Under The Oak Trees

#1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood brings the soaring adventure, love and rivalry of medieval Scotland to glorious life in this classic historical romance. Journeying from England to Scotland, Lady Brenna has resigned herself to an arranged match with a highlander. But when a band of fierce, painted warriors captures her en route, she fearlessly meets their demand to instead marry their leader—her betrothed’s sworn enemy—the quick-tempered Connor MacAlister. Brenna harbors no illusions that her husband is in love with her, but their shared past gives her hope. Maybe the laird who once visited her father’s castle and charmed her with a dazzling, unexpected smile remains underneath Connor’s stern exterior. But as she sets out to win the man whom she has come to adore, a legacy of revenge ensnares Brenna in a furious clan war—and only her faith in her new husband can save her... Includes an excerpt of another beloved Julie Garwood highland romance, The Bride

“Sitting here beneath this old massive oak tree, overlooking a sunlit pond, with a myriad of leaves falling around me, I feel at peace.” (From the author) Under the Oak Trees reveals the author’s love of God witnessed in the simplicity and beauty of nature. First on her uncle’s farm and later at her own home, she found under the oak trees her special place to write. Her poetry and other writings pay tribute to the simple pleasures of life. Also included in the book are numerous eulogies written for family members and friends. The author believes that a person passing from this life should be remembered for their special and unique qualities. In compiling this collection, the author hopes to inspire others to become more aware of God’s love for us through the beauty of nature and the simple things of life. For his loving support, the author includes a tribute to her husband, Rick, who passed in June 2019. Photos and letters reveal the love of a wife, family, and community for a remarkable man, a man with a servant’s heart.

"Under The Red Oak Tree" is a thoughtfully written and thought provoking story at the intersection of the justice system and human experience. The author accurately portrays life within prison walls and offers a reminder that even within the darkest struggles of life, the hope of the gospel remains a light that transcends the bleakest circumstances. This story reminds us that the presence of God is uncompromisingly dependable since no one is ever disqualified from redemption and grace.

Bestselling novelist and memoirist Harrison, whose depictions of women have been called "powerful" ("The New York Times Book Review"), brings to the saint's life her storytelling gift and deep insight as she reveals the hopes and fears of the young girl behind the religious icon.

"A profound meditation on the human need for connection with nature, as one man seeks solace beneath the bows of an ancient oak tree."—Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of Trees "James Canton knows so much, writes so well and understands so deeply about the true forest magic and the important place these trees have in it. Knowledge and joy."— Sara Maitland, author of How to Be Alone Joining the ranks of The Hidden Life of Trees and H is for Hawk, an evocative memoir and ode to one of the most majestic living things on earth—the oak tree—probing the mysteries of nature and the healing role it plays in our lives. Thrown into turmoil by the end of his long-term relationship, Professor James Canton spent two years meditating [PA1]beneath the welcoming shelter of the massive 800-year-old Honywood Oak tree in North Essex, England. While considering the direction of his own life, he began to contemplate the existence of this colossus tree. Standing in England for centuries, the oak would have been a sapling when the Magna Carta was signed in 1215. In this beautiful, transportive book, Canton tells the story of this tree in its ecological, spiritual, literary, and historical contexts, using it as a prism to see his own life and human history. The Oak Papers is a reflection on change and transformation, and the role nature has played in sustaining and redeeming us. Canton examines our long-standing dependency on the oak, and how that has developed and morphed into myth and legend. We no longer need these sturdy trees to build our houses and boats, to fuel our fires, or to grind their acorns into flour in times of famine. What purpose, then, do they serve in our world today? Are these miracles of nature no longer necessary to our lives? What can they offer us? Taking inspiration from the literary world—Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, Katherine Basford’s Green Man, Thomas Hardy, William Shakespeare, and others—Canton ponders the wondrous magic of nature and the threats its faces, from human development to climate change, implores us to act as responsible stewards to conserve what is precious, and reminds us of the lessons we can learn from the world around us, if only we slow down enough to listen.

In Oak Trees, emergent readers will learn how to identify an oak tree. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage beginning readers as they discover how oak trees change each season. A labeled diagram helps readers identify different parts of an oak tree, while a picture glossary reinforces new vocabulary. Children can learn more about oak trees online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Oak Trees also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, and an index. Oak Trees is part of the Nature Walk series.

Many gardeners today want a home landscape that nourishes and fosters wildlife. But they also want beauty, a space for the kids to play, privacy, and maybe even a vegetable patch. Sure, it’s a tall order, but The Living Landscape shows how to do it. By combining the insights of two outstanding authors, it offers a model that anyone can follow. Inspired by its examples, you’ll learn the strategies for making and maintaining a diverse, layered landscape—one that offers beauty on many levels, provides outdoor rooms and turf areas for children and pets, incorporates fragrance and edible plants, and provides cover, shelter, and sustenance for wildlife. Richly illustrated with superb photographs and informed by both a keen eye for design and an understanding of how healthy ecologies work, The Living Landscape will enable you to create a garden that is full of life and that fulfills both human needs and the needs of wildlife communities.

“A timely and much needed call to plant, protect, and delight in these diverse, life-giving giants.” —David George Haskell, author of The Forest Unseen and The Songs of Trees With Bringing Nature Home, Doug Tallamy changed the conversation about gardening in America. His second book, the New York Times bestseller Nature’s Best Hope, urged homeowners to take conservation into their own hands. Now, he is turning his advocacy to one of the most important species of the plant kingdom—the mighty oak tree. Oaks sustain a complex and fascinating web of wildlife. The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area. The Nature of Oaks will inspire you to treasure these trees and to act to nurture and protect them.