Sunday, October 30, 2011

Essential Back Care by DK Publishing

Essential Back Care is a guide to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of back conditions. The book covers many topics related to back pain. Some of these are: anatomy, causes, treatment options, strategies for preventing the pain, and lots of exercises to help with strengthening and stretching the muscles of the back and neck.

This is a pretty good book. The book is nicely laid out and contains informative text as well as lots of colourful illustrations. All information that readers would need if they had or have back or neck pain. With this book, they should be able to diagnosis the problem (superficially), find treatment, and maintain a healthy back. Those with serious back problems still need to contact a medical professional, but this book could help them understand what's going on and show them how to cope with the pain while they are being treated.

I particularly liked the rehabilitation exercise section. I think stretching and strengthening the muscles is very important for both back and neck health. The exercises are explained well and each position is illustrated and labelled where necessary. There are even advanced stretches and variations to use once the basics are mastered.

There are many Question & Answer sections in the book. For example, on the section for Consulting a Physical Therapist, the Q&A section lists questions (along with the answers) that a reader might have before attending their first session. These parts were very informative.

I think this book would be most useful for those with serious back/neck problems. While it won't replace a doctor or other professional, the book could be used in conjunction with other treatments that have been prescribed. Those with occasional back pain, like me, will find it somewhat useful. I found the anatomy, preventing pain, maintenance and exercise sections particularly interesting and helpful.

Recommended.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit DK's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at DK Canada for this review copy.

Essential Back Care by DK Publishing, Dorling Kindersley (DK), ©2011. ISBN 9780756682644(Soft cover), 224p.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Saturday Snapshot - Autumn Leaves





















I'm back after a short break.   Well, I haven't posted a Saturday Snapshot since July, so I guess that's a long break.  Anyway, I thought I'd start back with a shot appropriate for the season.  It won't be long now before we have snow.   Most of our autumn leaves are a drab brown.  Nothing like other areas where the colours are so varied...almost like a rainbow.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. To participate – post a picture that you've taken (or one taken by a friend, or a family member) then add your link on Alyce’s site using Mr. Linky.

Home Herbal by DK Publishling

Home Herbal: Cook, Brew & Blend Your Own Herbs features everything you need to know about herbs and how to use them to treat everyday ailments. There are also recipes (edible and non-edible) using the featured herbs as well as a recipe chooser to help pick the right herb for ten common health concerns.

Overall, I enjoyed reading and referencing this book. I've known for a long time that herbs are helpful in a maintaining a healthy body. I wasn't sure exactly how to use each herb or when to use it or how much to use, so in that respect this book was extremely useful.

The herbs are presented alphabetically by Latin names. Since most people would probably know these herbs by their common names, I'm not sure how useful that order is. Having said this, the presentation is very good. For each herb, there's a labelled photograph showing the different parts of the plant. Occasionally, there's another photograph showing the plant in a natural setting. The accompanying text lists the parts of the plants used, what the active components are, what the herb does, how to use it, as well as how to obtain, grow or harvest it.

Many, but not all, of the herbs were familiar to me. I knew that some of them had healing properties, but others were total surprises. For example, I was familiar with both Yarrow and Lady's Mantel, but I didn't know about their medicinal uses. I used to have both of these growing in my garden. Some of the herbs like: Gotu Kola (page 40), Cleaves (page 60), melilot (page 82) and mullein (page 127) were new to me.

The recipe chooser section of the book is quite interesting. The section includes 10 common health concerns followed by a list of herbs and a list of recipes (featured in another section of the book) that could be used to treat that concern. The one part I really like is the use of an icon to denote the health concern. Later on in the book, that same icon is displayed on various recipes to show that the recipe and ailment are linked. It sounds like such a small thing, but I really liked it.

The recipes included in the book are of two kinds: edible (heal from the inside) and inedible, (heal from the outside) which can be used topically.  For the purposes of this review, I picked out one edible recipe to try: Onion Squash and Ginger Soup (page 213). I used a butternut squash in place of the onion squash (suggested by the authors) and pureed the soup smooth at the end (optional). Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. It was delicious and very easy to make. I'll definitely be making it again and again during the upcoming cold winter months.

I did pick out two other recipes, but after closer inspection I decided to leave them for now. One was for Blackcurrant Walnut Bars (page 242). They have only a few ingredients, but preparing the barley was a two day process, with the bars to be made on the third day. Another recipe Four Fruits Power Bar (page 239), also sounded really good, but the suggestion was to eat it the day it was made. Sorry, but I can't eat 16 power bars in one day! Besides, it too looked like a multi-day process. There are a few other recipes I might try, but I'll have to find the ingredients first.

The information on growing your own herbs is okay, but a little sparse. If you already grow some herbs and know which ones will work well in your area, it might be good for reference. If you are new to gardening or growing herbs, I'd suggest contacting a nursery in your area and asking about growing herbs.

New words: both from the glossary page 344-345
febrifuge: helps to reduce a fever
antitussive: helps alleviate coughing

The table of contents lists the herbs alphabetically by Latin name (as they are presented in the book), but does not offer page numbers. Therefore, it's not really that useful for finding information on particular herbs. There are pages numbers for the other major sections, though. The index, thankfully, is quite extensive and should be very helpful in finding items in the book. The book also includes a glossary which features a limited list of health-related words. Even though it's short, it's informative.

All readers should pay attention to the disclaimer on page 352.

Highly recommended.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit DK's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at DK Canada for this review copy.

Home Herbal by DK Publishing, Dorling Kindersley (DK), ©2011. ISBN 9780756671839(Softcover), 352p.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

The Best Art You've Never Seen by Julian Spalding

In The Best Art You've Never Seen: 101 Hidden Treasures from Around the World, Julian Spalding, a former museum director, takes readers on a trip around the world and highlights beautiful works of arts that is either rarely seen by the public or is underappreciated by the art world.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's very well presented and contains fascinating information about the art, the artists, history, geography and much more. The book does a great job in explaining the pieces and the history either of the area or the piece itself. It's very easy to read and simply written with no pretence that can be sometimes associated with the art world.

The art is divided into many sections outlining why the piece is hidden. The various reasons include: chance, place, choice, hate, convention, art, conceptual art, collecting, conservation, and time. Some of the reasons were understandable; some were surprising. All of it was interesting.

For each piece, there's an accompanying article. The content varies, but it might explain the piece itself, the artist, how it was made or the history of the piece/location. Some of the articles touch on many subjects. Also, included are things like a large photo, the medium, date and location.

I found it extremely interesting that many of the artists were unknown, as in no one knows who created this work of art. It's sad that a name didn't survive along with the piece. There were also a few familiar names and pieces in the book. Most notable names: Audubon, Rockwell and da Vinci. Both Audubon and Rockwell were underappreciated, while da Vinci made the cut because the Mona Lisa has been hidden by so many layers of old varnish, not to mention that now it's behind a barrier and a glass screen. It's impossible to see the painting as da Vinci intended.

Favourite quotes:
If a work of art doesn't speak to you, there's a strong chance that it actually has nothing to say. (from the Introduction page vi)
The table of contents not only has the section headings (and page numbers), but also a list of the art objects within each section. The index appears to be fairly functional. The works of art that are described in the book are in bold, making them stand out. I found everything I was looking for. Having said that, there is one omission, which I mention below.

The "How to find them" section near the back of the book offers further directions to either the location for the piece of art itself or the website where it's best viewed. This information could have easily been added to the page specifically designated for that piece of art. No need for a separate section. The index appears to overlook this whole section, so perhaps it was added as an afterthought. For instance, when I look up Chauvet Cave, the index says it's on page 3. However, the cave is also mentioned on page 254 in this "How to find them" section.

Highly recommended for art lovers and history buffs.

For more information about this book, please visit DK's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at DK Canada for this review copy.

The Best Art You've Never Seen by Julian Spalding, Rough Guides, ©2010. ISBN 9781848362710(Soft cover), 276p.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Photo Friday - Little














For more "Little" photos, visit the Photo Friday website.

For more of my submissions, please see my PhotoFriday set on my Flickr page.

Room by Emma Donoghue

In Room, Jack, who has just turned 5, and his Ma live in Room. To him, Room is his home, but it's also the whole world. He was born there and has never left. Everything else, including the stuff he sees on TV, is make-believe. That includes trees, rivers, Dora the Explorer...everything. Even though Jack has spent his whole life in Room, it hasn't always been that way for his Ma. Room is a prison where she's been kept for 7 years. Between his imagination and her determination, it's only a matter of time before Room will no longer be able to contain them.

I loved this book, however, it wasn't love at first sight. At first, I shied away from it because I thought the subject matter would be so intense that I wouldn't be able to get through it. I needed to be in the right frame of mind. When I was finally ready and picked it up to read, the language in which it's written bothered me. It's written from Jack's point of view and is very much like a five-year-old talking. I found it hard to get into. Maybe I wasn't ready after all. A few weeks later, I gave it another try. Finally, I could hear Jack speaking to me. From then on there was no turning back.

This story could be ripped from the headlines and that's what made it fascinating and believable. It's so sad that something like this could happen. While the parts of the story were definitely horrific, there were parts that were somewhat (strangely) uplifting and humorous. I couldn't help but laugh at some of Jack's antics.   I love that is was written from his point of view.  It would have been a very  different story had it been written from Ma's point of view. 

Jack and Ma were both wonderful characters. Despite Jack's limited exposure to the real world, he turned out quite normal. In some ways, he was more mature than other kids of the same age. In other ways, he was behind them. He didn't realize what he was missing in the outside world, because Ma had taught him that Room was everything. I think Jack was Ma's saviour. Without him, she was lost. Without him, the outcome of the story would have been very different. As for Ma, I can't imagine what she was going through. She knew there was more to the world than Room, yet here she was, trapped in a 11x11 room with her 5-year-old son. They couldn't leave. Old Nick, her captor, was a constant threat and besides Jack she had no one to talk to or to comfort her.

I had a couple of quotes marked down to put in this review, but I realize now that they just might spoil the ending.

I have been recommending this book to number of people, but have been deliberately vague about anything that happens in the book. I've tried to do the same here in this review. The ending and the way it unfolds is best discovered by the reader.

Highly recommended. I have a few more books by Donoghue on my to-be-read bookshelf. I'm really looking forward to them.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the HarperCollins Canada website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Emma Donoghue's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins Canada for this review copy.

Room by Emma Donoghue, HarperCollins, ©2010. ISBN 9781554686319(Hardcover), 321p.

The ABCs of Me

I don't usually do memes. However, when I saw this one on Cathy's blog, Kittling: Books, I figured I'd give it a shot. Here are the ABCs of Me:

Age: 47

Bed Size: Queen. The plan was to buy a King when we got to the new house. Didn't happen.

Chore that you hate: I hate housework. You do it, then two months later it has to be done all over again. What's up with that? I do as little as possible and live in a dusty house.

Dogs: Nope. No cats, either. Achoo! Love them both dearly, though. We had dogs and cats when we were growing up, though. Cats: Tina, Duchess. Dogs: Sandy and Oscar. We were thinking about getting a pet despite the allergies, but I'm not sure I want to put up with the hair. (See Chores you hate).

Essential start to your day: A good night's sleep. I love mornings. It's quiet. I love being outside before the rest of the neighbourhood starts making noise.

Favorite colors: I like all colours. I wouldn't necessarily wear a particular colour or paint a room that colour, but all colours have some merit.

Gold or Silver: Silver or white gold. I prefer brushed metals. I don't particularly care for shiny things...except my diamond ring.

Height: 5'5".

Instruments you play: Flute. I played (mostly carried it around) in Grade 7 band class, but didn't take it up again until after age 30. I took lessons and played for about 7 years. At that time, I wasn't progressing as much as I wanted to and was mostly bored with it. So I stopped. Cold turkey. I haven't picked up the thing in a few years. I still love it, though.

Job Title: My official job title is: Make-Work Project Coordinator. I manage the Honey-Do list and break (unplanned) things around the house so that my husband has to fix them. It doesn't pay, but it keeps me busy.

Kids: None.

Live: Cartier, Manitoba, Canada.  It's a rural municipality, not a town.  Up until two point five years ago, I lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, where I grew up.

Mother's name: Sophie.

Nicknames: MeMe (as a toddler, it was all about me), Moody (college, I was and still am).

Overnight hospital stays: Pneumonia when I was <5. Tonsils out when I was around 5. Nothing since.

Pet Peeves: Lots...people who are perpetually late...those who say they are going to do something, then don't...the misuse of the word "myself"... to name a few.

Quote from a movie: "For all the times you pulled my ears?" (Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Roger to Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) after Eddie apologized for pulling Roger's ears for the umpteenth time).

Right or Left handed: Left.

Siblings: Four. I'm the youngest. Well, I sort of share that "honour". I have a fraternal twin sister, but she was born 10 minutes before me so I still consider myself the youngest.

Time you wake up: Lately, usually about 8:30am. I used to wake up around 7am and loved having an hour or two to myself before my husband rolled out of bed (he's retired). I've been having a little trouble sleeping consistently lately, so I've been sleeping in.

Underwear: Ummm...yes.

Vegetable you hate: Hate is a strong word. Let's just say I dislike celery. It's a little too stringy for my tastes. A few years ago, I found out I was allergic to it. Nothing major...just a little sneezing. Now I don't have to make myself eat it. I love it when things work out like that.

What makes you run late: I'm usually not late. I'm an early bird. However, we've recently met some people who are more relaxed about time, so we've mostly adopted that same attitude when dealing with them...5pm generally means 5:15pm or even 5:30pm. I'm not that crazy about it, but I'm learning to go with the flow.

X-Rays you've had: Chest, neck, ankle, probably others ones I've forgotten about. Do ultrasounds count?

Yummy food that you make: I love to cook, therefore, I cook a lot. Nothing gourmet...just good homemade food. I mostly follow recipes, but I'm not afraid to improvise or change the recipe to suit my tastes. Some of my favourites are: homemade tomato sauce, creamy sausage and peppers with spaghetti, scones, pizza, shepard's pie, homemade pie.   

Zoo animal: Not fond of zoos. I like seeing the animals and I realize that zoos do a lot for conservation and protection, but still it bothers me.  

That's it for now.   This was fun.  I really enjoyed reading other blogger's answers, too. I've even made up a few of my own ABC questions. I'll be posting those at a later date. What are the ABCs of you? If you want, you can put your answers or links in the comment section.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Photo Friday - My Baby





















With no children (I like quiet) or pets (aCHOO!), it was a toss up between my camera (obvious) and my flute. I haven't played in a few years, but she's still my baby.

For more "My Baby" photos, visit the Photo Friday website.
For more of my submissions, please see my PhotoFriday set on my Flickr page.

The Accident by Linwood Barclay

In The Accident, Glen's wife, Sheila, is late getting home from her night class. When the news comes that she's been killed in an accident, Glen's in shock. The real shock comes, though, when the police tell him that she caused the accident and was drunk at the time of the crash. As he talks to friends, neighbours and family, he learns a little more about the woman he lived as well as others in her life. Slowly, but surely, he unravels the mystery, unveils the truth and works through the layers and layers of deceit.

Great book. No, make that sensational book! It's filled with twists and turns and a fantastic I-didn't-see-that-coming ending. While it's not action packed like some mysteries I've read, the intensity level is certainly there, albeit a little slow to build. That's not a bad thing. Setting the scene and getting just the right tone was essential. I was compelled to get to the end to see what exactly happened to Sheila and to see what she was up to. I kept telling my husband that I was reading this fantastic book and couldn't wait to get back to reading it.

The story itself wasn't particularly scary, but the premise/overall theme about deceiving those around you definitely was. It definitely got me thinking about how much I really know about the people in my life. It also got me wondering if I could pull something like this off. Not the dying part or criminal part, just the deceiving part. ;)

Barclay's characters are exceptional. I got a bad vibe from some of them right away; others seemed like angels who could do no wrong. It's a little weird because a few of them were both above reproach and suspicious at the same time!

I've only read one other book by this author, Never Look Away (my review). I loved it, too! It has a similar theme to this one. I'd definitely recommend it. My one complaint about Barclay's books is that they are over too soon. I don't necessarily want them to be longer, I just wish I could slow down and savour them more. They are so good that I read into the wee hours of the night just to see how it turns out.

Highly recommended. The last time I was at a used book sale, I scooped up all of the Barclay books I could find, so I have a few of his backlist books on my to-be-read bookshelf. Should definitely be some good reading there.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Linwood Barclay's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

The Accident by Linwood Barclay, Doubleday Canada (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780385670586(Trade paperback), 386p.

Vaclav and Lena by Haley Tanner

In Vaclav and Lena, Vaclav, who's 10 years old, wants to be a world famous magician. He enlists the help of his friend, Lena, to be his assistant. Together they hatch a plan to one day perform on Coney Island. One day, however, Lena disappears without so much as a goodbye to Vaclav. Years later when they are reunited, Yaclav discovers the ugly truth behind Lena's disappearance, while the two of them try to pick up where they left off.

I really enjoyed this book. This story about the Russian immigrant experience, through the eyes of children, was extremely fascinating. I think there's more to this book than what first appears on the surface. The story was presented in a light and fun manner, but the situation for Lena at home with her Aunt was anything but. My heart broke for Lena and her situation as well as for Vaclav, who lost his best friend with no warning or explanation.

I love short chapters, so the ones in this book were perfect for me. I especially liked the names of them. It was almost like Vaclav himself titled them. They definitely made the book fun to read.

Both Vaclav and Lena were wonderful main characters. Vaclav loves magic, lists and Lena. His enthusiasm was infectious. I was silently cheering him on. Lena is an orphan, who's home life is very troubled. I didn't get a sense that magic was that important to her, but she went along with it because she cased for Vaclav and wanted to appease him. 

Recommended. I'd love to read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author, please visit Haley Tanner's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Vaclav and Lena by Haley Tanner, The Dial Press (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780679603870(Advance Reader's Edition), 285p.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Photo Friday - Slick





















Super Lube - a slick business

For more "Slick" photos, visit the Photo Friday website.
For more of my submissions, please see my PhotoFriday set on my Flickr page.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

You're Next by Gregg Hurwitz

In You're Next, Mike Wingate seems to have it all; a wife, Annabel, a daughter, Kat and a construction company that is on its way to completing a green community. He hasn't always had it good, though. His childhood was very rough. Now that things are finally going his way, a part of his past that he barely remembers comes back to haunt him. He knows things are bad when he contacts the police and they are more interested in him and his past than they are in the people who've been creating havoc in his life. Mike then turns to the one person he can depend on, his old childhood friend Shep, who's not exactly been an upstanding citizen. Together, they do everything they can to keep the family safe.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story was extremely suspenseful, scary and intense. It starts off alternating between the past and the present, giving the reader the much needed background information on Mike's childhood. The book was easy to read, but parts of the writing were a bit too clipped for my liking. I know the author was going for a particular effect, but it didn't work for me. Fortunately, those sections were few and far between, so it really wasn't that bad and didn't stop me from enjoying the story.

I've read a bunch of thrillers this year, but for some reason, this one scared me the most. I don't scare that easily, especially when I'm reading. I can usually keep a little distance between myself and the characters, but this one got under my skin. Even though it scared me, I didn't want to put the book down even for a second. I had to know how it turned out in the end. I was not disappointed.

All of the characters were well written and believable. I really liked Mike. He had such a rough go of things in his early life that it was nice to see he was finally turning things around. When it all started to go bad, it was unsettling. Shep was okay, but he scared me. He was like a loose cannon that could go off at any minute. Maybe Mike trusted him, but I didn't...not totally anyway. The "bad guys" were very well written. They, too, scared me. I just wanted them to leave Mike and his family alone.

New words:
atavistic (page 122): uncivilized
suppurating (page 192): ooze pus
insentient (page 269): unconscious
paucity (page 330): rareness

Highly recommended. I'll definitely be looking for more books by this author.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the St. Martin's Press website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Gregg Hurwitz's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at The Book Reporter for this review copy.

You're Next by Gregg Hurwitz, St. Martin's Press, ©2011. ISBN 9780312534912(Hardcover), 406p.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Mystery by Jonathan Kellerman

In Mystery, Milo Sturgis, a police detective, asks Alex Delaware, forensic psychologist, for his thoughts on a brutal homicide. The body has been mutilated and with no DNA match or ID on the body, her identity is a mystery. Stranger still, Alex has seen this striking young woman before. Two nights previous, she caught his attention at the Fauboug Hotel in Beverly Hills, where she had been sitting all alone obviously waiting for someone. As they try to determine her identity and solve this crime, Alex and Milo stumble upon some sleazy information about the victim and the world in which she lives.

I mostly enjoyed this book. It kept me entertained and I really wanted to see this mystery through to the end. The storyline was a bit complex, though, so it was a little hard to follow at times. It was complicated even further by the fact that the victim had many aliases, which made it difficult for the police to determine her real identity. Part of the story dragged as it seemed to take an extraordinary amount of time to get to the truth. I found myself hoping for a speedier conclusion. However, I realize that this is probably more like real police work than other books I've read. I can appreciate that. 

Kellerman has written many books, but this is the first one of his that I've read. Alex Delaware was likeable enough. He's featured in a number of books going back all the way to 1985, so he definitely has some appeal. I really like Detective Sturgis and liked that he was portrayed as a police detective, who just happened to be gay and not the other way around. The fact that he was gay was a mundane tidbit, as it should be, in my opinion. I also really liked Gretchen and the part she played in the story.

While I enjoyed the book, it wasn't my favourite. I've read other reviews by fans who've said that this isn't the best one in the series.  Perhaps I started with the wrong one. Therefore, I'm not going to write off Kellerman just yet. I have a few more of his books on my to-be-read shelf and I'm going to give one of those a try.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author, please visit Jonathan Kellerman's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Mystery by Jonathan Kellerman, Ballantine Books (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780345505699(Hardcover), 320p.

101 Uses for an Old Sandbag...or Two by Jason Howell

101 Uses for an Old Sandbag...or two was written just after the Flood of the Century in 1997. Using humour, it illustrates the various ways to use sandbags that are no longer needed for holding back flood waters. At the time, the net proceeds were donated to Manitoba Flood Relief.

This is a really cute book. The illustrations are pretty simple, but they are nicely done. The only bad thing I can say about the book is that it's somewhat dated now. The material is still mostly relevant, but the specific politicians mentioned are no longer in office. I'm pretty sure, though, it's the same old politicians with the same old politics, just with different faces. *sigh*

My favourites uses for an old sandbag:
7. Host flood re-enactment dramas in your backyard, and encourage the audience to take home the "props" after each show.
13. Just lay them out in a circle in the nearest field and call the media.
28.Dike your driveway to minimize the effect of snow drifts.
49. Drink a few beer and see if you can move the bags with your mind (it make take a "few" dozen).
67. Be a prankster and dike a neighbour's home when he's out. He'll get a kick out of it.
I really like the cover.   It's funny, but also very real for us.  Personally, I was very close to waving that white flag several times during the flood and sandbagging operations. 

If you've been through a flood (like we recently have) and have a sense of humour, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of some of these suggestions.

I picked up this book at a used book sale sometime ago.   It remained packed away in a box until recently.  Since some of my neighbours are still dealing with leftover sandbags, I thought it was a good time to review the book. 

101 Uses for an Old Sandbag...or Two by Jason Howell and Pete McCullough (Illustrator), Permanent Press, ©1997. ISBN 096929720X(Soft cover), 101p.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Photo Friday - Animal

I've taken so many photos of animals in my backyard and on vacations that we've taken that for this challenge I really wanted to do something different. Besides I have a cold and didn't feel like staking out an animal to get the right shot.















For more "Animal" photos, visit the Photo Friday website.
For more of my submissions, please see my PhotoFriday set on my Flickr page.