When fear seizes, change what you are doing. You are doing something wrong.

That is the greatest gift my books have given me; what it means and has done for the kids.

Cat talk is a complicated, self-centered language. If you speak to your cat first, it probably won't speak back. Cats initiate conversations.

Most birds are geniuses. We had one that became a pet; he learned to talk, use tools and solve problems.

I love to write and I love the natural world. Everything I've written about I've found exciting and it has never left me at a loss for words. I've always just done what I love.

I must say this now about that first fire. It was magic. Out of dead tinder and grass and sticks came a live warm light. It cracked and snapped and smoked and filled the woods with brightness. It lighted the trees and made them warm and friendly. It stood tall and bright and held back the night.

I love to travel, but when I really want to escape, I read a book.