Winter Sky

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The other morning, I woke up in darkness. I fed the dogs and cleaned the yard by the light of my headlamp. I cooked fish, prepared my sled, and played with puppies in a quasi-dawn glow. By noon, a thick cloud cover kept the sun and its glorious light hidden. I'll admit, the dogs and I were feeling sluggish and sleepy with all the darkness. It just felt so.....well, dark. To re-energize everyone, I decided we needed to run. And what a run it was. 

That evening, we enjoyed a sunset like no other. The white snow and black spruce were contrasted with the vibrant blues, reds, and yellows of an electric sunset only possible in winter. The clouds curled and stretched, texturing the entire sky. It was as if Winter had heard my morning thoughts and said, "you know nothing, Ryne Olson."

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Growing

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It's hard to believe how quickly the puppies are growing. Little CJ has changed from the polar bear cub to a real dog....well almost. As they grow, each puppy is developing his or her own personality. 

CJ is Ms. Independent. On walks, she explores tree wells and offshoot trails and ignores her smaller sister, Belle who pesters her nonstop. 

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Belle is a heathen. She's smaller than all her litter mates but by far the most spunky and destructive. She's not afraid of anything and will tear the house apart if left unsupervised (and sometimes when supervised).

Fenton is SUPER friendly....especially if you have food. When loose, his sprints over to the 'big dogs' and checks their bowls to make sure they're clean. 

Lefty loves the couch. When inside, he'll jump up on the couch and stay the entire time he's indoors. He's the most shy of the litter but warms up if you have food. 

Here's a sneak peak at the Ducks--- bios and more pictures soon to come! 

SP Invitational Youth Race

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This past Sunday was the 2nd annual SP Invitational Youth race -one of my favorite races of the season! Why is it one of my favorite races of the season? Because this is my chance to brainwash the future and convert the next generation into mushing fanatics. All the neighborhood kids and their friends signed up to race around a groomed track in the field in front of SP Kennel. Each racer selected a teammate from the dog roster of Stormy, Chacha, Cartel, Honda, and Dingle. Parents and spectators spread out around the course to catch fallen racers or teams without their musher. At the end of the race, everyone was a winner, but we did keep time! Thanks to Tessa for the great photos!