Fascinating and enjoyable reading. I particularly appreciated just how much detail appears when you take the time to have a long close look at the world around you. ( )

This book makes you see your backyard in a different light. It brings wildlife and nature right to you, as well as opening your eyes to information about conservation and little things we can all do for the environment. ( )

It is really a fascinating exploration of the nature in our backyards. The author does thorough research and provides plenty of scientific information on everything from the natural history of her region, to the many animals and plants who reside on her patch of land, to the environmental impact of her home and lifestyle. But she also provides enough subjective comments to remind the reader that she is basically just a homeowner and nature lover with her own preferences and quirks. She doesn't have any qualms about feeding her favorite animals and has minimal qualms about kill-trapping the mice in her house, but she does have an appreciation for all the flora and fauna and their amazing evolution and adaptability.

I have found it to be difficult to get in-depth information about "everyday" creatures that is still accessible to lay readers. For example, one of my favorite songbirds is the mockingbird. I have searched high and low for a book about these guys but there appears to be only one title on Amazon. A typical bird reference gives only sketchy information about each species. So I appreciated Holmes's deeper investigation into the lives of our familiary backyard neighbors, from crows to caterpillars.

In addition, one of the most fascinating sections to me was the discussion of the backyard trees. I am constantly amazed at the things we learn about plants. They are supposedly not self-aware, and they are fixed in place, but they seem to have some pretty complex ways of "communicating," defending themselves, and adapting.

Another favorite thing I learned from this book is that I have been a trend-setter without realizing it. Apparently a new fashion is to have "Freedom Lawns" or "Darwin lawns," in which the landowner avoids planting seed, fertilizing, or weeding and just allows the species who are fittest to take over the yard. My husband and I have been doing this for years and I thought we were just lazy! (Our yard always looks like the "before" picture in a before-and-after ad for a lawn service. Who knew we were on the cutting edge?)

Overall, this is a wonderful examination of one backyard that can provide information for anyone who is interested in nature and the environment. ( )

Absolutely facinating. Holmes spends a year studying what happens in her Maine yard. The crows, the Asiatic bittersweet, the sow bugs, the spiders - all and more are studied and explained and either glorified or vilified in turn. I particularly loved her romance with a chipmunk. Anyone who enjoys natural history should take a look at this book.

Bookcrossing: http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5280488/ ( )

I read this when it was new, and I really enjoyed it. Holmes has a nice eye, and a lovely turn of phrase. ( )