FRANCELIA CLARK grew up in Washington, DC, but yearned for her family's annual summer vacations in southwestern New Hampshire, full of the outdoors, fascinating old places, and adventures. After a long career teaching writing, Beowulf, and comparative epic literature at University of Michigan, she retired to Hancock, New Hampshire, where she celebrates the gifts of the outdoors, the old places, art, writing, and animals, especially the trail pony with whom she shared the adventure that inspired this book.