Life is good, only if you work hard to make it that way.

Our world is moving so quickly, and most of us find ourselves just trying to keep up with it. Technology enriches our life in so many ways, but it also takes so much away from relationships because of lost interactions. Getting outside to enjoy some time in nature with loved ones is a good way of building upon relationships, as well as enriching one’s own interpretation of nature. A little simplification is always good for the soul. Reading about life in uncomplicated form is also good for the soul. This heartfelt collection of prose will relax and mellow the heart as it explores life, love, beauty, nature, happiness, hardships, dreams, and nostalgic memories. It is well worth one’s time to take a break from the hectic life and enjoy these observations, because they uniquely capture the soft and gentle aspects of life.

Jim is the youngest of eleven children and grew up on a farm near the rural small town of Metamora, Indiana. His parents started their life together about the time of the Great Depression, so their values and principles were a reflection of those difficult times. Their children were recipients of those same values and were served well by them. Their children were raised under old-school discipline, which may have seemed a little harsh to them at the time. The children were raised on hard work, but they were clever and innovative enough to make time for hard play as well. That same family farm where they were raised still resides in the family a hundred years after the grandparents settled there. Jim’s love for the land has led to him owning part of that farm for 49 years and still counting. In addition, he owned much of the valley surrounding it for much of his life. Growing up and living with nature in that valley has provided the backdrop and powerful inspiration for much of his writing.