Humans and animals have shared this planet and some animals have even evolved side by side with humans.  It should not be surprising that the animals that share our lives like dogs, cats and birds, or the animals that are forced into a more human life like performing, working or zoo animals would develop mental health disorders alongside the humans that they interact with.  Through the lens of her troubled dog, Oliver, Laurel Braitman explores the world of animal mental health in everything from mice to dogs and gorillas to elephants in order to show that humans and every other animal are strikingly similar.  

I have always believed that animals were capable of emotions and when I studied animal behavior in school, I was glad to know that this thought was becoming more widely accepted.  It is now not a question of 'if,' but to what degree.  Though most of the stories in Animal Madness are anecdotal, there are stories amassed from professionals in the field with a whole life of observational experiences that provide good proof that through psychological meds and behavior therapy, an animal with severe trauma and possible PTSD could recover and lead a healthy life for their species.  Some of the stories are absolutely heartbreaking; for example a working elephant who was pregnant and forced to work during her pregnancy and ultimately giving birth while logging.  The calf rolled down the hill they were working on and died.  When the mother refused to work, she was blinded.  Ultimately, however, though the story is grim, the end result shows how we all need the same things: love, understanding of our needs, therapy and medicine.  

This book was provided for free in return for an honest review. 

                            "You're going to get wet."  

This is the memoir of Walt McLaughlin's 122 backpack on the Northville-Placid trail in the Adirondack's.  A lowland trail, which like it sounds, stretches from the town of Northville in the southern Adirondack to Lake Placid in the Northern Adirondacks.  I have always wanted to hike the entire N-P trail, but have not been able to coordinate an entire two weeks off.  We have, however been able to hike several small sections.  Walt decides to take on the N-P trail when he is 50 years old.  He hikes in early fall when it is guaranteed to be wet, but not as buggy. Walt hikes to not only prove that he can do it at 50, but to revel in the solitude and beauty of the Adirondack wilderness.

I loved that Walt is very real in his memoir.  Even as an experienced hiker, he makes mistakes and talks about the not-so-glamorous parts of a long thru-hike. He gets wet, his pack is too heavy (50 lbs. yikes!), he falls down, he smells, there are idiots at a few of the lean-to's; but even through all this Walt is able to appreciate the beauty of being alone in the woods for an extended period of time.  Since I read this while camping and backpacking in the Adirondacks, I was able to easily connect.  I enjoyed reading about the sections of the places that I have actually been along the trail. Some of my other favorite parts were when Walt discussed the history of the park.  I do wish, though that he discussed a little bit about what exactly he put in that 50 lb. pack of his.  We learn some of the things as he goes along, but that is a really heavy pack.  Mine usually weighs in at around 35 lbs. for a longer route.  I also wish he broke down his itinerary for the trail a little more, he hikes about 10 miles a day, but has some longer days and some shorter days.  Although, this is a memoir, not a back-packing how-to, so they aren't necessary. 

I originally grabbed this book because we do a lot of grilling in the summer, but it ended up being much more.  From everything to choosing the best woods, building a good fire, creating a fire pit and spit and best practice for marshmallow toasting!

There's something wonderful about cooking over an open fire and Cooking With Fire gives many more options for that than hotdogs and s'mores.  I will definitely be throwing an acorn squash into the coals very soon. 

While a probably won't be roasting anything over a spit anytime soon, I now know how to build one.  The directions are written out very clearly and with a bit of humor, for example "Wrangle your victim onto the spit..." and if you "would like to experience the life of a seventeenth-century kitchen drudge..."

The Smoke section was what appealed most to me.  There was good information on what woods to choose and how to set up the smoker box.  As well as temperature ranges, brine and seasonings. 
Full of unique recipes and different ways to cook.  I won't be using all of the techniques, but I will be trying some open fire techniques and smoking recipes. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ​

 Since I look like I'm Irish and my husband actually is Irish, I decided it would be a good idea to brush up on my Irish fare.  This book is actually written by someone from Ireland and he uses many vegetable from a garden!

I found at that many traditional Irish dishes simply do not fit my palate, like black pudding made with pig's blood and chicken liver pate.  However, I did appreciate how all of the recipes were laid out. For example, the Irish Breakfast, which is ridiculously large and contains many individual dishes, is laid out not only recipe by recipe, but with the timing for each dish (prepare these first and refrigerate,etc) so the entire meal can be served together without driving yourself crazy.  While I will not be making black pudding in my lifetime, I know that the rest of the meal would be appreciated. 

I did appreciate the recipes in Chapter 3, What Mam Cooked, much more.  I know I can pull off the Cheese on Toast, but more importantly I now have good base recipes for Irish Stew with Piccalilli, Shepherd's Pie and Beef Stew.  I also know that I'll try all the recipes (and actually eat them!) in the From Da's garden section.  I'm definitely making Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Cauliflower with Toasted Garlic and Black Pepper as soon as I can get my hands on those fresh veggies. 

Overall, there are well-spelled-out recipes along with some step-by-step pictures of actual traditional Irish food.  Even though I won't be eating a lot of it, I know I would be able to make it by following these recipes. 

This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.  
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