Name – Sweetie DOB – February 29th, 2016 Breed – Ameraucana Nickname – OHMYGODWHATAREYOUDOING??!!! A few weeks ago when I went to pick up some fertilized eggs from chicken breeder Barb Dodington I picked up something else. Sweetie. And Sweetie’s been trying to kill herself ever since. More on that…

A few years ago I adopted a “wait a week” policy on redoing any DIY I had screwed up. AND YOU SHOULD TOO. Maybe you hung a picture at the wrong height, or made a mess applying patio sealer or ate cat food straight out of the can thinking it was refried beans. Whatever it was, wait a week before…

I woke up early Saturday morning on this, the first long weekend of the summer in Canada. I had it all planned out with the regular long weekend things to look forward to like smoking some ribs, getting my plants in the ground and developing a flip flop callous between my first and second toes.…

Exactly 3 years ago today I was huddled in a closet wondering why this wasn’t a thing. Why more people didn’t huddle in closets. That’s where my sisters found me several hours after the fella ran away from home. He literally ran away from home, like a child, or a caged bird, or a 6′ 3″…

A couple of months ago I got the call we all get at some point in the year. The surprise, “ So when are you coming over for birthday cake ” call. The um, what-the-what-say-again??? OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG. Her birthday is TODAY??? And in that very moment you look at every single thing around your…

    Sometimes things go well. Sometimes they do not. When you try a DIY or something from a blog or Pinterest you hope, you cross your fingers, you throw caution to the wind and think … it TOTALLY seems … Continue reading →

  Why'd the chicken cross the road? Because its lunatic owner was trying to force it into a f&*$@ng CARDIGAN! For the past 4 years the only thing that's been more popular than mason jars or wavy, shoulder length hair … Continue reading →

One for the carnivores, one for the vegetarians and one for the vegans. Three, 30 minute meals that will delight your tastebuds and impress your guests. Unless your guest is a 3 year old, in which case you could go … Continue reading →

It’s almost New Years Eve! Personally, I’ll be avoiding all people, parties and pizzaz in favour of cats, a couch and comfort. But if you’re planning a party but haven’t managed to get past just thinking of an entree these … Continue reading →

It’s been a year since we last talked about books.  Looking back on the 5 books I had to look forward to reading at that time I can say I wish I could read 4 of them all over again.  I guess I […]

  If anyone was looking for Julie last Saturday evening, she could be found quietly sitting on the floor in the centre of a 50% off clothing rack at The Gap.   She’d been there, in the dark, surrounded by a […]

Sunday morning I woke up and declared it pajama day.  I did this out loud, to my cats, while sitting cross legged on the couch with my morning coffee.  Both cats gave their sign of approval by completely ignoring me. […]

I first logged onto the Internet when I was a mere child living with my parents. I couldn’t have been more than 30. At that point my computer was about the same size as a fully developed Saint Bernard and […]

Even though it’s getting colder now, this has actually been the warmest, most drawn out end to summer I can remember in a long time.  The furnace didn’t go on until last week and I’ve only had three fires so […]

A few weeks ago, when it was still warm enough to wear shorts and a tee shirt I headed up to my mess of a community garden to start harvesting the vegetable equivalent of a surprise party. The potatoes. Potatoes […]

    Hi. I’m Karen.  I long like walks on the beach, scented candles, and sharp things.  Sticks, needles,  knives sharp enough to cut the piggly off a wiggly … that sort of thing. Nothing makes a woman shine that Match.com […]

The difference between saying you don’t care what other people think when you’re 25 and saying you don’t care what other people think when you’re 40, is that when you’re 40, you actually mean it. At 25 you say it […]

  There are 3 ways to make the home you live in look derelict.  Broken windows, saggy gates and standing on your front lawn in a bathrobe throwing jelly beans at everyone walking past.  Extra derelict points if you’re wearing banana peels […]

Today I am off, I am off today. Because I am in the Thanksgiving way. For Canadian’s you see, It’s the time to give thanks. For Family and friends and abandoning Spanx. We will eat and we’ll drink and have […]

I realize that for those of you who are American, this post is about a month too early.  But here in Canadaland we’re gearing up for the Thanksgiving long weekend.  That’s why I was at Lee Valley in Kingston last […]

I’m sure you’ve seen it.  Pictures on the Internet or in magazines of 3 cobs of Indian corn tied together like a nice little hanging package. What could be easier? And in fact many sites label their photos as “Easy […]

  I was at my neighbour’s house the other day dropping off some chives from my garden for her when I said something that felt a little ridiculous.  Not Westboro Baptist ridiculous, just normal ridiculous.  You may know the fun […]

To me Canadian Thanksgiving is a pretty fall day with leaves falling from the trees, platters of delicious food covered in gravy and pants with enough stretch you could slingshot them across a football field.  American Thanksgiving is that Brady Bunch […]

  A couple of weeks ago I introduced you to the new and improved version of my bookcase which is suspiciously similar to the old and haggard version of my bookcase.  Sometimes things around your house just start to look […]

      I’ve decided to quit blogging and go into the business of reading floors.  It’s kind of like reading tea leaves, only it actually works, you don’t have to drink tea, plus your house gets cleaner.  And it’s […]

The other night I stepped out onto my front porch to pick some basil from the garden, as I do every night, to put on my Caprese salad.  As I was reaching down to pick off a few leaves it hit […]

I write for the Lee Valley Newsletter.  If you aren’t familiar with  Lee Valley I’m not sure how you ended up in a place like this, but I’ll explain it for you. Lee Valley is like the Disney World for anyone who […]

The whole reason for our trip to Memphis was to bring my mother to Graceland for her 80th birthday.  She isn’t a crazy, huge Elvis fan but she, like pretty much everyone else from the 50’s, thought he was your […]

I just returned from a trip to the most Canadian place in America. Only friendlier and with a lot more shot glasses for sale. Memphis, Tennessee even looked like Canada. I don’t know what I was expecting exactly, but once […]

At this very moment I am in the United States of America getting ready to take Betty through Graceland.  Pink Tool Belt and Fish Pedicure and I have brought Betty here for her 80th birthday. This is how it happened. […]

I bet you’re all wondering what it is I did while I was on my television hiatus aren’t you?   What could I possibly have done all those long, lonely evenings without the mind numbing entertainment that requires no thought […]

  I’m a very kind person. I’m writing this post for you, the 4 people who aren’t at the cottage, back to school shopping or suffering from a hangover so large you not only look like death, you’re kind of […]

I’m writing this at 10:45 p.m. from my living room couch. It’s September 1st as I write this, my first day back watching television after a month long hiatus from it. I’m laying back with my head on a pillow, […]

If you’re the kind of person who likes to cook, you know the satisfaction you get from serving someone food and having them smile at the end of eating it. If they actually mumble out a “Soooo goood” as they’re […]

  Even if you have no interest in installing an automatic, sliding door opener (but really who doesn’t) please read this post.  Because at the end of this post I’m asking for your help.  But if you don’t know anything […]

I’ve had gut issues for as long as I can remember. I don’t think I stress about stuff or get tense, but my stomach thinks otherwise. My stomach thinks I stress out A LOT and it, being the extremely thoughtful […]

I have a big night planned tonight (which you know does not involve watching television, because I’m a big stupid-head). I have no idea if this is a good idea or a horribly ill conceived one but I’m going to […]

*WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS GRAPHIC PHOTOS OF POOP* *CHICKEN POOP.  NOT HUMAN POOP* When last we met, Cuddles had a very small problem with maggots trying to eat her alive.  Such an inconvenience.  She got off easily because the majority […]

The title of this post is “Why I’ve given up television for 31 days”. I’m hoping now you can answer that question for me because I have NO idea why I thought this was a good idea. I really wish […]