Full of his details and other essays

Abstract

This collection consists of autobiographical essays which center around my father, my first husband, and my backyard. All of the pieces are recollections, and most occur either from my study inside the house, or from the deck outside, looking at the yard. The Preface is the story of how I came to be a writer. Chapter I, "Arkansas," traces my thought process in "On Looking in From Zinnias" in which I recount losing a baby that, ultimately, reminds me of my father. This leads into three essays, "Down Home," "The Heart Ring," and "The Boyd Place," that recall my parents' past in Arkansas, a ring my father made, and a trip I took to Arkansas. Chapter II, "Cemetery," recalls a meteorology class field trip to a cemetery where my first husband and father are buried and explores the implications of my first husband's suicide. Chapter III, "Backyard," returns to my father and his craft of building in "Full of His Details." "On the Birds I See" looks at robins and leads to a look at other birds and how I experienced "flying" on a one-time sailing trip. "Ash" recalls when Mount St. Helens erupted and ultimately reinforces the overall theme in the collection: finding solace in remembering details of the past.