This is the story of a boy's life, growing up on a farm in the 1960s. Nine-year old Bill, the author, moves with his family from the suburbs of London to a dairy farm in North Devon, an idyllic environment where he grows up for the next ten years. Pithy anecdotes talk about his daily chores of looking after the cows and helping with the harvest, often turning into disasters - or adventures. With his dog Lucy, he roams the countryside observing wildlife, his passion, encountering birds of prey and his beloved butterflies and moths. He also loves to keep and breed many pets, particularly guinea pigs and budgerigars, yet, having to attend three different schools does not leave happy memories, until he meets the local girls - his first loves.