Nocturnal Visitor

Each day, in addition to filling the bird feeders, I prepare a tray of seed and peanut butter balls.

I place the tray on a table outside the window by my computer, so I can watch the birdies.

As I type, I'm watching a pair of Carolina Wrens enjoy the treats.

If I forget to bring in the tray at night, I have interesting visitors.

Peter Opposum is trying out a peanut butter ball.

Looks like Peter bit off more than he can swallow.

Does the Heimlich Maneuver work on opposums?

I guess I should put out a glass of milk to help wash it down-chuckle!

Ellie Mae Clampett was my role-model!

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My buddy, Wayne Hall, completed the Yukon Quest!!!!

Congrats Wayne and Scarlett!

Now all eyes are on Anchorage...

Be sure to check out this view next Saturday for the Ceremonial Start of the 2009 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Alaska Cam from Downtown Anchorage

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We were invited to our neighbors' (and dear friends) house this week for an Iditarod Bon Voyage dinner. We had delicious lasagna and Baked Alaska for dessert. How cool is that!?!

They also gave me this beautiful chest.

Thank you from the bottom of my Alaska-Bound heart!

Sassy Says

Don't be too open-minded;

Your brain may fall out!

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More pictures of Vicki enjoying the snow waaay up there in North Dakota.

Isn't that pretty snow???

Enjoy!!!!

First Pup Coming Soon!

According to People Magazine there could be a new dog in the White House as early as April, after the Obama family's Spring Break trip. As you all know the Obamas have been trying to decide between a Labradoodle or Portuguese Water Dog, as both breeds are low-allergens. Mrs. Obama told People that The White House’s First Pup will probably be a rescued (YAY!) Portuguese water dog.

Senator Ted Kennedy, who owns two water dogs, Sunny and Splash, has been singing their praises to the Obamas. According to the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, the dogs are "great with children." The dogs date back to pre-Christian times; the first written description of a Portuguese Water Dog is a 1297 monk's report of a dying sailor brought out of the sea by a dog with a "black coat of rough hair, cut to the first rib and with a tuft on the tip of his tail." Long popular in Portugal, they were first imported to the U.S. in 1968.

The American Kennel Club describes the Portuguese Water Dog as "a loyal companion and alert guard. This highly intelligent utilitarian breed is distinguished by two coat types, either curly or wavy; an impressive head of considerable breadth and well proportioned mass; a ruggedly built, well-knit body; and a powerful, thickly based tail, carried gallantly or used purposefully as a rudder. The Portuguese Water Dog provides an indelible impression of strength, spirit, and soundness."


Mrs. Obama said the girls have suggested the names "Frank" and "Moose".
Regardless of their names, this is indeed happy news!

Every loving home deserves a dog and every dog deserves a loving home.

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Winter is still hanging on in many parts of the country, as seen in this lovely picture I received from my friend, Vicki, in North Dakota.

Wordless Wednesday

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Congratulations to Sebastian Schnuelle, 2009 Yukon Quest champion!!

Schnuelle’s winning time, 9 days, 23 hours and 20 minutes, was 3 hours and 17 minutes faster than Lance Mackey’s record run in 2007.

Clean Sheets are Gooood!

Everyone (humans and canines) got clean sheets on their beds yesterday. I buy dog sheets at Goodwill and throw them away when dirty. The only good thing about our drought in North Georgia is the lack of muddy paw prints.

Although everyone has assigned beds, they swap around.

Zack prefers to sleep by the wood stove this time of year.

"Rama, Do you mind? Kill the flash!"

"Hmmm, Zack's bed is empty..."

Sweet Dreams, Sas

"Will you turn off the light, please, Rama?"

Monday's Musher

Harry Alexie, 31, was born in Kwethluk, Alaska. In 1995 he went to Ft. Benning, Georgia for basic training for the army. He also attended AUTEL in Seward, Alaska and worked as a power plant operator for six years. He's now a staff sergeant in the Army National Guard and has been full time Army National Guard for 13 years. He started mushing in 1990 and became interested in running the Iditarod when he was contacted by Alaska National Guard Recruiting. By running the Iditarod, he wants to spread the word about the Army National Guard. Alexie is married to Sharon and they have two children, Raymond, 5 and Joette, 3. (Iditarod)


Harry's mentor is 2 time Yukon Quest and Iditarod champion Lance Mackey.
From Lance Mackey's Comeback Kennel webpage:

Welcome Harry Alexie to our team!Harry Alexie comes to us from Kwethluk, Alaska. He and the National Guard have teamed up to run the 2009 Iditarod. Harry has leased a dog team from us, not as an adventure but a challenge. He will be training and running races with us all season, please be sure to make him feel welcome and encourage him in his Iditarod journey.
Harry is no stranger to mushing, he has been mushing most of his life. He attended the Kwethluk Community School and the Alaska Vocational Technical Center and has been with the Alaska Army National Guard for 13 years, working as the Personnel Service NCO for the 2nd Battalion 297th Infantry in Bethel, AK. He enjoys traditional hunting and fishing, and reading. He is married to Sharon and they have two children, Raymond and Joette.
The Mackey Kennel is honored to help Harry and the Alaska Army National Guard reach their goals. In the Alaska Army National Guard - YOU CAN!

Alaska Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Harry Alexie runs 10 sled dogs on an 18-mile practice run near two-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey’s Comeback Kennel training facility in Fairbanks, Alaska, October 2008.

Source: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Paizley Ramsey

The really cool thing about Harry is that my friend and Idita-Sista, Janet will be Harry's Idita-Rider this year. Idita-Riders are those adventure-seekers who are the highest online bidders, winning an exclusive ride in the sled basket of an Iditarod musher for the first 11 miles of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. For the past 2 years Janet has been Lance's Idita-Rider!

As the final days of this year's auction approached, Janet had decided to wait until the last few minutes to start bidding on Harry. This is her account of that evening:

Life got frantic in the "T" household when the computer froze just 8 minutes before the bidding for Harry Alexie, the musher I wanted to ride with in this year's Ceremonial Start.
As fate would have it he was listed as the last musher to be auctioned.
If we failed to win with our bid on him there would be no Idita-ride this year.

No problem. We've done this successfully for two years. Third time should be just business as usual.

We talked to Kit hours earlier when the auction started to share the excitement. We had a lovely chat explaining how the bidding worked and together we watched a couple of mushers get bid on and closed out. We said our good-byes. Little did we know how crucial a role she would play just hours later in our bidding.

Waiting....waiting....pizza....beer.....waiting.....waiting.....down to the last 4 mushers.

Then a Norton Update struck and froze our computer!
NOTHING would kick start it.
There went the 2009 Idita-ride.

But NO, WAIT......Kit knows all about this now.We phoned Kit who was still at her computer watching the auction.
After a mini-freeze on her computer, she was able to open our account and bid on Harry!

OK, we're in and we're the high bid. But wait...someone else outbid us.
No problem. We upped it by the required $100.

No...it told Kit our bid did not outbid the current bid. So we had to up it by $200.
That worked. We were high bid again.

Then the REAL agony started. After a bid has been made, the countdown clock on that musher is reset for three minutes.
Can you hold your breath for 3 minutes?
So she had to keep refreshing the page to see those three agonizingly slow minutes tick down.

Nothing.....no other bid....2 minutes....still no higher bid....1 minute....30 seconds...........................................................10 seconds...............WE DID IT!

Screaming in PA and GA.
Such teamwork.

It was my pleasure to be a part of the excitement!
Besides, I've always enjoyed spending someone else's money! (chuckle)

I can't wait to watch Harry and Janet ride off down 4th Ave!

Janet held an Idita-Skate event in Bethlehem, PA last week.
Read all about it here:

Lance Mackey's Comeback Kennel

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Update:

I spent the weekend worrying about the story concerning Coco and Cookie. I sent a message to the "owner" listed on the email I received. I never had a reply, so I did a Google search and discovered that this same story is circulating all over the country, indicating that the dogs live in different areas of the country, from coast to coast.

At this point I am skeptical. I have read a report stating that the dogs found a home in So. Cal...I do hope that much is true!

I'll keep you posted if I get more info on this confusing situation.

If you can offer any additional info, please leave me a comment.

Thanks,

Sunday is for Family

Mother on Guam

1952
(My birthplace)


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Please keep Bogart Handsome Devil, Airedale Terrier Puppy Dog 's Dad (and Mom) in your thoughts and prayers.

Labs Need Help

Coco and Cookie

I've received this information 3 times this week. I don't know the family personally, but apparently, like many folks, they have lost their home and their new apartment does not allow dogs. They are looking for a home for these beautiful, female Labs. The dogs are located in North Georgia. The following letter is from the owner:

As many of you know, we are moving in just 2 weeks. Unfortunately, I have still not been able to find a good home for Cookie and Coco.

We're not able to take our beloved doggies with us and I've been desperately trying to find a home for both of them 'together'. They were raised together and pine without each other. The Lab Rescue Group have already said that they would probably separate them, so this is my last resort.

Recently I tried to take Coco out in my car alone and she TOTALLY refused to even get into the car without Cookie.....!!!! She absolutely pulled back on her haunches until Cookie was by her side. Both doggies are in great health, have been spayed and have ID chips implanted under the skin. Cookie turned 3 December 10th and Coco will be 3 April 1st.

Cookie is my mellow-yellow, and just loves her tummy rubbed. Coco is adorably funny and lives for her "ball". She also loves the water..... Cookie loves lots of attention. Both doggies are loyal and love to walk. They have been raised with my 3 kids running around all over the place, and have survived Sammy's constant hugging and love of 'dress-up', so they are fantastic family dogs.

This is by far one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make, but under the circumstances I have no choice. Please, Please forward these pics to all you know and help me find a great home for these fabulous doggies. They are just adorable and it's heartbreaking to let them go. In a perfect world, I hope that we could find someone local so that we can still keep in touch and visit them.

I pray that someone, somewhere can help us keep Cookie and Coco together, and love them just as much as we do.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

If you can help, please contact Katherine at: kjmorris74@yahoo.com

Sassy Says

I care not for a man's religion

whose dog and cat are not the better for it.

~Abraham Lincoln

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Our Buddy, Wayne Hall, is still hanging tough in the Yukon Quest , currently in 17th place!!!! The next checkpoint will be Eagle (the most remote Yukon Quest checkpoint), which is Wayne's home. I hope the dogs don't get a familiar whiff and head for their cabin!

Wayne's wife, Scarlett, is the Eagle Checkpoint Manager again this year. I wonder what effect (if any) that has on their dogs.

GO WAYNE AND TEAM HALL!!!!

Unconditional Love

Wrooo wrooo Folks, it's Zack blogging today! Rama is in a tizzy as the countdown continues. In 2 weeks she will be in Alaska for the Iditarod Ceremonial Start in Anchorage and the restart in Willow.

We're still not sure why she has to go all the way up North to see a bunch of yelping, bouncing, barking, beautiful dogs-she lives with us!!!!

I hope you enjoy the video I picked out today. Humans could learn a lot about acceptance, tolerance, and unconditional love from us critters.

Till next time-

Licks and sniffs,

Zack

Wordless Wednesday

Spring Fever

The dogs and I have gotten a bad case of Spring Fever the past couple of days. The daffodils, spirea and forsythia are blooming and the dogs are enjoying the warm sunshine. I realize that winter isn't over, as we historically receive our biggest snowstorms during March, but we're enjoying the spring-like weather while it lasts.

Enjoying the day...

I spent most of the day "trial packing" down coats and vests, turtleneck sweaters, cuddle duds, hats, gloves, scarves, snow boots, etc. for my trip to Anchorage, only 15 days away. I check the 15-day weather forecast for ANC everyday and it looks like I won't need an umbrella during my visit-chuckle!

Enjoying a game of tug of war!




Catching a few rays...






Daffodils


I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.


Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:


For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.


~William Wordsworth

Monday's Musher

Rachael Scdoris, from Bend, Oregon, was the first legally blind person to compete in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Rachael was born with congenital achromatopsia, an uncorrectable visual disorder. Her vision is 20/200, and she is totally color blind.
Raised by her father after her parents divorced, Rachael was never allowed to feel sorry for herself. She said, "As a young girl, I made the decision not to allow my impaired vision to stand in the way of my dreams, and have been racing sled dogs since age 11."

Rachael says she can see her dogs, but she can't see the trail or most of the markers and for that reason she races with a "visual interpreter"/ guide. In 2003, the Iditarod Trail Committee approved her request under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 for special accommodations to compete in the rigorous Iditarod.

In the 2005 Iditarod the radios that she and her guide, Iditarod veteran Paul Ellering, used to stay in touch broke, and Rachael took some spills.
"I had a nice little encounter with a tree," she said, showing a bruise. "The tree won!"

In 2002, Rachael was selected by the United States Olympic Committee to carry the torch to the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. Rachael also enjoyed the privilege of serving as Grand Marshall of the 2005 Portland Rose Festival Starlight Parade.

Rachael Scdoris is an amazing young woman and an excellent example of what determination and a positive attitude can help one accomplish in life. Rachael says there is nothing in life she likes better than racing her dog team.
She may suffer from poor vision, but she certainly is not blind.



To see several good Rachael videos: http://people.famouswhy.com/rachael_scdoris

Sunday is for Family

Sassy (middle) and her sisters

2005

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Cousin Sydney recuperating after 2nd hip surgery.

Keep up the good work!!!!