Their heads are down and distracted by rotten politics and electronics, meanwhile, the beautiful day outside is passing them by. I love how she describes all the distractions around us as "static". That was back in 1942. Today, with cell phones, Internet, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and electronic games, and even today's politics, all vying up most our time on this earth, we have created a level of "static" in our lives that is uncomprehensible, and it’s making people mentally unstable. This includes adults as well. I get it! I'm part of this group so distracted by all the "static" around.

Documenting every aspect of our lives, prevents our minds from taking in all the fine beautiful things taking place all around us, and just creates a sense of selfishness. We snap that picture so we can instantly share to everyone and to say, “Hey, look at me! Look what I am doing!” Our memories are now in the memory card of our cameras. They weren't captured fully with our minds and our soul because we had a motive for taking that picture...to show the world how important we are. No deep memorable moment to sustain us like Louise's memory and full description of that one beautiful morning seeing the sun behind a blackbird that lighted on the water just in front of her:

"We sat down on the shore to assemble our tackle, and a shelldrake came flying in from the east, not seeing us at all. The sun was behind it, and as it spread its wings and tail to break for a three point landing almost in our laps, the delicate rib of every feather was silhouetted black and single, and the down along the ribs was gold and translucent. We could see how wonderfully and intricately it was made. Spray flew up like a fountain of jewels as it plowed the water. It was a bird of fire, coming to rest among diamonds and emeralds." (p. 284)

That one day on B Pond was anything but miraculous. It was an experience that could only be captured in one’s own eyes and sealed in their soul, not in a camera. Sure, today, we would have snapped a picture of a black bird that landed in the water in front of us, but missing all the little fine details of that landing because we were busy snapping that picture to show everybody on Facebook.

There are a couple of recipes I am interested in trying, just to see how they really ate out there in the woods, and to get the full experience out of reading her story. Instructions for her Baked Beans are on page 113-4, which require all day, slow cooking in the oven, with water added about every 30 minutes. And her Raspberry Shortcake Recipe with full instructions can be found on page 162. show less

I love it when a book is so fun to read you don't notice the time. You simply start reading and suddenly it's three hours later and you are practically finished with the entire thing. Such is the case with We Took to the Woods. Rich is a fantastic storyteller. What makes her story even more appealing is the fact it's a true story (complete with photographs) and Rich has a great sense of humor. Maine humor, if you will. It's a great combination.
Probably the most fascinating element to We Took to the Woods is how current it is 70 years later. You can read about living in a cabin deep in the woods of Maine today and find it eerily similar to how Rich described it back then. A simple way of life is a simple way of life. I guess you could show more say simplicity barely changes. Rich divides her chapters into the most frequently asked questions she has had to answer over the years: "But how do you make a living?" "Aren't you ever frightened?" and "Do you get out very often?" to name a few. It's as if she wrote the book to shut people up about her unique lifestyle, living in the far Northern section of Maine in the middle of nowhere. show less

Louise is a good writer and relays some profound observations by looking at the world from her remote cabin property in the Maine woods. I life lived by your own wits and hard work tends to put things in perspective and this perspective was fun to read.

If anyone else had written this book, it'd probably have been out of print many years now. Louise Dickinson Rich manages to do what few people can do: write about the mundane in a way that interests even urban folk who know next to nothing about country living. We Took to the Woods is Rich's first autobiographical book about living in the woods of Maine in the 1930's. It's full of adventure, humor, candor and fun. I did get a little lost with all the jargon pertaining to boats and lakes, 'sluicing" and fishing; but the daily life descriptions were intriguing and inspiring. Rich talks of 'making do' with what she has, since she lived in the wilderness without easy access to stores and supplies. When things broke, she and her husband and show more helpers had to fix, mend, rig up makeshift repairs with whatever supplies they had on hand. Living in subzero temperatures during the winter, they wrapped themselves in woolen layers of clothes, and went about their daily business just as always; digging, shoveling, cutting wood for the fire. Their resourcefulness and strong work ethic were enviable, though I was not tempted to pack up my things and take on a woodsy life.
I loved her tone and anecdotes. Of her son, husband and stepdaughter. Of the animals, of nature in its raw beauty, of her many visitors, 'sports', lumberjacks, and neighbors, though there were not as many as one would consider nowadays.
I look forward to reading more of her books. 5+ stars ! show less

Originally posted on http://mydustyshelves.blogspot.com/

When I’ve mentioned to people that We Took to the Woods is on my list of favorites, most are unfamiliar with it. The author chronicles the years she spent in the remote woods of Maine after marrying her husband in the 1930’s.

She left behind a conventional life as a high school English teacher to become a homesteader in a tough, yet beautiful area of the country. Part of the year, after the lake froze over, there was no way out. Except during logging season, there were very few people for many miles around. Then, during logging season, the people that were around were quite colorful characters.

Her practicality shows through in her clear, concise writing style. The calmness is show more which she chronicles her sometimes humorous, sometimes dangerous adventures shows the strength of character she needed to raise a family in the Maine woods. When I read Louise Dickinson Rich’s book, I feel like I’m sitting by her fire and she’s recounting the stories to me personally.

I’ve wondered why I love this book so much. I really have no desire to live the life she did. While I enjoy spending a lot of time in nature, I really, really enjoy my indoor plumbing. While I don’t like grocery shopping, I do appreciate being able to get to the store more than once or twice a year.

I think this book is a favorite because I’m inspired by the courage the author had to live her life in a way that was so far from what everyone else expected from her. I wonder what this world would be like if we all paid less attention to conventions. To have the courage to follow a dream, regardless of what society will think, is an admirable quality. show less

Engagingly written stories worth telling. Take a look at a map after you read, amazing to think how isolated that area of Maine was only a short while ago.

At the same time, what astonished me most about this book was how modern it sounded, and how many aspects of their lives resembled "the modern era" (so many cars!). However, the next sentence would be something about ether in a can bringing you right back to the 1930s.

I really loved this book. It's set during the depression, and it's about a woman who chooses to live in the Maine wilderness. Some of the descriptive writing is beautiful. Is going off in the woods and living on one's own an American only fantasy?