How to Know the Birds


Book Description

"In this elegant narrative, celebrated naturalist Ted Floyd guides you through a year of becoming a better birder. Choosing 200 top avian species to teach key lessons, Floyd introduces a new, holistic approach to bird watching and shows how to use the tools of the 21st century to appreciate the natural world we inhabit together whether city, country or suburbs." -- From book jacket.




The Sun Is a Compass


Book Description

For fans of Cheryl Strayed, the gripping story of a biologist's human-powered journey from the Pacific Northwest to the Arctic to rediscover her love of birds, nature, and adventure. During graduate school, as she conducted experiments on the peculiarly misshapen beaks of chickadees, ornithologist Caroline Van Hemert began to feel stifled in the isolated, sterile environment of the lab. Worried that she was losing her passion for the scientific research she once loved, she was compelled to experience wildness again, to be guided by the sounds of birds and to follow the trails of animals. In March of 2012, she and her husband set off on a 4,000-mile wilderness journey from the Pacific rainforest to the Alaskan Arctic, traveling by rowboat, ski, foot, raft, and canoe. Together, they survived harrowing dangers while also experiencing incredible moments of joy and grace -- migrating birds silhouetted against the moon, the steamy breath of caribou, and the bond that comes from sharing such experiences. A unique blend of science, adventure, and personal narrative, The Sun is a Compass explores the bounds of the physical body and the tenuousness of life in the company of the creatures who make their homes in the wildest places left in North America. Inspiring and beautifully written, this love letter to nature is a lyrical testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Winner of the 2019 Banff Mountain Book Competition: Adventure Travel







Waiting for a Warbler


Book Description

Short listed for the Green Earth book award In early April, as Owen and his sister search the hickories, oaks, and dogwoods for returning birds, a huge group of birds leaves the misty mountain slopes of the Yucatan peninsula for the 600-mile flight across the Gulf of Mexico to their summer nesting grounds. One of them is a Cerulean warbler. He will lose more than half his body weight even if the journey goes well. Aloft over the vast ocean, the birds encourage each other with squeaky chirps that say, “We are still alive. We can do this.” Owen’s family watches televised reports of a great storm over the Gulf of Mexico, fearing what it may mean for migrating songbirds. In alternating spreads, we wait and hope with Owen, then struggle through the storm with the warbler. This moving story with its hopeful ending appeals to us to preserve the things we love. The backmatter includes a North American bird migration map, birding information for kids, and guidance for how native plantings can transform yards into bird and wildlife habitat.




The Prairie Homestead Cookbook


Book Description

Jill Winger, creator of the award-winning blog The Prairie Homestead, introduces her debut The Prairie Homestead Cookbook, including 100+ delicious, wholesome recipes made with fresh ingredients to bring the flavors and spirit of homestead cooking to any kitchen table. With a foreword by bestselling author Joel Salatin The Pioneer Woman Cooks meets 100 Days of Real Food, on the Wyoming prairie. While Jill produces much of her own food on her Wyoming ranch, you don’t have to grow all—or even any—of your own food to cook and eat like a homesteader. Jill teaches people how to make delicious traditional American comfort food recipes with whole ingredients and shows that you don’t have to use obscure items to enjoy this lifestyle. And as a busy mother of three, Jill knows how to make recipes easy and delicious for all ages. "Jill takes you on an insightful and delicious journey of becoming a homesteader. This book is packed with so much easy to follow, practical, hands-on information about steps you can take towards integrating homesteading into your life. It is packed full of exciting and mouth-watering recipes and heartwarming stories of her unique adventure into homesteading. These recipes are ones I know I will be using regularly in my kitchen." - Eve Kilcher These 109 recipes include her family’s favorites, with maple-glazed pork chops, butternut Alfredo pasta, and browned butter skillet corn. Jill also shares 17 bonus recipes for homemade sauces, salt rubs, sour cream, and the like—staples that many people are surprised to learn you can make yourself. Beyond these recipes, The Prairie Homestead Cookbook shares the tools and tips Jill has learned from life on the homestead, like how to churn your own butter, feed a family on a budget, and experience all the fulfilling satisfaction of a DIY lifestyle.




Plan a Happy Life: Define Your Passion, Nurture Your Creativity, and Take Hold of Your Dreams


Book Description

From the creator of the immensely popular Happy Planner and Me and My BIG Ideas, Stephanie Fleming, comes Plan a Happy Life(TM)--a delightfully practical book that shows you how to simplify, organize, and live with intention, all while having fun.




How to Be a Moonflower


Book Description

How to Be a Moonflower, the new book from bestselling author Katie Daisy, celebrates the magic and mystery of the world at night. Discover the world that awakens after everyone else has gone to sleep. In this lavishly illustrated book, New York Times–bestselling artist Katie Daisy explores the mystery and magic of the nighttime. Join her on a journey from dawn to dusk, complete with quotes, poems, meditations, field guides to different nocturnal flora and fauna, and charts that map out the cosmos. From night-blooming flowers to cozy campfires, from moon baths to meteor showers, Katie Daisy's lush illustrations capture the beauty that comes to life in the darkness. BELOVED AUTHOR: Known for her lush, painterly artwork and love of the natural world, NEW YORK TIMES–bestselling author Katie Daisy has 112K followers on Instagram, where you will find frequent posts featuring her vibrant illustrations. A CELEBRATION OF NATURE: Nature-lovers and plant-appreciators will find much to admire in this book. Illustrating everything from the phases of the moon to fluttering moths, Katie Daisy has a knack for capturing the very best this magical world has to offer. EXPLORE THE WONDERS OF NIGHT TIME: The nighttime offers time for reflection, exploration, and adventure. This book will help you make the most of those mystical, after-dark hours and observe the hidden wonders that come to life at night DELUXE PACKAGE: Featuring a tactile two-piece case with silver metallic ink on the spine and back cover, How to Be a Moonflower makes a beautiful gift for the people in your life who look to art and illustration for creative encouragement, self-exploration, and mindfulness. Perfect for: • Fans of Katie Daisy's artwork and previous book HOW TO BE A WILDFLOWER • free spirits • art and nature lovers • tarot readers and moon worshippers




Nerdy Birdy


Book Description

Nerdy Birdy likes reading, video games, and reading about video games, which immediately disqualifies him for membership in the cool crowd. One thing is clear: being a nerdy birdy is a lonely lifestyle. When he's at his lowest point, Nerdy Birdy meets a flock just like him. He has friends and discovers that there are far more nerdy birdies than cool birdies in the sky.




How to Be a Wildflower


Book Description

A field guide to finding calm, creativity, and self-discovery through encounters with nature. A fresh perspective, an outdoor exploration, a new adventure about to begin—How to Be A Wildflower is a book for celebrating these and other wide-open occasions. Encouraging self-discovery through encounters with nature, beloved artist Katie Daisy brings her beautiful paintings and lettering to this collection of things to do and make, quotes, meditations, natural history, and more. Find wonder and inspiration in these peaceful pages, live life to the fullest, and discover the wild and free spirit within. “For pure whimsy, you just can’t beat How to Be a Wildflower: A Field Guide by Katie Daisy. The Bend, Oregon, artist brings her beautiful paintings and lettering to this delightful book, a collection of nature-inspired quotations, meditations, lore, and even a recipe for fresh strawberry-rhubarb pie.” —Traditional Home




The Bird of Time


Book Description

Did you ever have a friend who would make you do things you would never do on your own? A friend that made you act so different from your regular self that you didn’t recognize yourself when you were with them? John Chance has such a lifelong friend, Jesse Trubble, who has an unyielding zest for life that is infectious—captivating and influencing John’s actions and relationships for over fifty years of their lives. In 2021, John is in a retirement home, and to pass the time, begins to relate the story of the best friend he ever had. By the age of eight, Johnny is motherless and his father is an alcoholic. His life is empty until he meets Jesse Trubble, a boy who is also motherless but whose father loves him and treats him and Johnny well. Together, the boys stir up adventure and trouble, which lasts a lifetime, whether it is playing cowboys, leading fugitives from justice to freedom, plotting the murder of bullies, fighting in Vietnam, or running weapons in Peru. Can Jesse, whom others view as a “bad influence” on Johnny, mend their friendship when a rift occurs? Or will they remain estranged, unable to get past their differences? Bird of Time is a coming-of-age novel that spans the 1940s through the 2020s, the nostalgia of these modern times creating a backdrop for the exploits of Johnny and Jesse.