“The Tonic of Wildness..”

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, TRAVEL REVIEWS

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“We need the tonic of wildness.” Henry David Thoreau

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“It is not what you look at that matters, but what you see.”

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“All good things are wild and free.”

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He may be broken, but he is not defeated.

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Next season he may survive to fight again and win his harem.

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But until then he is alone.

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“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”

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Photos taken the last few days in Yoho and Banff National Parks.

Quotations are all Henry David Thoreau.

Hope you take some time to go, “Where the Wild Things Are,” (Maurice Sendak).

Like Thoreau, you may just find your real self.

Cheers to you from our cabin in the Canadian Woods!

141 thoughts on ““The Tonic of Wildness..””

  16. Hi Cindy,
    What beautiful photos! You are killing me. I would love to wade up that stream fishing for trout. And when I encountered a closed chasm I would have to find a ledge to take me past it or just get wet attempting it. Some of the scenes remind me of my favorite chasms on the Chateaugay River; where of course I have gotten wet several times.
    I enjoyed the post and Thoreau’s words.
    Right now I am reading “A Sand County Almanac” (1949, Oxford U. Press) by Aldo Leopold; a Thoreau-like author who shot wolves and fished and cut trees down; all before & while developing into an environmentalist of moderation and a literary marvel.

    Reply

    1. Yes, you and I are kindred spirits my friend. I always fancied being the cook on your men only fishing trips…..I think I could have improved the chow just a teeny tad. But maybe that’s just wishful thinking since I just wanted to tag along. I love your palpable love of the Adirondacks.
      Why do I think I have heard of Leopold? I will google him now. Sounds like a fascinating man.
      Cheers your self up with thoughts of the chill up here, and the sun where you are, as winter is coming your way quite soon my friend, and it is here already.
      I love it here in the cabin anyway~

      Reply

  17. How thrilled you must be in your little cabin in the wilderness. These are simply fabulous photos and of course there is no better accompaniment than Thoreau.

    Reply

  27. Cindy, you’ve changed the look of your blog! This is so pretty 🙂 (I’ve been meaning to update mine for weeks but never seem to get round to it)
    Even more than that, I love this post. The photography is sublime and the quotes well matched. I so want to be there. 🙂

    Reply

  28. Your posts – with all the deers, bees, spiders, birds, grasshoppers and other wonderful things – remind me that I have so many topics in my culture that I have not written about!
    😀
    I feel so inspired and excited!

    Reply

    1. I want to read what you are going to write my friend and am happy beyond words to be a spark for your formidable creative talents. Write away Hari! I am eager to read & see~

      Reply

    1. He is a voice of sanity in an often insane world. He is the master and I am the pupil, and content for it to always be such.
      Enjoying reading the other masters on your posts Russel. Can’t even remember from todays read, who stands out the most? Keats?
      Thank you for your blog and your kindness~

      Reply

  30. Your first image is truly breathtakingly inspiring. Mother Nature’s radiance woos me every single day in tiny and larger ways. But to envision her vastness is to understand her omnipresence and wonder. Wonderful set of images–keep building memories.

    Reply

    1. Yes nature does this to me as well and it brings me solace and comfort to realize I am such an infinitesimal part of such a vast greatness, as I think it does for you too my friend. If the wild creatures are happy with this, and the trees and flowers, why shouldn’t we be too?

      Reply

  34. I’m not sure how many followers we have that are the same; but may I re-blog this on your behalf as an introduction just in case. If no, please don’t worry about saying no. I know some people don’t like to be re-blogged. This is an amazing post!

    Reply

    1. Oh I am so honored! Thank you Belinda. I was happy to read last night that you were feeling a bit better. Cheers to you and I appreciate your kindness. Here’s hoping each day gets better for you~

      Reply

  37. Liebe Cindy das sind ja atemberaubende Fotos einfach schön anzusehen und dein Blog ist super gestalltet,ganz großes Kompliment wünsche dir ein schönes Wochenende Klaus

    Reply

      2. Silent at night except for the wind in the trees. I’ve seen lots of bears, but have never seen one roar except in the movies. The howling banshee coyotes at The Holler are much louder and rowdier!

        Reply

    1. Yay!! Go for it. I just came from one, we finally had a soaking rain and it was lovely and damp and some flowers I had never seen before were blooming so I snapped some shots, sanity is lurking outside! Cheers to you and happy walking~

      Reply

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