Winter has arrived!

After a two-year hiatus, it looks like winter has finally come to Alaska!


I SURE HOPE THAT MEANS MORE SNOW THIS YEAR!!

This is what I wore to walk the ladies this morning:


Wool shorts, wool long underwear, running pants, and a down skirt.
A wool base shirt, a fleece shirt, a down vest, and my "light" winter coat.
A neck gaitor, a hat, and my $18-mittens! (I have no idea why my warmest mittens are my cheapest...)
And... a cold-weather headlamp that has the batteries at my waist, so it doesn't blink out in the cold!

The ladies wore their standard fuzzysuits. :)

Cold weather means, time to eat more!

I won second place in the annual Thanksgiving pie contest with an apple-rhubarb pie! For only this occasion, I make a crust with only white flour. I usually make 50/50 whole wheat and white. Said DL: "If you want to win the contest, you have to give your friends diabetes." Haha

Mmm, pie!




We had the leftovers over the next several nights, reheated and served with caramel ice cream! Mmmm!


Starbuckeroo and we humans have been walking the trails on weekends. Our new weekend routine is that Starbuck, Autumn, Linden, and I take a shorter walk (2 miles) first, then Roo and I drop the elderly ladies at home and trade them for DL for a longer walk (our regular loop is a little over 5 miles). It is my sincere hope that some neighbors see us on both walks and think DL is a shape-shifter. :)

Look at that pretty winter light!


We are at the top of the ridge when the sun comes over it:










Roo sez, "I just walked seven miles and look exhausted, but I'll be wagging my tail at the door again as soon as I see a human put shoes on!"

Happy Thanksgiving snuggle photos!

This morning on my commute, I heard an interview of a guy who had had a successful double arm transplant. He was told by the donor's mother, "Our son gave the best hugs. We pray that you make a wonderful recovery and that your loved ones will be able to enjoy your warm embrace."

Let us not forget that the best uses of arms are for hugging, and the best uses of dogs are for snuggling.


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Look! A Manatea! :)


Rrrrrooooo...?


Rrrrrrrroooooooo...!


Schweetie!

Photo dump

First, schnozzes!

Booger's schnozz:


Roo's schnozz:


Soooo sofffft!


Autumn's schnozz:


Now, squeezie selfies!

Squeezie selfie with Starbuckeroo!


Squeezie selfie with DL!


Squeezie selfie with Autumn!


Hmmm... no squeezie selfie with Booger?

Well, here is one of Booger cuddling with DL:


Now here are some photos of Alaskan garlic. It's an ordinary-sized bulb:


But each one only has two enormous cloves:


Does anyone know what causes that?

Musings

Today, I left the office at 10:45 so I could vote during a nonbusy time (same strategy as the DMV: avoid early morning, lunchtime, and after 5 p.m.). While I was out and about, I got the water jugs filled, went to the bank, and went to the hospital to get a flu shot and my last hepatitis B booster. I am offered these things now that I work with the elderly. It occurred to me that I have a lot to be thankful for, and my errand list about sums up the basic human rights:

* a free and secret ballot
* access to clean water
* a good job and control of my own finances
* access to health care and vaccines.

with a cherry on top:
* flexible work hours

Not a bad errand run!

We are almost there!

Almost enough snow to ski!

Linden is still recovering from her last surgery, and Autumn's heart is still not strong, so the two ladies get a short walk, and then Starbuck and we humans hit the trails. On Saturday, it was snowing!



Starbuck looks like a WOLF!


They harvest trees all summer, but we only go here in winter, when the equipment is mothballed:


Although Rosie Creek had been frozen solid the prior week, it had been warm enough to make some slush and overflow:


Starbuck is soooooofffft and mooshy-gooshy:


It snowed all that night, and on Sunday, Starbuck was happy! Happy! Happy!


The light on top of the ridge was very pretty:


And on the opposite ridge, the sun was out:






RRRRRRROOOOOO?


The sun!




When it's warm and snowy, snow compresses into ice between the dogs' toes. They are experts at removing it themselves. They are like those self-healing tires on cars. :)


The back side of the ridge is a birch forest:


Roo!