Letters From Eden ~ book review

Every once in a while I read a book that is just so enjoyable from start to finish that I can't put it down. This is one of those! Delightful, enjoyable, relaxing and peaceful are just a few of the words I would use to describe it. Her writing style is so readable. It just flows from one page to the next. You are hardly aware that you are reading and not just listening to her tell it. It's like you've sat at her kitchen table and listened while she tells you about the happenings in her life.

Julie Zickefoose is a naturalist, writer and painter of nature. Her paintings throughout the book just captured my attention. So realistic and yet still have that wonderful blend and flow that only watercolor can do. At least that's the way I feel about watercolor paintings. One day, I was watching our two grandchildren while Tim, Jeff and Tash (our son and daughter in law) were loading up the moving truck. We sat on a mattress, in the empty living room and looked at all the lovely pictures in this book. They loved them! Especially Everitt, our 17 month old grandson.  He would laugh, point and say "birdie" at the bird pictures. I think it would make a great read aloud for most any age of readers.

It is full of information about nature, wildflowers, bird-eating bullfrogs, turtles, deer and a lot about birds. Even some about wildlife gardening and the use of native plants which has become a new interest of mine. I have had enough of mowing my acre plus of lawn and have goals of turning part of it back into a meadow. I gleaned a few tips about that from this book.  She is an avid birdwatcher and master naturalist, something that I wouldn't mind achieving myself....

So if you love good writing, beautiful painting, birds, nature, stories about family and country living, you will also love this book! My new favorite. I found her blog before the book. I ordered the book through Inter library loan. I told Tim, "the next gift giving holiday this is what I want!" You can purchase a signed copy here. I have also added it to our amazon store.

She  has a new book coming out soon which you can pre-order here. It looks just as wonderful. You can see her style of painting by the covers. Beautiful Watercolors!