Easter Sunrise

Hey Tribe,

We have not done any great hikes in what seems like a very long time, so the little walk we took early Easter morning was very sweet.

To avoid the crowds that were sure to arrive, TheMother and I were up and out of the house before sunrise.  The short drive to Reflections Lake was a quiet one, with only two or three other cars on the highway - a combination of the early time, the holiday, and the COVID-19 I think; there was only one car in the usually packed parking lot at the trailhead and we eagerly set out down the empty trail.

The dogs relished the outing and opportunity to sniff new sniffs and roll in new (to them) snow.  It was wonderful to have the snow-coated lake mostly to ourselves - I say mostly, because a few squirrels did make themselves known.

Sunrise was subtle.  It was muted and without fanfare or color.  Still, it was wonderful to see the sun spreading its rays against the broad shoulders of Pioneer Peak and across the glittering snow.

By the time we returned to the trailhead, at least half a dozen cars were parked in the lot and eager hikers and walkers were starting their own Easter adventure.

A Fun Diversion - Day 6

Hey Tribe,

This K9 Challenge day, Day 6, is appropriate since by now everyone's dogs need their nails trimmed.

Fly has always been good about letting me trim her nails, but Rex used to fight me.  I was patient and we worked on it not being a bad experience for him.  Now, he's all about letting me do his nails so he can get treats.  Here's a quick time lapse video of both Karelians getting their nails trimmed:

I'll write a 'how-to' post that will go into greater detail about clipping the dogs' nails.

A Fun Diversion - Day 4

Hey Tribe,

It's Day 4 of the challenge:

Unfortunately, Fly and Rex are not toy motivated.  Usually a "favorite" toy is one that is destroyed in a matter of minutes and then left for dead: be it a stuffed animal, a real mouse (those usually get eaten though), or a Kong.

I had to think about this one for awhile and nearly despaired, but then realization came to me: Fly's favorite toy is actually Rex.

She adores him.  He has made her so much happier since he came into our lives.

Their play is rough, looks painful, and usually leaves them both panting with huge, tongue lolling grins on their faces.

They both have insurance policies, because I know, one day, someone is going to get hurt.  Karelian Bear Dog play is not for the faint of heart.

A Fun Diversion - Day 3

Hey Tribe,

So, this day of the challenge is a little dull.

I imagine other participants may be more engaged with this day because they feed raw.  I would love to feed raw, but do not want to develop my own recipes and concoctions: I want pre-made portions.

If you have any suggestions for me or recommendations about where I can source raw food from a company I can access in Alaska, please let me know!!!

A Fun Diversion - Day 2

Hey Tribe,

Ready for Day 2 of the Lockdown K9 Challenge?

Day 2: Quick Puzzle

I don't have any of those fancy store bought puzzle things for dogs, nor am I crafty enough to want to make a homemade version of a puzzle.  So, Fly's quick puzzle is a simple game of "which hand" that I taught her as a baby:

Of course, after the video, I saw that the viewer can see part of Fly's ear around the corner and I didn't want folks to think that she cheated, so I tried to get another video.  Rex, who was sitting behind me watching all of this, decided he wanted to play the game too:

I guess I should teach him the rules!  Sweet, silly boy - I can see he is going to be the comic relief and/or steal the show during these challenges.