Summary

In the opening of “Ledgers,” Norah introduces the reader to her family’s ranch, sold to a man named Henson after her father had a stroke. At the time, she had been studying site fidelity of birds, but gave up this research to return home to her father. Pop, as she calls him, had lost his speech and needed to practice saying words. She describes him as “nearly unrecognizable,” only partly due to his calling her “Vera” -- the name of her mother who had died during Norah’s childbirth -- instead of Norah (2).

While at home, Norah writes in her ledger notes on birds, compost, and even how many times she had seen Henson since he had bought her father’s ranch. She describes the few times she has actually seen Henson, including one incident when he cut the wire on the property...