Walnut Oatmeal Patties

I spend a lot of time thinking about living simply. Not sure why and how this desire to live the back to nature sort of life as it was called way back in the 1970's. Maybe it was reading Thoreau, maybe it was reading Mother Earth News when they were still connected to simple living. Maybe it was the stories my grandmother told me of how things were in the "olden days". You see her stories were fascinating tales of life in the Maritime province of Nova Scotia. Stories of her mother and grandmothers lives. Stories of life before everyone ran from here or there in their cars. Stories of home life. Stories of cooking for many children. Of relatives visiting one another and feeling connected. A life of fewer distractions.
I was given this painting when I was still a young teen. I have wanted to live in a log cabin from the time I was 12 probably.
When the girls in Home Ec class were building scale models of what they wanted their dream house to be, I built a cabin with a cook stove and a walk in fireplace with an oven. Three rooms. Bedroom, kitchen and big living room. Simple stuff even then. I am not living in a log cabin, but a simple house that I love so dearly.
This painting may have inspired some of my dreams. It was painted by my great uncles wife's Swedish family. I have no idea where it was painted or who painted it. But it sure speaks volumes about life in the old days. Its not framed. Never was to my knowledge and the canvas is held on with square head nails. I love the simple beauty of it. Not that its any great work of art, but its a great work of history, of telling a story of what life was like and it also inspired me to dream my dreams that have become my reality.