We are now closer to the Equinox that we are to the Solstice, and gaining daylight by about 7 minutes a day. Not only that, but the sun is rising higher and turning yellow instead of staying orange and pink. We have bluebird blue skies!
And we have to wear sunglasses!
This is the last bit of the spur that goes from the public trail system to our cabin. It's quite a climb! I take off my skis for this part. I could also unhook the girls and let them run home, but they hold a tight line, and it's hard to get them close!
More daylight also means more time to take our girls for longer adventures, and still have daylight left to walk Koda, my latest favorite at
the rescue. OMG isn't he adorable?
You know that thing where you tell a dog to "sit!" for a photo, but they don't look at you? So then you say their name, and they walk toward you? Koda does that, and then he insists on a cuddle! He also thinks that every time I squat to pee, I'm in fact squatting for a cuddle. So I cuddle him. With my pants around my ankles. I can't say no to this sweet dude.
His history is he was bred by a Malamute breeder, then sold to his first owner, and at a year old he was brought to the Borough shelter. That was in December. He spent a month there, and in January,
Sirius took him, and he's been there since. I honestly have no idea how anyone could give him up, nor why he wasn't snapped up at the shelter. He is exceedingly sweet. Malamutes are supposed to be "difficult" dogs, but I've never met a mean one. I suspect that the "difficulties" about them are that they are stubborn, and... well basically the suite of sled dog stuff except squared: Do not come when they are called, pretend deaf, only take commands when they feel like it, etc, etc. But they are very sweet and loving. In fact, we used to have one in our therapy dog organization. His name was Steele.
I don't know if Koda suffered any sort of neglect in his first home. He is extremely good-natured and shows no signs of trauma, but it seems like... he is new to this planet? He stops and stares at a lot of things that we consider commonplace: Cars, snowmachines, planes flying overhead, ravens, squirrels, and in this case a woodpeckker. He's very gentle about it though--doesn't yank me off the trail to chase them.
And did I mention he lets me squeeze him?
Look how big his intertoesal ice balls get! Poor guy!
But he lets me pull them out. Sits still and doesn't object at all. In fact, sometimes he rolls onto his back so I can access all four of his giant paws at once, and when I'm done, he remains there for a bellyrub! Lookie this giant paw! OMG!
And uh... Did I mention he lets me squeeze him? Oops! I squoze his tongue out!
The girls and I take a final walk before we all go to bed, to ensure that all pees and poops are out! This tradition started with Autumn, and continued to Linden, to Starbuckaroo, and now to these girls. But last night Thistle sat up very Abruptly and demanded to be let out early. Went outside with her and look! A stunning aurora!
"My dear human," she says. "I always get you up for a reason."
Sunrise this morning was lovely, too, during our morning run. Official sunrise was 8:47, but it was light at 8. I think this photo was just about 8:47! You can see Cricket on the porch. I always unhook them at the top of the driveway, and they dash for the porch while I slog down the driveway at my Slow Human Biped Pace. Most of them wait for me on the porch, but Thistle does a slow lap around the cabin and sniffs more things, then meets me on the porch.
Do you think they are comfy? I sure hope they are comfy.
