Favorite Books
These two books inspired Darby & Sharon more than any others.
The Hidden Life of Trees. In his international bestseller The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben opened readers’ eyes to the amazing processes at work in forests every day. Now this new, breathtakingly illustrated edition brings those wonders to life like never before.
With compelling, abridged selections from the original book and stunning, large-format photographs of trees from around the world, this gorgeous volume distills the essence of Wohlleben’s message to show trees in all their glory and diversity. Through rich language highlighting the interconnectedness of forest ecosystems, the book offers fascinating insights about the fungal communication highway known as the “wood wide web,” the difficult life lessons learned in tree school, the hard-working natural cleanup crews that recycle dying trees, and much more. Beautiful images provide the perfect complement to Wohlleben’s words, with striking close-ups of bark and seeds, panoramas of vast expanses of green, and a unique look at what is believed to be the oldest tree on the planet.
The Overstory. It is the winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of―and paean to―the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers’s twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours―vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.
Our Books
Darby is the author of 17 books. Most of these are available at Amazon.com.
The Utah Cure: Three Days & Two Nights.
Darby & Sharon Checketts have lived in Utah off and on for most of their lives. They attribute many of the positive attributes of their family to camping out and spending time together in the mountains, forests, and canyons of the Great State of Utah. In this book, they will help you discover the curative, rejuvenating, and inspirational effects of being in the great outdoors. It is a succinct, reader-friendly overview of Utah history, tribes, geography, geology, and more. You will be guided to over 40 of the coolest destinations and most magical connections across Utah's natural wonderland. Learn methods of travel and camping that will make your adventure safe & satisfying, while your family togetherness stays simple & sublime.
Travels on the American Road with Sean & Vince.
What does happiness mean in America? There does seem to be a fundamental human quest wherein each individual seeks to determine their purpose in life and to make the journey a satisfying experience. Each person gets to be young once and, if we manage to stay healthy, each of us gets to be old once. In this book, you will be inspired by the ambition of a young man named, Sean, and you'll be reassured by the wisdom of his "senior" friend, Vince. Their two perspectives from the early years and later years of life can represent useful bookends to hold in place your own "books of life." Join young Sean as he travels for 31 days across 23 states and shares his journal with Vince. Sean and Vince are fictional characters who alternate as Darby Checketts' avatars.
The New American Prosperity: Redefining Success as Smart & Happy vs. Rich & Famous.
Americans and others have historically been inspired by the idea of the American Dream. And now, for so many, the rough landing after the first two decades of this new millennium has evoked fear, anxiety, and even anger. We have discovered that the notion of Rich & Famous can turn out to be an inflated bubble of false ambition leading to a burst of disappointment. American prosperity will return. As we learn from what we are experiencing, we will redefine success in practical and meaningful terms that will erase fear and restore our confidence and determination to move forward. The New American Prosperity is a collection of thirty-nine (39) essays with a common theme of redefining success. Darby Checketts' commitment is to assist you, your loved ones, and your friends in meeting life's challenges in a way that demonstrates how Smart you are and how Happy you are determined to be.
Forest Is the Tree Word for Family: Please watch for Darby Checketts' soul-stirring account of his nature connections and woodland projects that include conversations with his tree partners. Coming soon in 2023.
Join Forces with Others ! ! !
Get connected. Get learning. Get assistance. Get going!
There are so many Americans already committed to preserving the life-giving functions and the beauty of our planet gem. Join them. Use the Internet to find those who are optimistic about America's future and how to make it safer, brighter, more inclusive, and more prosperous for all.
Identify the forest agencies and nature conservation groups who have vast knowledge and resources to support your learning and projects. In our state of Utah, the first valuable connection we made was with the U.S. Forest Service. We also support a marvelous team of dedicated individuals known as TreeUtah. Go to https://treeutah.org. Discover upcoming projects. Read their amazing list of reasons to plant trees. Inquire about their "Memorial Tree" program. Help them plant trees!
Guide to the Creation of our Checketts Family "Owl's Nest"
How We Helped Our Family Make the Life-Changing Nature Connection...
Our Family Campsite: After traveling to national parks, state parks, and various wilderness destinations, we decided to create our own family recreation destination. In the next section of this page, you will see: A Six-Step Guide to an Easy-to-Create, Affordable Family Retreat. Please scroll down to the PDF Viewer. The following are the opening paragraphs of the 12-page, illustrated guide. You will understand the motivation and the effort behind the Checketts Family "Owl's Nest." We are happy to share with you. Please Note: You will be surprised by the low cost of what we have created in light of the extremely high cost of real estate along the Wasatch Front and the Wasatch Back. Some of the costs we show are from several years ago, so you should add an inflation factor. Our intent is to show something cool you can create in rural Utah on a limited budget. Our Owl's Nest is not a cabin home. It is a rustic family campsite with fun, homey features to accompany the presence of our small motorhome.
There are many devices we humans use to escape from problems or unpleasantness. You can lose yourself in various mood remedies or you can lose yourself in service to others. I just read an article regarding how to deal with the gloominess of the 2020-22 pandemic. It suggests, “Just be a helper.” Help those who are struggling more than you are and your own troubles will shrink as you do.
There are many philosophic approaches to increasing your happiness. Cultivate those that brighten your frame of mind, increase your zest for life, and strengthen your faith.
There is solace in the natural world. There is such beauty in the natural world. There are those who go to bathe their souls in the forest. You may think that “bathe in the forest” is a just a figure of speech, but walking among the ferns and wildflowers and among the trees in particular is to cleanse one’s soul of the turmoil that our modern world too often represents whether it is about work pressures, freeway traffic, information overload, financial worries, relationship struggles, health concerns, or the societal issues that tend to overwhelm us.
Help your family and friends to make the nature connection. --Darby Checketts
