Stormy Outside: The Adventures and Misadventures of a Forester and his Dog

by Mark Stormzand

“I have always contended that you can tell a lot about a person by the way they interact with animals. For various reasons, we humans sometimes don’t interact well with other people. We may be shy, short tempered, intimidated, intimidating, loners, insecure, or have a litany of other quirks when dealing with other members of our species. But when a bundle of sweet smelling puppy fur comes and places his or her head in close proximity to our hand, we will go out of our way to scratch, rub, and inquire how the beast is doing. We have learned it takes nine lives to work your way into a cat’s heart. But we can earn their devotion, via their stomachs, with one can of Meow-Mix.”With little knowledge of the life of a forester, Mark Stormzand pursued that career based on one Forests were outside, and that’s where he wanted to be. After graduation from Michigan State University in 1976, with forestry diploma in hand, he and his new bride headed into the wilds to see what life had to offer. Idaho, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Michigan, and Ontario became the author’s workplace and playground. Northern Michigan eventually became home, where children were raised and many life lessons learned. One of those lessons was, “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than she loves herself."'Stormy Outside' is a heartwarming, inspirational reflection on life written by a man who regrets little, if anything, in his life. Each chapter is a vignette, perfectly sequenced, wonderfully described, and, often so poignant that the reader will be moved to tears. Mark Stormzand has written the definitive how-to book. Surrounded by his wife, children, a marvelous series of golden retrievers, and nearly four decades of experience in some of America’s greatest forestlands, he lays out for us how to live life to its fullest. ~ John Wemlinger, author, 'Winter’s Bloom'

294 pages, Paperback

Published March 10, 2021

Reviews

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories written by an even better man. The illustrations are pretty good too, though I might be a little biased.

[Tia Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely tales of a man and his adventures in the woods with his dog. A couple of corny moments but always heartwarming. Illustration of Mt. Washington is suspect.

[Andrew Boutin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!