These are some of the items that Adrian Hoover jotted down on his to-do list, soon after he and his wife, Helen, gave up urban comforts for the deeper delights of the wilderness in 1954. The Years of the Forest by Helen Hoover elaborates on that deceptively short list and describes the difficulties inherent in accomplishing each of those tasks. In fact, it would take sixteen years to check off every item. This is the story of the Hoovers' education in wilderness housekeeping, and of the surprising challenges they faced at each step.There are priceless hints and how-to's for solving the problems of living close to nature and on good terms with one's neighbors -- bluejays, weasels, field mice, and deer. There is plenty of magic in this guide, delightfully illustrated by Adrian Hoover. Now in paperback for the first time, this book tells the story of going bark to the land, with all its rough edges and incomparable rewards.