12 year old Gretchen comes to stay on her uncle's farm for the holidays, but shortly after her arrival strange things start to happen. Gretchen has a passion for science and a talent for all things mechanical, which is why the old brass weathervane fascinates her. But the brass daisy rod has a complex and terrifying significance, and Gretchen and her new friend Ronny discover its links with the far distant Sirius, the Dog Star.