A silver sea of gossamer rippling over an upland field, the work of tiny money spiders A woodpecker's maestro drumming performance in a wet winter woodland The diving antics of laser-eyed buzzards The hug of a small forest...

Determined to overcome her winter anxiety, Helen Moat sets out into the darkness. Her discoveries begin at home, and then on across the world from the Arctic Circle to Asia. Along the way, she finds beauty in the small things that only winter can offer.

Helen's quest to dispel her seasonal blues has its ups and downs; slowly, though, she learns not only to accept the darkness of winter, but to embrace it. When she travels to Lapland and Japan, their cultural and philosophical attitude to the season is a revelation.

While the Earth Holds Its Breath nurtures resilience and determination, finding a joyous positivity that does not ignore the darkness, but finds something to love there.