When I was a kid the neighbors had a ping-pong table covered with an equally large sheet of plywood and that was covered with an amazing train layout! Villages and crossing gates, cows and school children, it was a wonder to behold! I especially loved the bridge where one train could cross over the one beneath. Flash forward to a few weeks ago when I stumbled on Practical Garden Railways, by Peter Jones and those memories all came flooding back. Here are some amazing model train layouts, but outside! There are chapters on weather, plants, topography, design, what to do about pets (and pests) ... just about everything you need to design your own garden rail line. The author has a nice style that kept even this non-train hobbyist reading.

Dog ownership, it seems, includes a lot of us of, well, a certain age! The 50+ Dog Owner: Complete Dog Parenting for Baby Boomers and Beyond, by Mary Jane Chechen includes all the information you'd expect plus what to consider as an older member of society. Things such as where you live, or your activity level, or budget. I also liked suggestions for services such as dog walkers, pet sitters, and so forth. I'd partner this with Paws to Consider (see the April 15, 2014 post).

Here is a book that is both tour book and history book: the Bowery Boys Adventures in Old New York: an Unconventional Exploration of Manhattan’s Historic Neighborhoods, Secret Spots and Colorful Characters by Greg Young and Tom Meyers. As neither a tourist or a New Yorker I'm not sure how it ended up in my stack of books, but I'm glad it did! Who settled the area, and when, what they built, what has lasted (and what hasn't). The good guys (and gals), the crooks, battles, fires, strikes... this is an amazing collection of historical tidbits. The authors have a great sense of humor, too, don't miss the footnotes! And it all started with a podcast. :-)

Reading Hermit With Dog