Cricket refuses to go for morning walks now. She's like, "I did your death marches at -40 for 4 weeks, now the light has returned and I will stay on this couch until it is warm."
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Monday, March 16, 2026
Not quite climbing out of the Winter to Remember!
Some statistics!
Record late -40!! NOAA reported on that day, "-41F hasn't been reached on today's date since 1930. March 11th's record coldest is also -41F from 1930."
Last night they announced another record was broken. Ho, hum.
At least these days the daytime temperatures are warmer, but now we have a breeze! 
Yet here we remain! Princess Cricket even gamely went for walks for the 3-4 weeks of -40 back in December-January, but nowadays has decided "enough!" and remains on the couch in her sunbeam instead of joining Raven and me for a morning walk. She waits unil afternoon for her one (1) walk of the day!
Ravey Gravy joins her after our morning walk.
Here is my first time seeing above 0 degrees F since November. This was last week (12 March):
Warm enough for BOLL TIME!!
Princess Cricket deigns to join us on walkies later in the afternoon, once the day has warmed up.
Our first skijor post-last-snow storm. Ravey Gravy breaking trail.
Princess Cricket trailing along behind. She does NOT break trail any more!
I get frequent comments on my helmet-wearing. People say, "Oh that's a good idea! I should ski with a helmet!" That makes me happy! I am promoting a Culture of Safety! I really wish sprint mushers would wear helmets. They run with like 16-20 dogs and do 3-minute miles. It looks very scary!
Saturday was pi day, so I made this pie. It ws 2 cups of rhubarb from the freezer from my garden last summer, and 3 cups of frozen mixed berries from the store. Delicious!
I think I like this better than straight strawberry-rhubarb. Happy pi day!
My office amaryllis at its full bloom! Beautiful isn't it? Crazy that that is stored sunlight from last summer!
Now it is in recharge phase. To bloom next winter again!
MMMM kalestemzzz!!
We love kalestemzzz!!
Happy spring, everybody!
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Happy Lunar New Year!
It's the Year of the Horse, of Course, of Course! I already did the prepwork for New Year's Dinner last night, including chopping up this napa cabbage:
and obtaining this niangao:
This amaryllis seems to fit the Lunar New Year them nicely!
My friend sent the bulb from Montana, and I planted it only three weeks ago!
The girls quality checked the Napa cabbage.
MMMMMMM NAPACABBIDGE!!!
Wishing all 17 of my loyal readers a happy, healthy, and prosperous Year of the Horse!
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Finally!
!
Apparently December was the coldest December since 1980. Temperatures have warmed up twice since then, enough time for a snowstorm, and then dropping again to -30s. While DL shoveled, the girls and I decided to go check out the trails for the first time in a month.
Nice temperatures! Perfect for us!
I didn't know if anyone had broken the trails, so I went via snowshoe, which is tiring! Today would have been a good day for off-leash recall training for Raven, but I actually wanted her help so stayed attached.
Cricket had a blast!
A very pretty day!
Selfie with Cricket!
Walked under a snow-laden branch.
The birch forest is my favorite.
Selfie!
I like dog butts and I cannot lie.
Rosie Creek is frozen and covered once again. Skiing will be fabulous!
Our narrow spur to the public trails.(cricketbutt for scale)
Quite a warmup from just a week ago! This was last Sat.
At those temperatures, we stay off the trails, which are low-lying and trap cold air. We just walk on the roads.
Look how frosty I got that one day! It comes from covering my face with my neck gaiter. Then my own warm breath rises directly and the water condenses onto my eyelashes and other "extremities" (those extremmities being only a few mm, apparently!)
Our neighborhood moose also have been staying in higher areas, like our yard. This is a mama and baby settling into the side of our yard to spend the night. I got curious so googled about the little one. Assuming she was born in May, that makes her 7-8 months old. At that age, she has a full set of milk teeth and is eating lots of browse, but she's still nursing, too.
And look at my smart sheppy! I have finally taught her there is no need to WOOF WOOF WOOF at moose outside. She ignores them now. Look how relaxed she is. I am so proud.
Of course, Cricket is an old pro at the skill "We Do Not Harass Meese".
Did you know that you can summon a Sheppy with an apple cronche?
Monday, December 22, 2025
Happy Winter Solstice!
Yesterday, Dec 21, was the winter solstice. We got 3 hours and 41 minutes of daylight — with sunrise at 10:57 AM and sunset at 2:39 PM. Today we gained 30 seconds of daylight. Near the equinoxes, the change in day length is about 9-10 minutes a day! Near the solstices, it's under a minute.
Here are some notes from my friend Asikłuk:
"Tatqiġġuuq suli nuiḷġaaqami auraġnaġiaylaitchuġġuuq. Siqiñiġmiñ iŋaiġuti’ami, ukiuq takiraqtuq. Aasriiñ siqiñiq nuiḷġaaqami auraġnaġiaġaqtuġġuuq. Iñuich niqaiqsuat auraġnaġiaqman quyaraqtuq. Aasriiñ auraġnaġianġitman, taragguuq nagliksaaġaqtut, iḷaŋich kakkaaqhutiŋ. Taimani taatnaqhutiŋ ittuatlaiññiqsuat. Taatna niqi katinniuraqługu ataramik piraqniqsut.”
"There are four days in December when the sun will be completely gone from the sky in our area [Northwest Alaska]. After these four days, our people watch the night sky to see if the moon comes up first, our people know that the winter will be long. Summer will be late if the moon comes up first. If the sun comes up first, the people will be happy. They know that there will be an early spring. Winter will be short and summer will soon be there. Food supplies are usually short by the beginning of spring so an early spring is an event to be happy about. It will mean that the birds and the fish will soon be in our area for us to hunt and catch. In the event that winter will be prolonged, we take extra caution to ration our winter supply of food during the second half of the winter season. We make sure that we do not starve before summer comes.”
Minnie Gray and Ruthie Sampson
Atautchikun Gazhee (We are celebrating Gazhee together)!
Our ceremonies and celebrations are sacred. My great-uncle shared about Gazhee which was a seven-day event around this time of year. Ceremonies evolve over time, and we do not want to forget our connections to our ancestors. Today we remember Gazhee by singing to the Winter Solstice Siqiñiq (Sun). Though the ceremony has changed, it is not forgotten. Today, we feel our ancestors present, and we look forward to a new year with family and friends.
Every year on the Solstice, Asikłuk, his wife Amy, and The Pavva Iñupiaq Dancers have a small ceremony to watch the sun rise from the UAF Troth Yeddha' campus.
It worked! The sun came back!
Asikłuk
Look at the snow blowing sideways off Mt. Hayes! It looks brutal up there!
I thought it was cold enough where we were, and there was no wind! Here is a photo Amy took of DL and me:
Here is what I wore underneath:
I wear "just" a sweater and a down jacket to walk the girls. Moving keeps me warm! But the warm air puffs out my coat and frosts my eyelashes.
Taking a walk with my girlfriends!
It's been brrrrrrrr-tacular for a while now.
Mmmmmm kalestem!
We love kalestemzzz!
We also like hugs!
And snuggles!
Only one day in the last two weeks was warm enough for Raven to chase her boll. However, we lost it several times in the fresh snow. Her scentwork skills come in handy then... She sniffs and snorffs around until she finds it!
She is also up to learning weaves in agility! Still with training wheels on...
And they clean their FANGS!
And they snuggle with DL on the COWCH!
I consider winter solstice the new year, so... Happy New Year and happy Gazhee to all 14 of my loyal readers! I hope you and yours are warm and well!
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