"This delightful book is based on actual experiences in Sue Stein's life with the many animals on her small hobby farm . Each chapter can be enjoyed as a complete story in itself based on a specific animal or particular incident, but also is woven into a whole in the book's entirety.
Much of the book is "laugh out loud" hilarious as Sue's honest, earthy responses come through a keenly honed wit. But it also has a tenderness and poignancy without being saccharine. Sue's tales portray her very real connection with the farm animals and also the challenges from wild interlopers. She courageously attends to each situation as it arises, awkwardly finding her way through the difficulties, but with humor and grace.
The emotional charge of this book seems, also, to come from innocence of the animals. It opens up the heart in a beguiling way that is more accessible than often can be found in a story about people. It helps bypass any judgments about the characters and keeps focus on the purity of connections.
A warm-hearted journey in which you can feel yourself walking in her shoes...."Amuck"!!... I didn't want it to end. I loved every minute of this read!"-- Gail Speckmann, Amazon.com
"I laughed, I cried, I wanted more! Sue Stein chronicles the lives and deaths and the in-betweens of the animals she raises when she moves back to the hobby farm where she grew up. Stein's chapters are hilarious, humbling, and sometimes horrific as she wends her way from fending off amorous wild turkeys to mourning with her animals over the death of an animal family member to protecting her animals in "hand-to-snout" combat with coyotes, raccoons, and bobcats. Just when you think she's about to throw in the trowel full of muck and chuck the hobby farm life for something more glamorous, Stein recovers with a cup of coffee and her dogs on her porch overlooking all that she has and feels at peace...at least until the mini horses escape their pen."-- Michelle Gardner, Amazon.com
"I've search all over for humorous books, but this one actually made me laugh out loud! Sue Stein is a brave woman, taking on the care of animals most people never even get to meet. She tells her stories with charm, honesty and oh-so-funny humor. The animals came alive with her descriptions. What a hoot! I recommend this book for all animal lovers and people who know, as Stein does, that humor makes the day (and your life) go better!"--Meg Corrigan, Amazon.com
"Such a heart-warming book! You'll laugh so hard you cry at some of the author's antics, and then you'll cry tears of sadness as she suffers heart-wrenching loss. This book is for any animal lover, or anyone who has ever been part of a hobby farm. A great read!"--Amy Zellmer, Amazon.com
"Great book! I laughed out loud (and cried) about the amazing antics on the Hobby Farm. This is a charming story for anyone who LOVES animals. The author did a wonderful job pulling me into the story."--Amazon.com
