Emily’s Reviews > The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year > Status Update

Seeing how the not-yet-read portion of this beautiful book is ever-shrinking, I realize the passage of time, since I began last winter, reading a chapter each Sunday as a sort of meditation. Following along with the seasons, another year is almost behind us. Today, the chapter dealt with the last of the hummingbirds, as they finally head south for the winter. We haven't seen one since earlier this month. A loss.

Week 8 of summer, can fall be far behind?!

Loved reading this week's chapter concerning her pollinator garden and finally hosting Monarch butterfly caterpillars, since that is happening in my own garden for the first time this year! 🦋

This is maybe the first weekly chapter where I've had little to relate to Margaret R's musings. Never a hamster, nor a gerbil in a cage, nor hand-fed a squirrel. But wait...we did have mice that ran around in the rafters of the rustic mountain cabin, a weekend retreat and work project many years ago, whose plot of land I sometimes miss. So, maybe, once again, there was something relatable in this chapter too.

A magical moment I look forward to every Sunday, reading the corresponding week's entry and always thinking "Yes. This. So much this, right now."

The writing is so beautiful it gives me goosebumps. The observations are even more beautiful. The illustrations are stunning. I am loving reading this book, a chapter per week, along with the seasonal weeks.

I love reading of the author's bluebird skies, chirping cardinal and February thaw days, just like ours here in NC, this week.

Thought it was interesting that Renkl, who lives in Tennessee, mentioned daffodils blooming in February now, more evidence of climate change. I took a photo of one clump blooming in our NC woods last year on Feb. 7! They're running a little later this year because of a very cold month of January.