This is a poetically written book with acute observations of the natural world, scientific explanations of what she sees, and theological and philosophical meditations on the meaning of it all.
She is particularly interested in the problem of theodicy (how could a loving God create a world full of suffering). "Certainly we give our infants the wrong idea about their fellow creatures in the world. Teddy bears should come stuffed with tiny bear-lice". The sheer volume of parasites and death is something that she is very struck by.
But this is by no means a miserable book. It is saturated with a radiant wonder at the marvels of nature. Although clearly inspired by Christian theology (and she works for a Wesleyan University), with many direct and indirect references to the bible, it is not narrow, and other religions are also included. "What if I fell in a forest? Would a tree hear"?
The seasons are used as a framework, but there is not really much of a narrative. The book is short enough that that doesn't matter.
The book was published in 1974. How come I only just heard about it in 2022?