In 1957, Lou Martin moved into the historic Whisky Creek Cabin on the Rogue River. Lou spent much of his life living in the cabin. He died in 1977 at the age of 83. Shortly before his death, Lou shared his recollections of life in the Rogue River Canyon. The following is just one passage from his thoughts...
"You see, when you mine for yourself, you don't put 8 hours in. It's 12, 14 hours a day; time you get your breakfast, time you sweep up, do the dishes, then go to work and come in and do your cooking again. Your mind's occupied all the time. In summer you get up about 4 a.m. As soon as daylight you go to work. By 11:30 a.m. you'd have to quit because in them canyons it gets hot. If you want to take a day off and go fishing, you take a day off and go fishing. Which I did--for steelhead. After trout, it'd be in Whisky Creek; after salmon, it'd be the Rogue.
Even in the winter time, tho, you're always working. If you can't mine cause the creek's too high, you cut your next year's wood. I had to use a crosscut saw. I despised that thing. I never hit first base with it. But I still had to cut my wood with it, until the chain saws came out. Pile it up, tier it up, and be dry for the next winter. If you're going to stay always have to think ahead. Couldn't be like a grasshopper, play around all summer, wouldn't have nothin'."
I think we could all use more time to contemplate our lives through the rhythm of simple work.
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