The Art of Doing Stuff

Cut the Damn Flowers

Karen — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 03:28:00 +0000

I'm going to tell you once more to cut your flowers. If you want more flowers you need to cut your flowers. I'm going to tell you more than that, but today we begin with the floral death march. Here's how it works: Here's how it works: If you cut off the blooms you interrupt...

Baby Raccoons, The Tragically Hip & A Bed Cookie

Karen — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 03:28:00 +0000

I had a few wildlife encounters this week. This one with the pollen pantaloons was the least problematic one. Cirque du Raccoon You know something was really, really serious and really, really traumatic when I don't have a photo of it because the situation called for dealing with the problem immediately. Such was the case...

The Terrible Middle: One Week Later

Karen — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 03:28:00 +0000

Last week I introduced you to the terrible middle by showing you Snacks midway through his annual moult. He looked like he'd been awake for 11 consecutive years. It's been about a week and look at him now. His head feathers are coming back in, his ear tufts are starting to look like actual ear...

4 Things I Couldn't Find So I Made Them

Karen — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 03:28:00 +0000

Last night from 9 p.m. until midnight I made relish. More accurately, I repeatedly rinsed a bowl of future relish that tasted like it had been grown in a ditch beside a pharmaceutical factory. I didn't taste every cucumber before I chopped them up. THAT'S A TIP FOR YOU. Taste the cucumbers. One of them...

5 Things To Do With Tomatoes & Peppers

Karen — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 03:28:00 +0000

I'm writing today's post while sitting on my porch. Two dads are talking on the sidewalk so instead of writing my post I'm listening to them. One of them is riding a bicycle because maybe he's a fugitive that's part of a bicycle gang. He has been building instruments but no reference was made to...

3 Everyday Things You Might Be Doing Wrong

Karen — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 03:28:00 +0000

You've heard it throughout your life. There is a right way and a wrong way to do things. Last week I got an email from a subscriber who wanted to unsubscribe. Their email said: Please take me off your list . I don't want to see your looser list That's the wrong way to ask...

10 Recipes For 10 Garden Vegetables

Karen — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 03:28:00 +0000

Whether you're picking, buying or receiving them, this is the apex of vegetable season. And so begins the roller coaster ride of thrills and terror as they pile up in the garden, kitchen and fridge. Vegetables, vegetables, everywhere vegetables. I didn't spend 3 months creating a cucumber only to let it die on the counter...

This Is What The Middle Looks Like

Karen — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 03:28:00 +0000

There are things in life that have to get considerably worse before they get better. A renovation is obvious. Haircuts. Dental work. Thanksgiving dinners in particular seem to get considerably worse and then even more worse. Still. Poor Snacks. I looked up to the owl house the other morning and this mutation is what was...

Weeds, Tomato Sauce & Landscaping

Karen — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 03:28:00 +0000

This week I gave up. I can say I had no idea what I was missing. Giving up is kind of fun. This is what some people try to get away with calling permaculture. It is not. It's a garden full of weeds and if yours looks like this, that's what yours is too. Please...

How Showering is Taking Years Off of Your Life

Karen — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:28:00 +0000

I have some amusement park level fun for middle aged people to take part in today. You're about to find out how much of your life you've lost to "getting ready". According to my totally informal, unscientific, outdated and probably grossly inaccurate Facebook poll from 10 years ago, it's about an hour a day if...