Ten-year-old Nathan Greene lives with his grandparents on their neglected farm in a town filled with quirky characters, including resident busybody Millie; an old hermit who inexplicably points a light-up sign at his house; and the alien-obsessed Horaces, who call their chickens free-range, just so they don't have to build a coop. Gram is prim and practical, but Gramps has a naughty streak that leaves him doing things (out of Gram's sight, of course) like pretending he's a country bumpkin when the water tester comes to town, and taking a citified college grad on a snipe hunt. But he also has enough love for his grandson that he crafts magical stories about Nathan's father, helping to bring him to life for the son who never knew him. Through one pivotal year, the Greene family must deal with unexpected difficulties, including possibly losing their home, and Gramps' diagnosis with MS. (According to Old Horace, "MS" is "women who don't want no one to know if they're married.") They embrace the promise that we can get through challenging times with humor, faith, and the love and support of family and community--as crazy as they may be. Together, they can help you get through anything. Except, maybe, for Gram's rhubarb pie. Thirty chapters of character-driven stories--sweet, silly, or sentimental--weave together in this heartwarming memoir-style tale set in the early 1990s rural Midwest. Suitable reading for all, ages 10 through adult.