Helen and Nearing

[Guest guest]

Has anyone ever had the pleasure of reading " Simple Food for the

Simple Life " by Helen Nearing? Or has anyone ever looked into

them? They were wonderful people...pre-hippies-pre-

beatniks..whatever people want to call them..wonderful self-sufficent

people. They were " the original homesteaders " ..but the way they ate

may very well fall into the category of CR.

Jane R (NY)

[Guest guest]

Hi Jane:

So, very approximately, what, and how much, did they eat?

Rodney.

--- In , " clydiemor " <clydiemor@y...>

wrote:

> Has anyone ever had the pleasure of reading " Simple Food for the

> Simple Life " by Helen Nearing? Or has anyone ever looked into

> them? They were wonderful people...pre-hippies-pre-

> beatniks..whatever people want to call them..wonderful self-

sufficent

> people. They were " the original homesteaders " ..but the way they

ate

> may very well fall into the category of CR.

>

> Jane R (NY)

[Guest guest]

They were homesteaders..grew their own food..no meat..little if any

dairy (usually only what a friend gave them..maybe in the form of

goat cheese) they preferred raw to cooked..including oats...at 80+

years he and his wife built a stone house in Vermont...he died way in

his 90's (or was 100??) and she then moved to AZ because of

arthitis..she also lived into her 90's or more..was about 10+ years

younger than him..---their bread was usually sprouted wheat groats

(as described by some of the recipes here) IF they had bread. Their

lunch and dinner was usually a salad...or soup..made of either

leftover slightly cooked veg from the night before and fresh from the

garden, picked that day...or grains...like bulgar salads, or oats

(cooked or raw) millet..etc....their aim is too simplify thier lives,

including their diets, and they ate as much as they could raw.

Another calories riducer (if there is a word) is (was) Bragg.

Jane R (NY)

In , " Rodney " <perspect1111@y...>

wrote:

> Hi Jane:

>

> So, very approximately, what, and how much, did they eat?

>

> Rodney.

>

>

> > Has anyone ever had the pleasure of reading " Simple Food for the

> > Simple Life " by Helen Nearing? Or has anyone ever looked into

> > them? They were wonderful people...pre-hippies-pre-

> > beatniks..whatever people want to call them..wonderful self-

> sufficent

> > people. They were " the original homesteaders " ..but the way they

> ate

> > may very well fall into the category of CR.

> >

> > Jane R (NY)

[Guest guest]

Hi All, Al Pater here,

Please see

http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC26/Nearing.htm

for the look at the two inspirational lives. For example:

At The End Of A Good Life

Nearing's dignified death, like his life,

sets an inspiring example for all of us

by Helen Nearing

" " Work, " said , " helps prevent one from getting old. My

work is my life. I cannot think of one without the other. The man who

works and is never bored, is never old. A person is not old until

regrets take the place of hopes and plans. Work and interest in

worthwhile things are the best remedy for aging. " Still, he was

facing the end and knew it.

Interviewed in 1981 he said " I look forward to the possibility of

living until I'm 99. " His blue eyes twinkled. " It is a precarious

outlook, I assure you. With age, your facility of expression and

perception diminishes. I have almost nothing left but time. But if I

can be of service, I would like to go on living. " Walt Whitman, at a

far earlier age (70) said, " The old ship is not in a state to make

many voyages, but the flag is still on the mast and I am still at the

wheel. "

Most people begin to get old in their 60's. only began to be

old in his 90's. Up to then if anyone called him old I was outraged,

because he neither looked nor felt old. Sure, he had plenty of

wrinkles. They came in his 50's from a lot of hard work in the sun.

But failing and getting feeble? No.

He did more than his share of mental and physical work up to his last

years. At 98 he said " Well, at least I can still split and carry in

the wood. " And when he was close to the end, lying in our living

room, his one regret at leaving this Earth plane was on watching me

lug in the wood for our kitchen stove. " I wish I could help with

that, " he said. He was a help unto the end.

A month or two before he died he was sitting at table with us at a

meal. Watching us eat he said, " I think I won't eat

anymore. " " Alright, " said I. " I understand. I think I would do that

too. Animals know when to stop. They go off in a corner and leave off

food. "

So I put on juices: carrot juice, apple juice, banana juice,

pineapple, grape - any kind. I kept him full of liquids as often as

he was thirsty. He got weaker, of course, and he was as gaunt and

thin as Gandhi.

Came a day he said, " I think I'll go on water. Nothing more. " From

then on, for about ten days, he only had water. He was bed-ridden and

had little strength but spoke with me daily. In the morning of August

24, 1983, two weeks after his 100th birthday, when it seemed he was

slipping away, I sat beside him on his bed.

We were quiet together; no interruptions, no doctors or hospitals. I

said " It's alright, . Go right along. You've lived a good life

and are finished with things here. Go on and up - up into the light.

We love you and let you go. It's alright. "

In a soft voice, with no quiver or pain or disturbance he

said " All...right, " and breathed slower and slower and slower till

there was no movement anymore and he was gone out of his body as

easily as a leaf drops from the tree in autumn, slowly twisting and

falling to the ground.

So he returned to his Maker after a long life, well-lived and devoted

to the general welfare. He was principled and dedicated all through.

He lived at peace with himself and the world because he was in tune:

he practiced what he preached. He lived his beliefs. He could die

with a good conscience.

As to myself and my old age: I try to follow in his footsteps. It is

not so easy homesteading alone, but I carry on. A few more years and

I also will experience the great Transition. May I live halfway as

good a life and die as good a death.

> > > Has anyone ever had the pleasure of reading " Simple Food for

the

> > > Simple Life " by Helen Nearing? Or has anyone ever looked into

> > > them? They were wonderful people...pre-hippies-pre-

> > > beatniks..whatever people want to call them..wonderful self-

> > sufficent

> > > people. They were " the original homesteaders " ..but the way

they

> > ate

> > > may very well fall into the category of CR.

> > >

> > > Jane R (NY)

[Guest guest]

I am glad to see that someone else heard of them. They are truly

inspirational..not only in how they ate but in how they lived.

Jane R (NY) (I hope the 54 in your address doens't mean your age!)

--- In , " old542000 " <apater@m...>

wrote:

> Hi All, Al Pater here,

>

> Please see

>

> http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC26/Nearing.htm

>

> for the look at the two inspirational lives. For example:

>

> At The End Of A Good Life

> Nearing's dignified death, like his life,

> sets an inspiring example for all of us

> by Helen Nearing

>

> " " Work, " said , " helps prevent one from getting old. My

> work is my life. I cannot think of one without the other. The man

who

> works and is never bored, is never old. A person is not old until

> regrets take the place of hopes and plans. Work and interest in

> worthwhile things are the best remedy for aging. " Still, he was

> facing the end and knew it.

>

> Interviewed in 1981 he said " I look forward to the possibility of

> living until I'm 99. " His blue eyes twinkled. " It is a precarious

> outlook, I assure you. With age, your facility of expression and

> perception diminishes. I have almost nothing left but time. But if

I

> can be of service, I would like to go on living. " Walt Whitman, at

a

> far earlier age (70) said, " The old ship is not in a state to make

> many voyages, but the flag is still on the mast and I am still at

the

> wheel. "

>

> Most people begin to get old in their 60's. only began to be

> old in his 90's. Up to then if anyone called him old I was

outraged,

> because he neither looked nor felt old. Sure, he had plenty of

> wrinkles. They came in his 50's from a lot of hard work in the sun.

> But failing and getting feeble? No.

>

> He did more than his share of mental and physical work up to his

last

> years. At 98 he said " Well, at least I can still split and carry in

> the wood. " And when he was close to the end, lying in our living

> room, his one regret at leaving this Earth plane was on watching me

> lug in the wood for our kitchen stove. " I wish I could help with

> that, " he said. He was a help unto the end.

>

> A month or two before he died he was sitting at table with us at a

> meal. Watching us eat he said, " I think I won't eat

>. In the morning of August

> 24, 1983, two weeks after his 100th birthday, when it seemed he was

> slipping away, I sat beside him on his bed.

>

> We were quiet together; no interruptions, no doctors or hospitals.

I

> said " It's alright, . Go right along. You've lived a good life

> and are finished with things here. Go on and up - up into the

light.

> We love you and let you go. It's alright. "

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm sorry..that was rude wasn't it?!

Jane R (NY)

>

> Jane R (NY) (I hope the 54 in your address doens't mean your age!)

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jane and All,

I am 57 years old, as of this month. The 54 is from my age when I

registered with .

Cheers, Al Pater.

--- In , " clydiemor " <clydiemor@y...>

wrote:

> I'm sorry..that was rude wasn't it?!

>

> Jane R (NY)

>

> >

> > Jane R (NY) (I hope the 54 in your address doens't mean your

age!)

> >

> >