Autorentext

Mabel Osgood Wright (1859–1934) was a writer, naturalist, and pioneering conservationist. Mabel was a serious student of ornithology and botany, studying at the Museum of Natural History, yet her books remained clear, accessible, and deeply accurate. Her titles include The Friendship of Nature, Flowers and Ferns in Their Haunts, and the bestselling Birdcraft, which introduced generations of Americans to the birds in their own backyards. She also wrote novels and nature-inspired stories for young readers. As a conservationist, Mabel was far ahead of her time. She helped found the Connecticut Audubon Society and led it for more than two decades, advocating for early environmental protections like the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. She also established the Birdcraft Sanctuary in Fairfield, Connecticut—one of the first songbird sanctuaries in the country and still a vital stop for migrating birds today. Her work remains a testament to the enduring power of nature writing to educate, inspire, and protect.

Klappentext

Slow down, breathe deep, and walk with Mabel Osgood Wright as she guides you through the quiet beauty of the natural world. There is a sacred stillness in the woods, a silent language. One of America’s first female naturalists, Mabel Osgood Wright was deeply moved by this. She gained inspiration from the subtle miracles of each season and the deep connection between humanity and nature. A pioneer of conservation and founder of the Connecticut Audubon Society, she blended scientific precision with poetic insight—inviting readers to see with “the eyes of the heart.” Meditations of Mabel Osgood Wright brings together 62 of Wright’s most evocative reflections on birds, flowers, gardens, and changing landscapes. From spring’s first flag of truce to the hush of winter’s woods, her words are more than observation—they offer wisdom, peace, and a call to cherish the world around us. This timeless collection speaks to readers seeking restoration, meaning, and mindfulness in the quiet company of nature. Inside you’ll find:

• Rich, lyrical reflections on the turning seasons and life’s quiet epiphanies
• Observations rooted in Wright’s expertise as an ornithologist and botanist
• Moments of awe, serenity, and renewal drawn from forests, fields, and gardens
• A legacy of early conservation work that still shapes modern environmental thought Royalties from this edition are donated to the Connecticut Audubon Society, supporting their conservation efforts.

Inhalt

Editor’s Note Prophet of the Coming Bird Music The Spring Song Spring’s First Flag of Truce The Flower Procession Come into the Garden A Burst of Bird Music A Golden Trail Yonder Black Cloud The Mysterious Whispering of the Opening Buds Go to the Wood with a Lowered Voice and a Velvet Tread The Lilac House The Complete Brotherhood of Birds Over All the Melody and Fragrance Heredity of Air and Soil The Solemn Hush of the Forest Precious Are the Orchards A Voice from Some Unknown Region In the Language of Quaint Days The Birth of the First Rose Here Are the Roses The Song of Summer The Natural Haunts of Things Friends for All Your Moods Nature Is to Be Studied with the Eyes of the Heart The Tree’s Life and Desires The Flower in the Landscape A Heart that Has a Bit of Eden in It The Flowers and Ferns in Their Haunts The Perfect Harmony of Subdued Sounds The Unalloyed Aroma of the Earth New Treasures of the Eye and Ear Escaped from Gardens Mystery Is the Keynote Go Close to the Earth A Voiceless Sentinel of the Woodlands A Wayside Calendar of the Year The Garden’s Eye Absorbed by the Power of Nature A Bit of Ground The Breeze Dissolves Upon the Earth A Star Flowers Out Shadows of Evening Melody The Flower World Asleep A Bird Message The Autumn Coat of Many Colors The Shifting Calendar of Feathers A Sense of Change Glinted by Flying Color The Whisper of Memory The Curtain Slowly Falls Aftermath The Enchanted Fabric The Season of Silence Moon Sketches Evergreens, in All Seasons There Is No Dead Season The Reign of the Evergreens Surely Here Is Color Enough Of Youth in Old Age There Is No Winter for the Heart Works Cited, all by Mabel Osgood Wright