Bret is born in 1926 to schoolteachers, Eddie and Elsie Purcell, whose commitment to environmental conservation has a deep and lasting effect on their son. After serving in WWII and finishing college, Bret and his wife Sarah settle down in East Orland, Maine to raise five daughters in an unusual house at Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery. Together they explore the natural and sometimes harsh beauty of Maine, and the deep cultural roots that surround them. Bret's commitment to science is juxtaposed with Sarah's desire to nurture their children's imaginations. While Bret immerses himself in the creation of utilitarian artwork, legend and extraordinary experiences lead Sarah and her children on an adventure into the occult. Three lenses explore sense of place in the 1700s, 1890s and 1960s through a curious object that holds imaginary and possibly real power to all who encounter it.