Like the flash and dart of dragonflies, other busy lives surround ours as we prance unaware through our own world. Whether describing mountains, countryside, coast or town, Shirley Ann Parker is a visual and humane writer with a delightful sense of humor. Each absorbing story portrays a powerful sense of place, even when life's smaller crises are held up to the light. It is the everyday challenges that define us, after all. From the joys and exasperations of daily living to magical realism, from Old Man Shever to The Refuge, these 17 stories weave a colorful tapestry of life's discoveries.