Wind

Still windy and cold enough for some of the older or short coated dogs to wear their coats. And cold enough for the human to go back to my fur ruffed hood and down jacket.

Quixotic weather... one day 70 degrees, the next windchills below zero and snowing. Still very glad we didn't get the twenty five or more inches of snow of our neighbors to the North.

More shoveling... had the concrete pens all chopped out and had to redo them. Sulatna has found some deer legs on the front 40... a stash from some animal.

Photo: Timber (coat), Chena, Evalina and Sulatna. Front 40.

Walking bored dogs

This weather is a bit boring to the dogs so, of course, I continue to walk them in small groups.

Liller spends nights in the house, but she was out walking with Chena and Sulatna yesterday.

She is a very tough girl, has run Iditarod, and knew the Alaskan landscape well. She is sometimes too tough with the house dogs but she has learned to take peaceful walks out of harness. She is one of two best leaders we've ever had, so she's used to telling the others where to go. The free running was hard for her at first, but now she gets in the spirit of exploring, although she does hang back on her own.

Chena and Sulatna do keep their distance from her. Her look is very intimidating and they heed it.

Storm

The wind gusts were strong enough to almost knock me over yesterday as I brought soup to the dogs. While many around us are having a blizzard, we at least didn't get the large snows.

And, this snow is far preferable to the icy rain we were having.

All day I wanted to catch a photo of the wind blowing effects, but not too lucky at doing that. Took this one on a walk with three dogs. Liller is having some problems and I wanted to see how she did on a walk, which was very well.

Needless to say, it's back to all the winter garb. The dogs are energized by the colder weather, running with lots of vigor as they free run, clamoring, 'take me!', as I let them out to run .

Spring?

The snow started yesterday with some of the largest snowflakes I can remember. It came down in sheets and plops. Today we expect winds in the 40 to 50 mph range. For all of its startup fury , it accumulated only enough to be icy/slippery, about one to two inches, I think.

I'll be taking down the few tarps I had put up as they're covered in ice. Back to hot soups for the dogs. I did put some new straw in some of the houses yesterday. This looks like it will last into the next week.

7 dog walk

The trails are mostly ice free now, just a few in back woods and some hills that are still too slippery for ATV and walking dogs. Cold weather for next week may bring some more snow, however. It's very early to be snow free.

Spring

Still a bit of ice on some of the woods trails, but ok to run/walk now.

8 dog team; 7 dog walk

We ran an eight dog team yesterday, just a hint of too warm, but a short run.

Skinny and Buffy ran lead; Buffy did her circle dance as we took off, so have to work on that with her. Skinny set her straight. The rest of the team included Lillen, always perfect; Ruthie, always straight ahead, head down happy ; Medio, Rosie, Kiddo and Herman. Every dog was happy to be on the team andm after their initial excitement, it was a near perfect run. While we shortened it for Skinny's sake, he seemed to tolerate it very well yesterday.

Afterward, we took a 7 dog group on a trail walk. Chena, Sulatna, Timber, Tanni, Sierra, Evalina and Frita. Not one of these dogs is of the same family and all get along well, no growls, turf, etc. As with the team, each one was just happy to be on an outing. All a part of training... they can have fun when they all get along.

Just finished reviewing my vaccine records. All are in order, no one due until August.