First Reeeeeal snow!

Sunday morning, we woke up to this!


Starbuck was suuuuuper happy, and did her faceplant, otter-slide thing on that tiny bit of snow. Then we had our first 100% mud-free walk since March! As we walked the Isberg Trail, we saw that a pair of humans and a pair of little dogs had walked before us, leaving fresh tracks on the trail. The little dogs were slipping and sliding all over the place on the ice, sometimes doing 360 degree spins! I kept saying to DL, "Gee, I hope they didn't hurt themselves!" As we caught up, we saw that it was a pair of PUPPIES! So that explains the gamboling!! I did not take my camera, unfortunately, but you'll trust that they were SUPER STEENKIN' CUTE, RIGHT??? (But I still love Starbuck-A-Roo and Cricket Most of All.)

My friend MK, who is building a team, got two new puppies this week, so here is your dose of puppy cuteness:


This is Saami:


And this is Sakha:


When we got back, there was a bit more snow:


Ahhhh, finally winter! Rice and chicken stew on the wood stove as the ladies ree-lax:


That is rather a nice scene to come home to, what? DL is so lucky!

Look! They faithfully hunkered down together and, with great courage, they rode out the vacuuming:


"This sucks!" said the one in front. "This blows!" said the one in back.

More photos from hangin' with Charcoal

Charcoal snuggles against DL's feet:


They are boneless:


Who wants cheese?
"WEWANTSCHEESE!!"


Photo of Cricket looking super comfy in her retirement:


Her HONKER!


Roo's HONKER!


Charcoal's HONKER!


I asked DL if I could photograph his honker. He said no, thanks.

As we headed out for our walk, I noticed that from this angle, it looked like these highbush cranberries were decorating this spruce tree!


They like to take walks together!


And finally the puddles are frozen!


Rrrrrooo looking very picturesque!


And look at this!! Charcoal, the big galoot, is actually capable of looking veeeeerrry dignified! He could be in a Ducks Unlimited calendar!


Walking home now!

First Snow! Kinda, Sorta

Last night it began raining again, and as temps dropped below freezing, it turned into some semblance of snow. The unfrozen ground is still muddy, and we are still going to come above freezing every day at least until mid next week. But this is at least progress!

Last Sunday, there was a bit of sunshine, and the ladies lounged in the yard a bit. I snapped some rather nice portraits, if I say so myself!

Roo in profile:


Cricket in profile:


Look! They snuggle!


Cricket sez, "I put my paw on my seester."


Our voter pamphlets showed up this week. They look like this:


Charcoal is hanging out with us for a few days while his parents are at his brother's wedding reception in Chicago:


Huge! He is huge!


His appetite has not been great at home, but he loveloveloves to eat with his FRIENZ!


They fit on the couch together, too:


Oh! Oh! He has capsized!

Good eats

Mmm, I love cooler weather! Even though Winter is late to arrive, and we have still barely dropped below freezing, and the grass is still green, and we still have no snow, at least it's chilly enough to have a fire almost every day and have lots of delicious, rich soups.

Like chili!


With the last of the turnip greens:


And cornbread of course, mmmmm!


With grated cheeeeeese on top!


"DidyousayCHEEZ? WE LIKE CHEEZ!!"


Another few days was red beans and rice. The last of it was not enough to make a full meal, so we had it with pork buns. And more greens, of course. #DamnitfeelsgoodtobeaCalifornian!


Non-leafy veggies get sautéed with sausage:


For paaaasta!


Another few days was a run of black-eyed beans cooked with European bacon. With steamed veggies and garlic bread!


Leftover salmon from a fillet made salmon quesadillas for our breakfast this morning:


Right now, I am braising moose rib pieces:


With pho seasoning:


I hope it comes out good! We are now 90 minutes in, and the meat is still pretty tough!

One of my exam questions concerned power draw of a headlamp, and a student took the liberty of drawing me with the ladies:


Family photo. Roo Bear will sit still if I hold her hand. :)

Snuggle selfies!

Wisdom from one of Starbuck's Friends at The Denali Center today: "You know, I don't remember a lot of things any more since my stroke, but I'm learning a lot of new things, too, since it seems like my brain is different.

"I've been going to the same Church for 40 years [she struggled to find the word for '40'], and I've always known that the two most important of the Commandments were "Love God" and "Love His Children", but a few months ago, I realized that 'His children' is not just MY family and friends! It's people that I don't even like! I have to love them, too! Just the other day, my daughter came to visit, and I told her what I had realized, and she said, 'Mama, some people are really hard to love.' And I told her, 'Honey, it's not easy, but it's what He wants.'"