This memoir describes the author's rich life with family and friends in the outdoors. Yockey shares his memories and recipes from playing, hunting, fishing, foraging, and cooking. Not only is the food fresh and tender, but so are the heartwarming connections made by adventuring together. The autobiography continues past Yockey's childhood in Washington and on to his adulthood in Georgia. Maybe the most important part is the point of passing on the love of the outdoors to the next generation.

For anyone who spends any time outside, the book is relatable. This isn't just for hunters. Yockey and his friend picked blackberries in the Pacific Northwest, and he reflects on bringing their bounty home. "Finally back on the sand, we trotted toward the cottage, thinking about what would surely be one of the best dinners we'd ever had. Now... I'm full of happy memories of wonderful Whidbey."

Yockey's writing is both poetic and conversational. He writes, "We pitched our tent on the side of a babbling brook and watched a meteor shower as we fell asleep." Readers find themselves out on that starry night with him. The recipes alone make this book worth having. Some call for wild game, big and small, and all are the author's original creations. Some are very elegant, if sometimes rather earthy. For example, Yockey includes recipes for roasted root vegetable salad with toasted walnuts or yam, asparagus, and pecan salad with maple syrup and brandy dressing. Reading his book is like watching a travel/culinary documentary series but for outdoor recreation foodies. The added benefit is the reminder to readers that life can still be simple and joyful when one seeks it.

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