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Deeper into the Wood
Following the success of Ruth Pavey’s debut, A Wood of One's Own, which introduced readers to her four acres of verdant land in the Somerset Levels, Ruth reflects on the fate of her wood. Beneath the canopy of trees she spent 20 years planting, she sees nature’s forces changing rapidly with the diversity of species dwindling. When the rabbits suddenly vanish, she knew it was time to take a closer look at the undergrowth and what she could do to preserve the legacy of the wood for generations to come.
Interwoven with Ruth’s candid descriptions of the practical challenges of land management are forays into the Levels' local history, as well as thoughtful portraits of its inhabitants both past and present. Accompanied throughout by the author's evocative hand-drawn illustrations, Deeper into the Wood is a lyrical and inspiring story; a potent reminder of nature's delicate balance and our responsibility toward its preservation.
Interwoven with Ruth’s candid descriptions of the practical challenges of land management are forays into the Levels' local history, as well as thoughtful portraits of its inhabitants both past and present. Accompanied throughout by the author's evocative hand-drawn illustrations, Deeper into the Wood is a lyrical and inspiring story; a potent reminder of nature's delicate balance and our responsibility toward its preservation.
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 27, 2021
6 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Pavey
2 books12 followersRuth Pavey is the Gardening Correspondent for the Ham & High (Hampstead and Highgate Express).
She attended the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford, and a selection of her illustrated works are included in A Wood of One’s Own, her first book.
Pavey has reviewed books and written features for publications including the Observer, Guardian, New Statesman, Crafts, and the Garden, and was a contributor to BBC Radio 4’s programme Kaleidoscope.
She attended the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford, and a selection of her illustrated works are included in A Wood of One’s Own, her first book.
Pavey has reviewed books and written features for publications including the Observer, Guardian, New Statesman, Crafts, and the Garden, and was a contributor to BBC Radio 4’s programme Kaleidoscope.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 11, 2022
In 1999 Ruth Pavey bought her tiny patch of Somerset and it has been a place of refuge for her. It was scrubland initially, and she has replanted it and knows almost every tree in there. This book is a year in the life of her woodland. Even though it is a tiny oasis in the modern factory-farmed countryside until recently it had harboured a wide variety of life. But one day she notices that there are not as many rabbits around as there used to be, in fact, she can’t remember when she saw the last one.
She sets about trying to work out what had happened to the population of rabbits and this makes her think about the wider effect that the climate crisis is having. She gets help from experts to look for and list the species that they find in the woods. It makes for quite an interesting list of plants and birds, but she knows that there are not as many there used to be.
Over the course of a year, she has a constant stream of family and friends visiting. Some are there to help with the maintenance and other tasks and there are picnics and an evening of moth trapping and planting of trees for the longevity of the wood. She wants to know who owned the woodland originally and the search for the Sugg family takes her to local history experts in the area teasing details out from the records. But mostly this is about having wood of her own to spend time in alongside the natural world.
I thought that this was a really lovely follow up to her first book, A Wood of One’s Own. The wood is no longer new to her and after two decades of owning it, she is realising that it still needs as much care and attention as it did when she first bought it. Her prose is gentle and reflects how much she loves spending time here. But in amongst the gentle breezes that rustle the leaves in her wood is a mirror on the wider world and how even a place like this that has not been drenched in chemicals can be affected by the wider ecological catastrophe that is happening. It really makes me want to own a little patch of woodland I can call my own.
She sets about trying to work out what had happened to the population of rabbits and this makes her think about the wider effect that the climate crisis is having. She gets help from experts to look for and list the species that they find in the woods. It makes for quite an interesting list of plants and birds, but she knows that there are not as many there used to be.
Over the course of a year, she has a constant stream of family and friends visiting. Some are there to help with the maintenance and other tasks and there are picnics and an evening of moth trapping and planting of trees for the longevity of the wood. She wants to know who owned the woodland originally and the search for the Sugg family takes her to local history experts in the area teasing details out from the records. But mostly this is about having wood of her own to spend time in alongside the natural world.
I thought that this was a really lovely follow up to her first book, A Wood of One’s Own. The wood is no longer new to her and after two decades of owning it, she is realising that it still needs as much care and attention as it did when she first bought it. Her prose is gentle and reflects how much she loves spending time here. But in amongst the gentle breezes that rustle the leaves in her wood is a mirror on the wider world and how even a place like this that has not been drenched in chemicals can be affected by the wider ecological catastrophe that is happening. It really makes me want to own a little patch of woodland I can call my own.
May 27, 2021
In 1999 Ruth Pavey bought four acres of scrubland at auction, happy to be returning to her family’s roots in the Somerset Levels and hoping to work alongside nature to restore some of her land to orchard and maintain the rest in good health. Her account of the first two decades of this ongoing project, A Wood of One’s Own, was published in 2017.
In this sequel, she gives peaceful snapshots of the wood throughout 2019, from first snowdrops to final apple pressing, but also faces up to the environmental degradation that is visible even in this pocket of the countryside. “I am sure there has been a falling off in numbers of insects, smaller birds and rabbits on my patch,” she insists. Without baseline data, it is hard to support this intuition, but she has botanical and bird surveys done, and invites an expert in to do a moth-trapping evening. The resulting species lists are included as appendices. In addition, Pavey weaves a backstory for her land. She meets a daffodil breeder, investigates the source of her groundwater, and visits the head gardener at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells, where her American black walnut sapling came from. She also researches the Sugg family, associated with the land (“Sugg’s Orchard” on the deed) from the 1720s.
Pavey aims to treat this landscape holistically: using sheep to retain open areas instead of mowing the grass, and weighing up the benefits of the non-native species she has planted. She knows her efforts can only achieve so much; the pesticides standard to industrial-scale farming may still be reaching her trees on the wind, though she doesn’t apply them herself. “One sad aspect of worrying about the state of the natural world is that everything starts to look wrong,” she admits. Starting in that year’s abnormally warm January, it was easy for her to assume that the seasons can no longer be relied on.
Compared with her first memoir, this one is marked by its intellectual engagement with the principles and practicalities of rewilding. Clearly, her inner struggle is motivated less by the sense of ownership than by the call of stewardship. While this book is likely be of most interest to those with a local connection or a similar project underway, it offers a universal model of how to mitigate our environmental impact. Pavey’s black-and-white sketches of the flora and fauna on her patch, reminiscent of Quentin Blake, are a highlight.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
In this sequel, she gives peaceful snapshots of the wood throughout 2019, from first snowdrops to final apple pressing, but also faces up to the environmental degradation that is visible even in this pocket of the countryside. “I am sure there has been a falling off in numbers of insects, smaller birds and rabbits on my patch,” she insists. Without baseline data, it is hard to support this intuition, but she has botanical and bird surveys done, and invites an expert in to do a moth-trapping evening. The resulting species lists are included as appendices. In addition, Pavey weaves a backstory for her land. She meets a daffodil breeder, investigates the source of her groundwater, and visits the head gardener at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells, where her American black walnut sapling came from. She also researches the Sugg family, associated with the land (“Sugg’s Orchard” on the deed) from the 1720s.
Pavey aims to treat this landscape holistically: using sheep to retain open areas instead of mowing the grass, and weighing up the benefits of the non-native species she has planted. She knows her efforts can only achieve so much; the pesticides standard to industrial-scale farming may still be reaching her trees on the wind, though she doesn’t apply them herself. “One sad aspect of worrying about the state of the natural world is that everything starts to look wrong,” she admits. Starting in that year’s abnormally warm January, it was easy for her to assume that the seasons can no longer be relied on.
Compared with her first memoir, this one is marked by its intellectual engagement with the principles and practicalities of rewilding. Clearly, her inner struggle is motivated less by the sense of ownership than by the call of stewardship. While this book is likely be of most interest to those with a local connection or a similar project underway, it offers a universal model of how to mitigate our environmental impact. Pavey’s black-and-white sketches of the flora and fauna on her patch, reminiscent of Quentin Blake, are a highlight.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
August 14, 2021
I loved this book and wish I could be there. The description of the nature, the seasons and the poetical language made me love this book.
Great illustrations.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Great illustrations.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
July 17, 2021
Four acres of woodland is not a huge estate, but in this book, a sequel to “A Wood of One’s Own”, Ruth Pavey shares her search for the background of the land through the people who may once have owned it, and the creatures and plants that are now present. This is a carefully and seriously written book which is divided into four sections roughly divided into seasons. It recalls in a flowing style the visits she pays to the wood, the work she and others do to preserve some trees and plants, and consider what is the best to do for the future in terms of planting. She also recalls the visitors, experts, that she asks to come to the site to investigate the flora and fauna, as well as visits she makes to museums and archives to gather more information. She is saddened by the disappearance of rabbits and some other creatures from the woodland, and keen to preserve trees that are of a great age.
There is a certain amount of guilt expressed throughout the book; Pavey worries about planting non native trees, but explains how difficult it is to assess what varieties were truly to be found in Britain and when. This is a comprehensive book of Pavey’s thoughts on her wood. It is written to celebrate and commemorate Pavey’s ownership of the wood, her concerns about its present and future, and her determination to do the right thing. It relates the problems of the wood to wider climate change issues as well as the way the various groups of animals, birds and insects are affected. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and view this carefully written book.
The wood in question is originally described as “a near -impenetrable piece of woody scrub and derelict orchard” in the Introduction.This book comes after the celebration of the first fifteen years covered in the first book. This book begins with a section called “From New Year to the Vernal Equinox”, and various journeys from London to the wood. Another issue emerges in this section which will reappear in the book; the boundaries of the property need to be established and maintained. There is the threat of development which may not be directly on the site but the integrity of the woodland will be compromised, as well as the threat of chemical and other incursions into the area. Pavey tries hard to establish and maintain good relationships with those around her, partly to get the benefit of their knowledge and advice in the running of the wood. The book goes through visits from plant experts and a man who can identify moths. Pavey seeks help to establish the involvement of a particular family with the property, trying to construct a family history from parish records. She does not only concern herself with such physical tasks as cutting down brambles, she also visits daffodil cultivators and those who know about the trees she has either got growing or would like to include on her land. She borrows sheep from a friend in order to cut the grass and other vegetation naturally, but keeping sheep for even a short time comes with responsibility.
This is a serious book which is written as a look at a particular patch of ground in England, the problems and possibilities it presents, and the responsibility of maintaining a patch of land for future generations. Pavey is aware that she must attract the interest of children, perhaps family members, and others, who can continue her interest in a small but important plot of land. It also contains appendices, notes and a bibliography for those interested. Through this book she is trying to point out that the wood is more than just ancient trees and plants, but also the whole cycle of life in the area. I recommend this book to those interested in the natural world, the history of place, and the future of woodland and other habitats in Britain from a personal perspective.
There is a certain amount of guilt expressed throughout the book; Pavey worries about planting non native trees, but explains how difficult it is to assess what varieties were truly to be found in Britain and when. This is a comprehensive book of Pavey’s thoughts on her wood. It is written to celebrate and commemorate Pavey’s ownership of the wood, her concerns about its present and future, and her determination to do the right thing. It relates the problems of the wood to wider climate change issues as well as the way the various groups of animals, birds and insects are affected. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and view this carefully written book.
The wood in question is originally described as “a near -impenetrable piece of woody scrub and derelict orchard” in the Introduction.This book comes after the celebration of the first fifteen years covered in the first book. This book begins with a section called “From New Year to the Vernal Equinox”, and various journeys from London to the wood. Another issue emerges in this section which will reappear in the book; the boundaries of the property need to be established and maintained. There is the threat of development which may not be directly on the site but the integrity of the woodland will be compromised, as well as the threat of chemical and other incursions into the area. Pavey tries hard to establish and maintain good relationships with those around her, partly to get the benefit of their knowledge and advice in the running of the wood. The book goes through visits from plant experts and a man who can identify moths. Pavey seeks help to establish the involvement of a particular family with the property, trying to construct a family history from parish records. She does not only concern herself with such physical tasks as cutting down brambles, she also visits daffodil cultivators and those who know about the trees she has either got growing or would like to include on her land. She borrows sheep from a friend in order to cut the grass and other vegetation naturally, but keeping sheep for even a short time comes with responsibility.
This is a serious book which is written as a look at a particular patch of ground in England, the problems and possibilities it presents, and the responsibility of maintaining a patch of land for future generations. Pavey is aware that she must attract the interest of children, perhaps family members, and others, who can continue her interest in a small but important plot of land. It also contains appendices, notes and a bibliography for those interested. Through this book she is trying to point out that the wood is more than just ancient trees and plants, but also the whole cycle of life in the area. I recommend this book to those interested in the natural world, the history of place, and the future of woodland and other habitats in Britain from a personal perspective.
July 7, 2021
I love strolling through woodland areas, there's something intensely comforting about the closeness of the trees, the musky scent of the undergrowth, and of watching wildlife and nature in beautiful, natural surroundings, We are so lucky in the UK to have our ancient woodlands but they are places to be cherished and looked after and as Ruth Pavey discovered flora and fauna are under threat like never before.
Twenty years ago Ruth Pavey purchased four acres of rough woodland in Somerset and whilst she has done her best to ensure that the land continues to flourish, she has, over the years, seen different changes to the landscape. It was when she noticed the lack of rabbits that she became worried as this was indicative of problems within the habitat and, of course, the is always the ever present threat of disease.
Deeper into the Woods explores the authors strong affection for the land of which she is just the present custodian and cleverly takes us through the different seasons from New Year, right the way through the year to Winter Solstice. The expertly shared information makes this such an interesting book to read and as we go deeper into the wood, we learn, not just about the history of the land but also about the trees, plants and animals who all make this woodland their home.
There is an intimacy to the book which is highlighted by personal thoughts, reflections, bits of folklore and also by the author's own rather special line drawings of trees, flowers and animals which give the book a rustic charm. I especially loved how two ancient apple trees, which alerted the author to the fact that the woodland had once been an orchard, reminded her of an Arthur Rackham illustration, and so were appropriately named as AR1 and AR2.
Whilst Deeper into the Woods is a lovely book for anyone who loves nature and who wants to know more about the problems facing natural habitats, it is also a fascinating insight into the love of one person for the land and of her desire, whilst she is the current custodian, to make it prosper and thrive for future generations.
July 15, 2021
It would be a dream of mine to own my own little woodland - a little piece of paradise! - and Ruth Pavey made it happen in Somerset. And what you gain from this book is an insight to the love affair that she shares with this patch of land that she has watched over and tended and looks deeper into the changes she has noticed over the years and the constant battles she is facing in a world that doesn't seem to value caring for the land, and the wildlife that lives on it and how she is doing her bit to do all she can to welcome wildlife back.
I loved the simplicity of this book in the message her writing shares - we can all do our bit to help the planet, but we just have to care and I love how switched on the author is to the slightest change in the goings on in her wood. The disappearance of the rabbits, the impact that changes in the nearby farms and towns have on the area and how important these patches of woodland are in the bigger scheme of things. How we need more custodians of woodland areas to take the time out and proactive in reversing negative changes.
This was such a lovely escape of a read - you could almost hear the birds singing and smell the fresh air as each aspect - the good and bad! - of her woodland journey is looked into. I know I've become so thankful to local woodland areas for an escape, especially over the past 18 months, and reading this book has helped me become even more aware of the positive impact they have on both the environment and the people using them.
I loved the simplicity of this book in the message her writing shares - we can all do our bit to help the planet, but we just have to care and I love how switched on the author is to the slightest change in the goings on in her wood. The disappearance of the rabbits, the impact that changes in the nearby farms and towns have on the area and how important these patches of woodland are in the bigger scheme of things. How we need more custodians of woodland areas to take the time out and proactive in reversing negative changes.
This was such a lovely escape of a read - you could almost hear the birds singing and smell the fresh air as each aspect - the good and bad! - of her woodland journey is looked into. I know I've become so thankful to local woodland areas for an escape, especially over the past 18 months, and reading this book has helped me become even more aware of the positive impact they have on both the environment and the people using them.
June 27, 2021
Ruth Pavey's new book, Deeper into the Wood, shares her love of the four acres of wooded land she has been nurturing for over two decades. It's a personal tale of one woman's faithful care for a patch of land that is rather ordinary to anyone except to her.
We follow her through the year as she travels between London, where she lives, and Somerset, where the wood is located. She spends time tirelessly planting, pruning, weeding, watering, and walking among the trees, shrubs and plants. And as she spends time in the wood, she observes the growth, the changes, what thrives and what doesn't.
She also observes a rather alarming reduction in the diversity of animal, bird, and insect species, as well as a drop in overall numbers. She observes the changing climate. She invites experts in to count plant and moth species. She invites friends on walks with her. She invites family into the wood in hopes of interesting them in caretaking. She researches the history of the place. She is determined to do the best she can as caretaker of this land.
Deeper into the Wood was an inspiring read, and it encouraged me to care for my own land with greater devotion. If we all tended our land as well as the author did, Nature would benefit greatly.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in nature memoirs, natural history, or books about country life.
*I was given an e-galley of this book through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
We follow her through the year as she travels between London, where she lives, and Somerset, where the wood is located. She spends time tirelessly planting, pruning, weeding, watering, and walking among the trees, shrubs and plants. And as she spends time in the wood, she observes the growth, the changes, what thrives and what doesn't.
She also observes a rather alarming reduction in the diversity of animal, bird, and insect species, as well as a drop in overall numbers. She observes the changing climate. She invites experts in to count plant and moth species. She invites friends on walks with her. She invites family into the wood in hopes of interesting them in caretaking. She researches the history of the place. She is determined to do the best she can as caretaker of this land.
Deeper into the Wood was an inspiring read, and it encouraged me to care for my own land with greater devotion. If we all tended our land as well as the author did, Nature would benefit greatly.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in nature memoirs, natural history, or books about country life.
*I was given an e-galley of this book through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
July 16, 2021
A beautifully written, enchanting read.
A thought provoking and inspiring account of one woman’s practical challenges and responsibilities of owning woodland in the UK. In this second book, the author shares detailed descriptions of a year managing the woodland. The beautiful book cover, which is one of the author's drawings, is also reflected throughout the book. Sharing hand-drawn illustrations of what she sees during the changing seasons.
I enjoyed reading about the wildlife in and around the wood. From hares to rabbits, all manor of birds and even the sheep employed to work their magic in the wood. At times it is heart wrenching to read the disappearance of wildlife and plants. Ruth raises the serious issues we are facing with climate change and the impact we humans are having on nature and wildlife.
Following the author's observations and honest opinions, is like reading a personal journal. You really get a sense of how she’s feeling throughout the year about her wood. Feelings of gratitude and respect for nature, as well as concerns about its future. It’s truly inspiring reading how Ruth continues to push forward, to care for and protect her woodland. Often calling on experts for guidance or advice, Ruth strives to learn more nature skills along the way.
This book would make a lovely gift for nature lovers and serious gardeners.
A thought provoking and inspiring account of one woman’s practical challenges and responsibilities of owning woodland in the UK. In this second book, the author shares detailed descriptions of a year managing the woodland. The beautiful book cover, which is one of the author's drawings, is also reflected throughout the book. Sharing hand-drawn illustrations of what she sees during the changing seasons.
I enjoyed reading about the wildlife in and around the wood. From hares to rabbits, all manor of birds and even the sheep employed to work their magic in the wood. At times it is heart wrenching to read the disappearance of wildlife and plants. Ruth raises the serious issues we are facing with climate change and the impact we humans are having on nature and wildlife.
Following the author's observations and honest opinions, is like reading a personal journal. You really get a sense of how she’s feeling throughout the year about her wood. Feelings of gratitude and respect for nature, as well as concerns about its future. It’s truly inspiring reading how Ruth continues to push forward, to care for and protect her woodland. Often calling on experts for guidance or advice, Ruth strives to learn more nature skills along the way.
This book would make a lovely gift for nature lovers and serious gardeners.
April 17, 2021
'Deeper Into the Wood' is a pleasing, gentle read, interspersed with some lovely artwork that I'm sure looks even better in a printed book, but still had a sparing to beauty to it when viewed with my e-reader.
Although I haven't read the book that comes before this one, that isn't necessary. Pavey gives the background to how she came to acquire the wood, and the management she's applied to it since. The narrative is almost in a stream-of-thought style, with Pavey flowing from the flora and fauna in the wood, to her quest to determine the providence of the water in it, to local history. I admit that I scanned over the passages concerning the attempts to trace the woods' original owner from several centuries ago. I was much more interested in the wildlife part. Handily, the book includes appendices of bird, plant and moth surveys carried out in the woods.
It's a fairly short read in all, and provides a glimpse into one woman's personal acts of observations of nature - both delightful and saddening, as Pavey tracks the diminishing and vanishing of species in the time she has owned the wood.
(With thanks to Duckworth Books and NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review)
Although I haven't read the book that comes before this one, that isn't necessary. Pavey gives the background to how she came to acquire the wood, and the management she's applied to it since. The narrative is almost in a stream-of-thought style, with Pavey flowing from the flora and fauna in the wood, to her quest to determine the providence of the water in it, to local history. I admit that I scanned over the passages concerning the attempts to trace the woods' original owner from several centuries ago. I was much more interested in the wildlife part. Handily, the book includes appendices of bird, plant and moth surveys carried out in the woods.
It's a fairly short read in all, and provides a glimpse into one woman's personal acts of observations of nature - both delightful and saddening, as Pavey tracks the diminishing and vanishing of species in the time she has owned the wood.
(With thanks to Duckworth Books and NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review)
May 10, 2021
The first impression one gets from the earliest sentences in this book is Ruth Pavey loves her small patch of Somerset with a passion. The book is a warm kind-hearted look at the changing seasons of her small patch of woodland and how the tendrils of the modern world are impacting on the natural history of the area. Ruth cares about the whole wide-ranging mix of species on her patch and their struggles.
The nuances of the seasons are beautifully embroidered within Ruth’s gentle narrative, which is heartfelt in its honesty and description. She also enhances the chronicle of the year with a number of divergences in each chapter into a number of fascinating vignettes on local history, geology, and culture of the area of the wood. What also helps to bring the story to life is the compendium of individuals experts and artisans that embellish the story with interesting facts and information.
This book also raises the spectre of the serious issues of our time species loss and the impact that humanity has on the natural world, Ruth approaches this issue thoughtfully and with the empathy of an individual who cares about her footprint on the world. The book was a pleasure to read.
#DeeperIntotheWood #NetGalley
The nuances of the seasons are beautifully embroidered within Ruth’s gentle narrative, which is heartfelt in its honesty and description. She also enhances the chronicle of the year with a number of divergences in each chapter into a number of fascinating vignettes on local history, geology, and culture of the area of the wood. What also helps to bring the story to life is the compendium of individuals experts and artisans that embellish the story with interesting facts and information.
This book also raises the spectre of the serious issues of our time species loss and the impact that humanity has on the natural world, Ruth approaches this issue thoughtfully and with the empathy of an individual who cares about her footprint on the world. The book was a pleasure to read.
#DeeperIntotheWood #NetGalley
June 21, 2021
This book took me on a wonderful journey on what its like to live in a wooded rural area. Yes it might of only been a second home but people seem to be far to critical to appreciate the work people like the author is doing to manage her wooded area and surrounding fields to be more sustainable. To allow a lot a variance in the nature that are becoming more scarce. It follows the story for her speaking to various people gaining knowledge on how to deal with the decline of nature. More people should read this book and truly appreciate the knowledge the author brings to the story. This book contain beautiful little pictures drawn by the author which brings a great sense of life to the pages. I enjoyed this book so much I will be reading further books by this author and thank the author for producing such a wonderful insight into the little things we can do to encourage more insects into your garden. A truly delightful book.
June 25, 2024
This is probably more correctly 4.5 but I really did like the book and will therefore mark it higher.
Last year, I rated Pavey's previous book A Wood of One's Own with three stars since I was somewhat peeved about the author's lack of actual knowledge. This time, she has tried to look at the bigger picture and has added small sub or side narratives to the general one covering a year of activities in her wood. It still seems that Pavey is a hobbyist naturalist with no clear aim for her wood, but at the same time she is now clearly worrying about the future of her wood past the end of her own ownership. The book also includes increased presence of her family and friends which is indeed welcome. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I do have to add that by now I am hoping that this won't stay the last book in this series!
Last year, I rated Pavey's previous book A Wood of One's Own with three stars since I was somewhat peeved about the author's lack of actual knowledge. This time, she has tried to look at the bigger picture and has added small sub or side narratives to the general one covering a year of activities in her wood. It still seems that Pavey is a hobbyist naturalist with no clear aim for her wood, but at the same time she is now clearly worrying about the future of her wood past the end of her own ownership. The book also includes increased presence of her family and friends which is indeed welcome. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I do have to add that by now I am hoping that this won't stay the last book in this series!
June 5, 2021
I so enjoy reading books like these. So intimate, like reading a journal. I observe the wildlife in my tiny postage stamp yard in a semi-suburban city. I've lived in mine for 50 years and have watched many changes. For a long, long time I saw it changing for the worst, now it seems to be rebounding with wildlife returning (I saw a turkey vulture the other day!). Maybe things will turn around for Ruth Pavey and community. Organic farming will help, easing of traffic, too (we all really need more public transportation. Especially here in the States. I enjoyed the illustrations, too. Whole book is simply a lovely read. Make a great gift for a nature lover or gardener.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
September 13, 2022
A gentle ramble round the seasons, mid -Somerset, growing, time and climate change.
September 19, 2024
Another gentle wander through the woodlands, fields, floods and history of the Somerset Levels around Aller and Langport. Recommended, for its gentleness and its love of the local. SM
November 16, 2025
What will happen to this wood in the longer term?
October 18, 2021
This provided a fascinating look into how one can connect with nature, even in their own backyard. Seeing the perspective of a land owner over several years, getting to know the piece of land and the natural landscape provided insight into the changes that occur right under our noses. I liked the level of depth and detail things were discussed in, such as keeping track of specific trees and the rabbit behavior.
After reading this I feel a greater sense of connection to my own backyard and appreciate being able to watch for slight changes, such as animal patterns and tree blooming cycles.
An ARC copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
After reading this I feel a greater sense of connection to my own backyard and appreciate being able to watch for slight changes, such as animal patterns and tree blooming cycles.
An ARC copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews