The post An Aussie with His Flock appeared first on Karen Shanley.

What you may not have guessed is that we built it. The year before Cait was born, we reclaimed it from a mosquito-infested swamp. For the first year, there was no life in or around the pond; all was still. In the second year, the … Read More

The post If You Build It, They Will Come appeared first on Karen Shanley.

This pose is known as “horning” or sun-baking (often referred to by birders as the delta wing pose).

While it looks like it might be trying to do a yoga stretch or impersonate a dragon, I discovered there are a few practical reasons behind this striking behavior:

1. Thermoregulation (Sunbathing)
On cooler mornings or after spending time in cold water hunting for fish, herons … Read More

The post Morning Yoga appeared first on Karen Shanley.

If you’ve ever heard a bird song and thought, What bird is that? The Merlin Bird ID app is for you. It’s free and it’s fabulous at what it does. (Scroll to the bottom of the post to get the link.)

This screengrab shows what’s currently singing in my neck of the woods. I’ve used this app for so long now, that I can identify most of the bird songs on this list. The Song Sparrow iw always a little … Read More

The post Why I Love the Merlin Bird ID App appeared first on Karen Shanley.

So I started making changes. I moved from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice (FREE). From OneNote to Joplin (FREE). From OneDrive, Google Docs, and Dropbox to pCloud Drive (FREE, with an option for a lifetime purchase if you need more storage). And, last but not least, I moved from Gmail … Read More

The post I Broke up with Microsoft and Google. Here’s How You Can Too appeared first on Karen Shanley.

Kenzie is always looking for the blankets to snuggle under or a warm body to press up against. Riley prefers a cooler temp, preferably with a slight breeze. And Arrow is a Husky in an Aussie’s body. He’d live outside if given the chance—the colder the better!

How do they keep themselves happy? It turns out, the sliding glass door is the … Read More

The post The “Goldilocks” Dilemma: Solved!  appeared first on Karen Shanley.

The results are in, and for the fourth consecutive year, the French Bulldog has claimed the #1 spot in the American Kennel Club’s registration statistics. While the Labrador Retriever held a legendary 31-year reign until 2022, the “Frenchie” has officially proven it’s more than just a passing trend. Its compact size and big personality have made it the ultimate companion for modern living, but it wasn’t the only breed making … Read More

The post AKC Most Popular Dog Breeds 2025–Full List appeared first on Karen Shanley.

Please educate yourself and take action now so that your children can have a future. I’m including a … Read More

The post General AI Will Be World-Ending If We Don’t Stop It Now appeared first on Karen Shanley.