Blog - Karen Shanley

Why Some Gardening Will Be in Most People’s Future

January 23, 2008 / My Garden / Recipes / By Karen Shanley / 15 Comments

Barbara Kingsolver brought the idea of locivore food growing and buying to the fore with her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. In it, she speaks to the value of focusing on eating locally instead of using fossil fuel to transport food long distances.

While Kingsolver feels a moral and environmental obligation to do so, most people are starting to feel a financial obligation to do so. The price of fresh fruits and vegetables (especially organic) is … Read More

If I Had It to Do Over Again

January 20, 2008 / Cait and Me / By Karen Shanley / 17 Comments

Having recently had an interesting conversation with a friend who’s expecting her first baby, it got me to thinking about another conversation I had more than a decade ago.

Before I had Cait, I’d once asked a dear friend, if she had it all to do over again, would she still have kids. She hesitated for several long seconds before she answered. That hesitation spoke volumes. She finally said, “Probably not.” I was a little surprised by the answer, but … Read More

When Should You Start Training Your Puppy

January 17, 2008 / Dog Training, Dogs in General / By Karen Shanley / 16 Comments

Every encounter we have with our dogs is a training session– whether we know it or not.

So I start training consciously right from the very first day I get my puppy home. This keeps me focused on my behavior and interactions with my puppy, as well as hers with me. Doing so makes it less likely for an unwanted behavior to get very far before I can nip it in the bud. Good communication and redirection are key.

For … Read More

Perspective

January 13, 2008 / Cait and Me, Life / By Karen Shanley / 13 Comments

There’s another snowstorm blowing in. It got me to thinking about how one’s perspective can change over time…

Before I became a mom, my idea of winter splendor was this. Pristine, untouched snow. No footprints. No snow shaken from branches on which it gently rests. No sign of humans anywhere.

Monochromatic stillness.

Since I’ve been a mom, my idea of winter bliss has changed. Colorful splashes of coats. Rosy red cheeks. Footprints everywhere. Long channels of compressed snow rolled for … Read More

What’s the Difference Between Heirloom, Hybrid, and GMO Seeds?

January 9, 2008 / My Garden / Recipes / By Karen Shanley / 10 Comments

In my previous post, a reader had a question about seeds. My response was getting long, so I decided to share it here. I’m sure there are other would-be gardeners who also aren’t clear on the differences.

Jo at Ecology of a Woman asked about three types of seeds — Heirloom, Hybrid, and GMO (genetically modified organisms). I’ll add one more type — Open Pollinated (of which Heirloom is a subset).

Here’s the quick run-down:

Hybrid Seeds are produced by … Read More

Thinking Spring

January 7, 2008 / My Garden / Recipes / By Karen Shanley / 20 Comments

Oh the weather outside is frightful.

It’s been hovering around -15 F in the mornings around here. And we’ve had quite a lot of snow already. Deep winter is upon us.

But the fire is so delightful.… Read More

“Dogtown” on National Geographic TV

January 4, 2008 / Dogs in General / By Karen Shanley / 9 Comments

This Friday, January 4 at 9 pm ET/PT, a wonderful new short series is starting on the National Geographic Channel. Dogtown focuses on the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah.

From the Best Friends Press Release:

National Geographic Channel Goes Inside Dogtown: Covering 33,000 Acres, It’s One of The Nation’s Largest No-kill Animal Facilities. New Series Goes Behind the Scenes at Sanctuary for Hundreds of Dogs in Need, From Puppy Mill Rescues to Canine Medical Emergencies.

In this country … Read More

Nurse Kiera

January 2, 2008 / Cait and Me, My Dogs and Me / By Karen Shanley / 12 Comments

Cait has a touch of the flu. And there’s only one way to get her to rest.

Kiera has to just about physically lie on top of her. And then stay with her until she falls asleep. Nurse Kiera is always up for the job.

This time, Kiera stayed with Cait for the entirety of her four hour nap. When Cait woke, her fever had broken, and the worst of the symptoms were behind her.

There is no stronger medicine … Read More

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