Book excerpt: Early in March Jim Arnosky, sketchbook in hand, set out to discover the arrival of spring in his Vermont countryside. He had imagined many times just what he would find, and was fascinated to discover that the beginnings of spring were very different from his winter bound expectations.The weather was cold and raw. Most of his sketching was done with gloved hands. The first signal he perceived of resurging wildlife was the call of wood frogs. Early spring wildflowers thrived, but they were in difficult, Hard-to-reach places. Everything as in barely perceptible motions. On March 31 he commented, "I am slowly beginning to be surrounded by the things I want to draw."This book is the fulfillment of one spring season spent sketching by the artist, and naturalist. At the very heart of this remarkable work is his sharing of the keen pleasure that can be had sketching outdoors in spring and bringing it all back home.