Navy is a great dog!   It's sometimes touchy when we introduce a new one to the kennel, but he was such a treat, wagging his tail, happy to see each dog he met.  Copper and Buddy, both males, met him outside this morning and just took him in stride, all three of them going on a trail walk together as if they had done it every day.   Maybe a bit of a sidelong glance  but not much more.

To give him a look at the trails we hooked up two leaders, Buffy and Ruthie, with him and took a short run.
We like to show new dogs that we do know how to do the things they're used to doing, e.g. running in teams, etc.  He had a ball on the trail, seemed to like the new exploring around each curve.

Right now he's sharing a pen with his Auntie Eos and she is teaching him the rules.   He may stay there or may not, we'll see how it goes for him.   On Thursday we'll hook up a bigger team and take a stroll further out on the trails (slow and easy for those who haven't run yet).

Navy enroute

We are waiting for Zeus' son, Navy.  He left Fairbanks last night and will arrive in Minneapolis at noon today.  Katie Richard, musher/photographer/neighbor was willing to drive to pick him up, so she is there awaiting his arrival with her friend, Ashley.   Thanks, Katie and Ashley!

Yes, we aren't taking any more dogs, but with the loss of Zeus there was an empty spot here.  Navy is ten and will fill in very well, living with his Auntie Eos.   We have some young people who want to run again this winter with him, and possibly even our young granddaughter can run with Navy.

Thanks to Trailbreaker Kennel and Molly and Sarah for all of the arrangements and for parting with Navy!

Fox Visitor

More Winter Prep

We've been busy putting double pallets under the dogs' houses for better warmth this winter.  All of the usual fall prep is occurring as well. Shade/rain tarps are still up but had the first accumulation of snow holding them
low.   Holes are being filled with sand, but it's still warm enough for great digging, say the dogs.

The hoses are frozen in the morning so we're back to hauling pails full.   We're a bit short of help so the work is coming before the running, but it won't be long.

Snow?

The forecast says we might get snow showers this morning.   The leaves were beautiful on Thursday  having been gorgeous for two weeks.  Yesterday, with a hefty wind, the beauty blew away and stark trees stand in many places, shed of all that color.   One of our trees fell over in the wind, right next to the dogs' pens.  We had used it for years as a hookup tree, but last year had planted a large, sturdy pole in the ground, realizing the dying tree might fall on us one day or take off with a strong team.

 

Will we get snow?  Someone was chasing snow yesterday with a trailer of snow machines headed North.

Local Wildlife and Colors

While we can't tell you when and where this was, it was a treat to see them.  They were practice sparring and have long since taken to the hills.  The wildlife is usually spectacular in the early spring and the early fall out here.   Tonight we saw a young fox looking inquisitively up the driveway as the dogs howled at the sight of him/her.  Copper barreled down the drive to warn it off and it did run off. He came trotting right back, mission accomplished. The dens are being dug around the trails out there.  We have not had many bear sightings this year.   We saw two and one tore up our garbage pen earlier in the spring.  The birds migrating now are very beautiful, among them the yellow grosbeaks and, of course, the blue jays.  With the full moon the wildlife is just a bit more active since it is very bright outside .

The autumn colors are brilliant and we will add some photos later.   It is the peak of the color viewing season.

Back to Winter Blog

We're moving back over here for kennel coverage of the 2012-2013 season.
Preps are being made to houses and pens, straw is newly distributed and the temps are nice and cool
overnight, giving the dogs a breather from the extreme heat of this past summer.  We hope to have left the 90's and the humidity behind!
Many roadside trees are at their color peak already, providing some pretty spectacular views. We have had several hard frosts, getting to the sunflowers and the pumpkins.

All is well in the north country.