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There is an old saying about making lemonade out of lemons. That sentiment well suits this book. Joe, the author's husband, had a massive stroke in 1990, and the doctor advised that this middle-aged couple move to a quiet place and live a less stressful lifestyle. They found and bought a property in a hollow in the woods of Arkansas, far removed from their once-busy social life in Florida. Little did they expect the various "neighbors" they would soon have to show up on the deck of their new home or roam through their backyard.
Their first purchase was bird feeders for the migrating hummingbirds that stopped for rest and refreshment before beginning their longest flight south. Next, the couple laid out a buffet for the raccoons and foxes that daily showed up (but hopefully not at the same time). When the first winter arrived, the couple sadly realized their lovely home in Coon Hollow with its cathedral ceilings was not suited for keeping warm. Joe's health began to suffer, so they decided on purchasing a winter place in south Florida, rotating time spent between the two locations.
Parker speaks as the first-person narrator throughout this short book. She is a passionate storyteller with a humorous writing style. Her husband says she cares too much for "people, animals, birds, butterflies, everything." The book's amusing tales prove his point. For example, there's the time the author adopted a bunny that nibbled on her carpet and other possessions until she moved it out of the house. Pet lovers will thoroughly enjoy her tales. The couple's unexpected life came to a close in 2000 due to driving distances between the two homes and the lack of medical facilities near the Arkansas house. Brown recluse spiders and thieves helped signal the end of their joyful Coon Hollow days.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review