Beetlebomb runs again

Here at Lincoln Ridge, we are getting things in place for summer cart rides. The dogs were crazy to get back in harness and wouldn't sit still for pictures. The one above is one of only 2 that turned out decent of about 40 photos. We'll have to try again after we take them out for a run. Hopefully everything will be set for rides to begin by the end of May.

Last summer we rescued and restored the VW beetle that our friend Mary Shields used when she was training her team for the Quest years ago. It was christened "Beetlebomb" after one of Mary's dogs featured in the PBS special 'Season of the Sled Dog'. Several friends came out for test runs but we didn't get it ready for the tourists last season. It's ready to go now!

That's Sookii in the driver's seat. Ojibwe's riding shotgun. Spud is the big white leader and Zeppelin is beside him.

Dog fur

Clyde and Isolde are the first to blow their coats this spring. They came inside this morning to be brushed out some more. The first thing they do is jump into bed to relax for a few minutes. Then the fur flies!
These two have the softest and most abundant under coats. Clyde's is a light gray and Isolde's is golden. I'm saving it to spin into yarn.

May morning

8:40 AM
Bright sun in the east. Foggy clouds rolling in from the west. Skies of blue and gray.

Aptly so, as I'm trying to pull myself out of a muddle and find some happy thoughts this morning. I'm not accustomed to being alone. And I've discovered that you can be alone even with 15 dogs. I'd love to have my puppies inside with me. Especially at night. But it's the mud season here and most of them are very dirty and wet. Sookii and Ojibwe are relatively clean and in and out of the cabin but prefer sleeping out on the deck these warmish spring nights and basking in the sun all day.

Josh is back east visiting family and friends and attending the college graduation of our good friend Laura. I'm at home. Looking after our kennel and getting things in place for the summer tour season. We'll be giving dog cart rides this summer down in Fairbanks at Heavyhorse Farm. John Hoegberg owns horses and huskies and gives horseback rides in the summer at his hay fields there as well.

9:30 AM Went out to water dogs and let a few loose to stretch their legs. They went to Spade's house and starting teasing him over his bone collection. The old man has grown progressively more paranoid and nervous acting over the past winter. I decided to move him to the puppy pen where he'd have some well earned peace and quite. It's across the drive from the main dog yard. About 50 x 50 with a nice gravel base and his own house with no one to annoy him. I gave him the moose hock out of the cooker where I'd made broth for the dogs last weekend to start his new bone collection and he has already settled in and looks much happier.

Me too. Skies are clearing, along with my head.