I found this softcover at a local thrift shop. It's a lovely memoir of the author's life during the year in which she gave birth to one of her children - but it doesn't focus solely on pregnancy and childbirth. The setting is her New Hampshire farm, and the book includes many anecdotes about the feral cats (some of whom become companions, others... not so much), wildlife, the turning of the seasons, and observations great and small. There are bursts of humor, and a few bonuses in the form of recipes, from her husband's delightfully tart Lemon Meringue Pie to an intriguing "all-licorice" dinner. That, also concocted by her husband, included homage to the author's Ojibway heritage - and while I'm not a huge licorice-flavor fan myself, some of the fennel-based dishes sounded marvelous.

One of my favorite tidbits involves a scene of the author taming the growing brood of a woodchuck, luring them to her by propping a peanut on the toe of her boot:

"So here I sit, with a peanut on my foot, as though I'm not a writer, as though I've got nothing to do but watch these careful nuisances steal toward me one muscle at a time. I should be working because our baby is asleep, but I am too busy training woodchucks."

Really delightful book!

[In some ways this reminded me of Ann Lamott's Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year.]

I left this book, bagged against the elements, propped up on a tree at the little park where the rail-trail crosses West Broadway. Hope the finder enjoys the book!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

*** Released for the 2018 Great Backyard Bird Count release challenge. See this year's GBBC here. ***

*** Released for the 2018 Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes release challenge, for the embedded "ear" in the title. ***