This week I travelled to see a band, took a class on canning relish, had my name appear in a crossword puzzle AND tried to sue someone. Take THAT Covid.
The Crossword
That's right. I've now made it. I have appeared in a crossword puzzle in the form of a question. I am not entirely sure ANYONE would ever get the answer to it but if you did, good for you for being so well versed in HGTV design based television shows of the early 2000's.
I will add this to the list of things I plan to have printed out and framed (including magazine covers, articles and my interview for a piece on Minimalist design in The New York Times.) I will not ever do this - but it's nice to have a plan.
The Relish
Speaking of plans, my plan this week was to make relish and I did that with the help of Ashley English's online canning classes. Yes, I already know how to can but according to my mother no matter what, if you take a class you will always learn something new, no matter how much of an expert you are.
And Betty was right. Ashley's knowledge of the intricacies of canning far surpass my own PLUS she casually referenced Jay-Z and Beyonce in her Saturday morning class, so there's really no way not to love that.
Also, if I hadn't taken the class I never would have got around to actually making relish so that really was worth the price of admission ($20) right there.
You can learn more about her Eventbrite Slow Jam classes going on throughout the summer right here.
The Concert
I was lucky I was prepped and ready for her class because I went to a surprise concert the night before the class. It was quite exclusive in a secret outdoor amphitheatre type of venue surrounded by a hand laid stone wall and lush grassy areas.
It was at my neighbour's house. A social distance respecting porch concert. It was jaw droppingly impressive - because of the talent. Most local porch concerts don't feature Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Jordan John and his father Prakash John, who if you're a music aficionado, you'll recognize as the legendary bassist for Alice Cooper, George Clinton, Lou Reed and others.
I sat still and listened. For two HOURS. It will probably be the most vacation - like thing I do all year and I am enormously thankful to them for that. I have no doubt they would not understand the enormous accomplishment sitting is for me.
The Run
Earlier this week I struggled with doing something I am fundamentally opposed to doing but KNOW that I should do it because it's good for me.
I put on my running shorts, shirt and shoes and headed out the door. Sometimes you just have to push yourself to do something awful because you know at the end of the awful thing you're going to feel great. Even if it's only because you aren't doing that awful thing anymore.
Sometimes you just have to put your running clothes on, hop in the car and drive out to the country to buy a butter tart and eat it on a picnic table overlooking corn fields.
And how fortuitous that I would get this relaxation training just days before I was going to need the endurance to sit for 2 hours straight.
Mysterious ways folks.
A Death
Also one of my chickens died. I almost don't even want to tell you which one because it's the one I hated. I know that's not a nice thing to say about the dead, but Baby was just a bad egg.
She bit and she chased and she was incredibly aggressive. She wasn't just a chicken displaying chicken behaviour, she was like a junkyard dog in chicken form.
Having said that I didn't wish her death.
She, like many chickens, just up and died. She was sick for about 12 hours and I knew she was going to die. In fact I tried to kill her. Not because I thought it would be enjoyable to kill this mean little chicken, but because suddenly, her being so close to death made me feel terrible for her.
She was suddenly vulnerable and scared and in need of help.
She was so weak she couldn't stand and was laying on her side with her head resting on the ground. She was suffering.
My plan was to just place my fingers over her nostrils and her beak to keep it closed so she couldn't breath and would just slowly die.
This is not what played out.
I stamped my feet like a fighter going into the right, walked quietly over to her and placed my fingers on her beak. One struggled attempt to breathe from her, 72 tears from me. Two struggled attempts to breathe from her, 1,982 tears from me. Three ... OMG WHERE DID SHE GET THIS STRENGTH FROM???? - and her eyes bulged a little and looked at me at which point I immediately let go, gave her head a pet and said I was sorry I couldn't do it.
It was dusk by this point and she couldn't make it back into the coop so I laid some fresh shavings on the coop floor, picked her up and laid her down for the night knowing she'd be gone by morning.
And she was.
I know that's a poignant story so I'm reticent to mention she's currently in my freezer next to a half eaten rotisserie chicken until I decide what to do with her. Not to eat her you understand, just to give me time to make arrangements for her.
The Lawsuit
You may have noticed my picture being used in ads for Hemp and CBD oil. It's EVERYWHERE.
No, I did not endorse this product. No I did not grant them permission to use my photo. No I do not like it.
They stole the photo from my post on taking CBD oil. Which of course is why I'm sure they were so thrilled to find it.
But when I was first made aware of this from astute readers and relatives, I thought, Uch. I can't be bothered to deal with this, it'll just go away. I'm Canadian and we aren't a particularly litigious society.
That was 6 months ago. Two days ago I found my inner American and called a lawyer.
I'd finally had enough. Jamie Lieberman (of Hashtag Legal who specifically represent bloggers and people in the digital world) was very helpful when I contacted her and we spoke on the phone. After a bit of research by both of us we realized it was going to be a losing battle which is incredibly frustrating.
These ads aren't what they seem. SUCH a surprise. 🙄 There isn't actually anything for sale, nothing exists except various scammy webpages if you click on the link. So why do this? Why set up fake products with stolen photos that go to websites that sell NOTHING?
For the advertising dollars.
Companies do this all the time because it costs them less money to buy a Google ad that runs on CNN, Fox News, Global news or Facebook than what they make back on people clicking to the useless site (where they have ads running).
The reason this was going to be a losing battle is just finding out where these companies operate from is a costly endeavour and when you do find them, chances are they aren't going to be in the United States. If they aren't in the US then a US lawyer can't do anything about it.
We decided my best line of defence would be to file take down orders of the ad with Google.
This is where you can help me.
IF you see this ad anywhere please take a screen shot of the entire screen (including where the ad is placed whether it's Facebook, a news outlet website etc.) and email it to me at karen@theartofdoingstuff.com.
If you can click on the ad and send me the site it links to that would be helpful as well.
From there, I take over, filing complaint after complaint about the ad.
With any luck Google will eventually refuse to run the ad based on copyright infringement of my image.
What I Did This Week
So you want to live my life? That seems stupid. It takes a lot of effort and very little sanity. Here's what I've been doing this week.
Canned Green Beans. Just Like Mom Used to Open.
I'll be doing these this weekend (or some time this week)! I tell you, I love salty, mushy canned green beans and I don't care what anyone else thinks.
An UNPAID Robot Vacuum Review & Guide.
I am thrilled to tell you a TON of you bought the Eufy this week after reading my post about it and so far everyone who has emailed me about it LOVES it.
Heirloom Tomato Soup. A Quick & Easy Summer Dinner.
The heirloom tomatoes are just starting to really produce so this soup is on the menu this week. If you make it, don't skip the crispy jalapenos on top if you can help it. They make the soup SO spectacular.
A 10 Minute DIY Plant Dolly That Can Also Easily Move Major Appliances.
I've used this plant dolly twice this week after it sat in the potting shed for the past several months. But a ground cherry plant that I dug up from the garden to bring home needed moving around and this was the easiest way to do it!
Have a good remainder of your weekend. Make some relish, don't go for a run, eat a buttertart ... whatever. :)
Tricia
Is that a Rose of Sharon in that cart?
Karen
Fig tree! ~ karen
Michele Unitas
Aw Karen, sorry to hear about Baby. I know she was a bit much. I just could not help her on her way either. Such a terrible place to be in. I’ll keep my eyes out for your image in the ads!
Heather
Hi Karen, As a fellow gardener (who was, by the way, inspired to get into this gig by your efforts), I am sending you a link to an amazing, and I do mean amazing, gardening site called The Weedy Garden. The guy is a wildlife photographer who can't travel, because of Covid, so he's fulfilling the dream of starting a vegetable garden. This aint any ol' veggie plot. He's creative! He's experimental and he's got some great ideas. I know you're busy but this is worth a look:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsTsnOoXNdk
Karen
I'll take a look Heather, thanks! ~ karen
SuzNKton
So....we may have made an ultimate discovery here. A distillery in Perth is making Buttertart moonshine. And packaging it up with a 6 pak.....of buttertarts.....Mrs Garrett's Buttertarts....which are already famous. But.....my love then remembered that Mrs Garrett's had made an announcement of THEIR new special....so he came back with Mrs Garrett's Deep Fried Buttertarts as well.
Perth is one hour away. Its so worth it!
Karen
Buttertart moonshine?! Well. I don't even drink (not much anyway) and even I want to try that! ~ karen!
Dawn Turnblad
Karen, you are always a beacon of light in my mundane little world, and especially in these days of COVID. Thanks always for the interesting tidbits, tears smiles and outright giggles. You are a kind, adventurous and wondrous human being. Oh, and R.I.P. Baby. Much admiration and love (not in a creepy stalker-ish way) from White Bear Lake, MN.
Dianna
Dear Karen,
I cried, reading about 'your tears', and your attempt at 'mercy killing'.
Maybe she was such a 'nasty bird' all that time because she was suffering from some ailment, causing her to lash out at others, ..... possibly being in pain. :::sigh:::: Poor thing.
I would bury her in your yard somewhere.
We have buried our loving cat, with a beautiful heavy white ceramic cat 'statue' on top as a sort of memorial stone, along with our son's other pets that have passed over the years. The 'burial grounds area is surrounded by piles of stones.
Shannon Ross Watson
Yes I thought that was you in the CBD ad but Then when I checked out the site you were not more pictures so I assumed it was a scammed picture. I will see if it pops up again and send a picture. You are in good company, many famous people seem to be endorsing stuff they have never used. Love your blog Shannon
~laura
laughed (after a sniffle for Baby), then, although I've got too much of my own stuff to do, and you warned me NOT to read more than 3 posts a week, I followed a few other links anyway. I didn't want to head to work yeat (it's SUNDAY, and I have WEEDING to do! How did you NOT do that this week?) I quickly stumbled upon a pic of you hugging the hamburgler, and THAT'S IT! With such a great laugh, I'm able to jump out of my chair (as soon as I finish this comment) and whistle while I work (except I LAUGH instead of whistle, it still makes it easier...)
Square dancing after work today, so I'll still have a great rest of weekend, thanks!
Anne
So sorry to hear about the death of your chicken. I pause every time I walk past your house in the hope of hearing them clucking...it’s my pastoral fix. I love those little mother cluckers......😢
Marlene Eastman
so sorry to hear about Baby. She was feisty and nosey. Loved those pics of her looking in your window. And .... are the buttertarts any good at Dyments? Hubs is a buttertart connoisseur, so if they are good, we'll stop by on our way back from the Farmers Market on Thursday. And good luck with the law suit!!
Jan in Waterdown
Has he tried the ones from That Pie Place in Burlington? Taste like homemade with excellent pastry and reasonably priced too!
Jan in Waterdown
Oooops, meant to also say that I just stuffed one in my pie hole (can’t say tart hole cuz that sounds like something else 🙄) lol
L
Sorry to hear about Baby. I hope you didn’t put her in the corner of the freezer, because ‘nobody puts Baby in a corner.’ (I just had to.)
Karen
I'm sooooooo close to deleting your comment, writing it into my post and claiming ownership of it. Like, VERY close.😂 ~ karen!