This volume of poetry shares many scenes and thoughts the author has held dear for years: The hills and trails of the Methow Valley and the shores of the Columbia River which have shaped her life for decades; the family members and loved ones whose own paths have paralleled and intertwined with her own; and the commentary in her head which has crept unbidden onto the page at irregular intervals. An essay, a blog, a short story, or a journalistic piece about daily life are often not quite the right medium to express such thoughts. Poetry, for Susan Lagsdin, is frequently the better outlet.