Sliding down the back of a manatee while in her kayak, escaping from a sprinting alligator, staring at a bald eagle landing within arm"s length, watching an osprey learning to fish. These are a few experiences the author shares with you of her life in Southwest Florida. The natural world always performs and provides a respite from our race to compete and produce. This book encourages the reader to explore the riches we have inherited and to integrate them into our lives. We protect what we know and love. The Earth needs protection for our good and for future generations.