The author's experiences as reader, teacher, mother, traveler, and especially, amateur birdwatcher. She covers such subjects as raising children to appreciate the natural world, watching birds in Kenya, reading natural historian, John Burroughs, and mistaking a fake owl for a real one near her own school campus-- "a book that will appeal to bird watchers, watchers of nature in general, lovers of literature, and those who appreciate a well-crafted essay" ("Booklist"); "a refreshing book, a wonderful tonic..." ("Birdwatcher's Digest"); "a comfortable, refreshing approach to observing birds" ("Publishers's Weekly"); "a wonderful collection...beautifully written" ("Living Bird").