Wolf Moon Siberians

Location: Hartland, MI
Time - 10:10pm Eastern Daylight Time
Temperature: 45 degrees F (7 C)
Conditions: Mostly clear
Forecast: Partly cloudy today and tomorrow. Lows in the 30s, highs in the 50s

To all the super-awesome Mommies out there!

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Location: Finland, MN
Time - 10:00am Central Daylight Time
Temperature: 40 degrees F (6C)
Conditions: Mostly cloudy, damp
Forecast: Partly cloudy today, highs in the 50s. Cloudy tomorrow with up to an inch of snow. Lows in the 20s

In the free-run yard yesterday with the girls.

Yes, you read that forecast right. We’re supposed to get snow tomorrow. Somehow that seems just hilarious. I am getting ready to leave MCK, which is hard. I’m going back to GA for the Summer, where I’m sure you will hear me complaining about the heat come July and August. Oh well…

What makes leaving this time harder is that I won’t be coming back next year. Not to work, at least. I have every inention of coming back to visit but it won’t be for an extended period of time. In other words, I won’t be working as a handler here next year. So if anyone is interested in working at Manitou Crossing Kennels for the 2010-2011 season, you can contact Blake and Jen Freking here - http://173.201.26.204:9080/manitoucrossing/ManitouCrossing.html#view=CONTACT%20US

And, speaking of precipitation, IT FINALLY RAINED! And rained. I think we had three downpours yesterday. Ah, back to the Minnesota I know and love.

Roisin, playing in the free-run yard. All the dogs are doing well and I have been giving them lots of time and attention and free-play in the big yard out back. I am really, really going to miss the dogs. Kazoo went to a new home with recreational mushers in Ely. His new people sent an email and it sounds like Kazoo is really, really happy. His brother, Banjo, however, is clearly wondering where Kazoo is. I gave him an extra hug this morning.

Alcan is huge. He demands a ton of attention - and he gets it too! The other day, Alcan, Jen and I went on a three-mile walk down the puppy loop. Alcan had a good time and we found a few lost booties along the trail, which we picked up.

Jen is due in less than three weeks and all at MCK are very excited. I won’t be here when the baby comes, unfortunately. You can be sure I’ll be contact via email and phone though!

And the new house that is being built? Wow. That’s all I can say. Wow. I’ve included a picture so you can see for yourself. The little cabin was Blake and Jen’s house (and still is at the moment!).

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Location: Finland, MN
Time - 9:34am Central Daylight Time
Temperature: 48 degrees F (11C)
Conditions: Clear
Forecast: Clouding up today. Chance of thunderstorms tomorrow. Lows in the 40s, highs in 50s

This was supposed to be the year. You know, the year I was going back to Alaska. I started planning well over a year ago to make the trip North this Summer. I figured with an entire year to plan, I could make it happen for sure.

But it’s been one thing after another that will be funny a few years down the road but sure as heck isn’t funny right now. And the worst part? I was the one who said I couldn’t go this year.

I keep talking about it like I “chose” not to go…but the reality is, there wasn’t really a choice. But here I was, thinking I WOULD be able to go. I’d already initiated contact with some people in Alaska and then I’m the one who said I couldn’t come. WTF?

I feel bad because I’ve been planning this for a year. I feel bad because I have to say no - I HATE saying no. I HATE to disappoint anyone. I feel bad because it makes me feel like I wasn’t trying hard enough. That if I thought just a little harder, I would have been able to come up with a solution. I don’t dig no-win scenarios.

This was supposed to be the year…

I think I’ve spent too much time hanging onto the back of a dogsled…I can’t seem to let go.

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Location: Finland, MN
Time - 8:40pm Central Daylight Time
Temperature: 48 degrees F (9 C)
Conditions: Mostly cloudy, slight wind
Forecast: Partly cloudy today and tomorrow. Highs in the 50s, lows in the 20s

ABOVE PHOTOS: Jen brushing Slug in the free-run yard (left) and Alcan (right), who will be 9 weeks old tomorrow.

The drought continues at MCK. Yesterday we had a few drops of rain but not much…We had wind that was blowing dust across the yard so that it looked more like we lived in the desert rather than (notoriously wet) Northern Minnesota. Dust devils were spinning all over the place. When we free-ran the dogs today, they kicked up a cloud of dust. It’s utterly unreal.

Yesterday I went to a mushers’ potluck near Virginia (MN) and got to see some of my mushing friends and meet some new people too. It was a lot of fun and there was a LOT of GOOD food. Plus, mushers are fun to hang out with.

Saorise went to a new home today. In some ways I am sad to see her go but I really like her new person and I think she has a great home!

I took Bonnie for a scooter run this morning and we flushed a grouse. That was interesting. I am working individually with Bonnie like I have done with Calypso and Susan in the past. Bonnie has been running on a team all Winter but has never really run solo. The scooter work is helping her become more confident running by herself and I’m sure that will help her in running in a team. I love my dogs!

In the meantime, I am pondering what to do next. My initial job in Alaska fell through. I have some feelers out about alternatives though. We’ll see what happens. We never know what’s around the corner and that’s what makes the trail interesting.

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Location: Finland, MN
Time - 9:28am Central Daylight Time
Temperature: 29 degrees F (-1 C)
Conditions: Cloudy, mild wind
Forecast: Partly cloudy today, mostly sunny tomorrow. Highs in the 50s, lows in the 20s

I think it looks good - a sled on top of Shuttlecraft! With three dogs now (and thoughts of more in future years) I figured that it would probably be a good idea to invest in a sled of my own. And wouldn’t you know it, the perfect one came along when I was visiting one of my mushing friends a week or so back. She kind of mentioned in passing that she was thinking about selling the sled…And so we took it down and I took a look at it. After some thinking, I went back and got it yesterday evening. I’m thrilled!

In the meantime, with Jen due in about a month (wow!), work is progressing on the new house. It is unreal. The builders are probably the most efficient crew I’ve ever seen - not that I’ve really watched a crew build a house before, though. It’s going to be amazing for Blake and Jen to have so much more space. We were discussing it the other night and whole rooms in that house will be as big as the current “cabin for ants”. I like the cabin though…It’s small but I’ve never felt overly crowded in it (okay, maybe that one time we tried to fit twelve or so people in there that time at New Year’s).

It’s been warm up until today. It’s also been dry. And windy. Not a good combination. Blake has been called out on local fires the past two days. Come to think of it, it rained for a good solid two months back in the Fall and then it’s been dry. We only had two really good dumps of snow, one at Christmas and one just before Beargrease. We had a good sledding season but it was short. March is supposed to be the snowiest month in this area of Minnesota but we had about three flakes and the snow was virtually gone by the end of the month (last year we were sledding well into April).

And we haven’t had much rain to speak of now that it’s warmer. It’s just plain weird. Driving down our road (or any forest road, for that matter) we stir up a huge cloud of dust. And when the dogs get excited it stirs up dust. And when they run around the free-run yard it stirs up dust.

Alcan is growing like a (fat) weed. He is going through a very bitey phase right now and has no brothers or sisters to bite. He is still too darn cute though and wags his tail more than any puppy I think I’ve ever seen. A couple of days ago I had him out in the grass and he ran around like a little mad dervish, a delighted wild expression on his face. It’s fun just working with one puppy. As Jen said “he can’t go five directions at once” (like a litter of puppies).

Yep, fun times at MCK.

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Location: Finland, MN
Time - 8:18pm Central Daylight Time
Temperature: 46 degrees F (8 C)
Conditions: Clear
Forecast: Partly cloudy tonight, sunny tomorrow. Lows in the 20s, highs in the 60s

Well, you’ve seen her before and you know who she is - she’s been running on my team all Winter - Bluebonnet “Bonnie” (shown above just before the 2010 Beargrease 150). Bonnie is joining Calypso and Susan as the newest member of the Wolf Moon team/micro-kennel. I am SO happy with her and she is a really sweet girl. She is from the flower litter - Susan’s sister, of course - and has been running nicely all Winter.

A major, major thank-you is in order to Jen and Blake! I remember that first run I took with a three-dog team back in 2002. Now I have a 3-dog team of my own. Hard to believe…

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Location: Finland, MN
Time - 7:59pm Central Standard Time
Temperature: 55 degrees F
Conditions: Clear, very windy
Forecast: Clear tonight, partly cloudy tomorrow and windy. Lows in the 20s, highs in the 60s

Two years ago, almost to the day, I went on a birdwatching trip with my parents and I had a crazy idea that got away from me and turned into reality. I’ve always had such crazy ideas that form from the very dangerous thought “what if…”

When I was small, like many kids, I believed that those “what-ifs” could happen, believed that they would happen. Unlike some people, I never grew out of this. Two years ago, almost to the day, I had a crazy “what-if” idea that became a reality. I still believe that crazy ideas can come true, and look where it has gotten me.

Dream big and dare to fail
- Norman Vaughan

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Location: Finland, MN
Time - 12: 45pm Central Daylight Time
Temperature: 55 degrees F (13C)
Conditions: Partly cloudy
Forecast: Rain showers today, cloudy tomorrow. Lows in the 30s, highs in the 50s

Spring is here, with blue skies and warmer weather (too warm for many cold weather lovers). Jen’s baby shower was last Saturday and that was a lot of fun. I got to see friends and fellow mushers and Jen recieved quite the pile of baby gifts! On a related note, Phil’s room in the bunkhouse has been…

Well, they say a picture speaks a thousand words:

In the meantime, Kim and her boyfriend/fiance, Jake, have left for Australia. So I am currently the only handler at MCK. This doesn’t bother me although the bunkhouse does seem quieter, as does lunchtime. But there are still doggies to play with and work with and a fast-growing Alcan-puppy to pay attention to.

Still it does feel kind of strange being the only handler again. It’s been a while since that’s happened. Maybe since August. In any case, I wish Phil, Kim and Jake good travels.

A

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Location: Finland, MN
Time - 10:54am Central Daylight Time
Temperature: 38 degrees F (4 C)
Conditions: Mainly clear, cool
Forecast: Mostly clear today, chance of freezing drizzle tomorrow. Highs in the 50s, lows in the 20s

BlueLou, one of the Domita/Punto puppies.

So last night during supper, the topic of personality types came up. We ended up taking the test to see if we were Type A or Type B personalities. Blake and Jen were both definite Type As (UPDATE: Jen’s score actually put her as neither, so scratch that Type A). Kim just scored a Type B. And I scored…neither Type A nor Type B!

Here’s what the website had to say about me:

You seem to be in the middle between the Type A and Type B personality. In this case, the middle ground is good. Your attitude to life is more of the “smell the roses” kind and you know how and when to relax. Nonetheless, you realize that picking up a challenge and competing a little bit for your place in the sun can add some spice to your life. The equilibrium is important, so don’t let your hostile, aggressive, and competitive alter ego take over too often. Generally, you are easy to be around, and people tend to feel relaxed and comfortable in your presence. Yours is a very healthy attitude towards life.

Unfortunately Phil is not still around here so we were unable to subject him to the test. But anyone can take it here - http://discoveryhealth.queendom.com/type_a_personality_access.html

Aaaand, that was your random, off-topic blurb for the day.

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Location: Finland, MN
Time - 9:53am Central Daylight Time
Temperature: 52 degrees F (11 C)
Conditions: Partly cloudy, warmer
Forecast: Partly cloudy today and tomorrow. Lows in the 20s, highs in the 40s or 50s

Me with Alcan.

Well, the days have been passing slowly here. There’s more time, it seems. Or maybe there just aren’t as many things that have to be done to fill up the time. We are leisurely free-running dogs, cleaning up some brush in the free-run yard and doing ATV runs on cooler mornings (like this morning).

Chloe mouthing off.

The other day I even got out my video camera and started doing some film and editing work. I haven’t really played with that since last Fall and I’d forgotten how much I enjoy it. I am working with a new editing program, which is interesting to learn.

Bonnie being a diva.

I am still waiting to hear back from Alaska. In the meantime, I have tackled The Vortex (aka my room) and have pulled everything off the shelves and have it organized into totes. My car is being tuned up. I’m going somewhere, I’m just waiting to hear word of where that somewhere will be.

In the meantime, I’m just hanging out with dogs.

Cheers!

A

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