The Good Life - Inspiration Thursday

If you've never heard or read anything by or about Helen and Scott Nearing you're in for a treat.  This back-to-the-land couple is inspiration for my soul all over.  Moving from a New York apartment to a farm in Vermont during the Great Depression they made a rich, meaningful, hand-made life for themselves and chronicled it, as well.  Their self-reliance, determination, cooperation, humility, humor and ecological sensibilities make my heart soar.

So, imagine the surprise and delight Matt and I shared when we realized this summer that one of our favorite bands, Railroad Earth, had written a song about the Nearings and the "good life" they built together.

You can listen to it here.

"They got bread in the oven, got books on the shelf.

They're looking deep into each other eyes, keeping to themselves.
Pursuing ideals with grace and style and they're making ends meet with their huggle belly guile."

"They got the power of the sun and the strength of the soil.
Finding peace in their hearts and faith in their toil."

For more on the Nearings and their legacy you might check out:
The Good Life: Helen and Scott Nearing's Sixty Years of Self-Sufficient Living
The Scott and Helen Nearing Papers from The Walden Woods Center
The Good Life Center
Living the Good Life with Helen and Scott Nearing from the Mother Earth News
Living the Good Life with Helen and Scott Nearing from Bullfrog Films