Drawn to Russia to work on conserving its extensive wilderness, Laura Williams shares the story of her life-changing move to the countryside, where she works on a remote nature reserve and falls in love with its director, Igor Shpilenok. Together they explore the wilderness in the Bryansk Forest surrounding their village of Chukhrai, encountering the elusive black stork, apprehending poachers, and raising a moose. Through the long winter, they cope with hardships, which Laura learns are nothing compared to those the villagers have experienced in the past century. Born and bred as a typical urban American, in just four seasons Laura creates a home with nature and her neighbors in remote, rural Russia.