Too Cute

Animal Planet produced a show called "Too Cute - Puppies". Yes sappy and predictable but they followed a litter of Chinooks from one week until going to forever homes so it became a must watch. I had already followed all the behind the scenes details from the litter breeder.

The show featured Chinooks,  Dashounds and Labardoodles. The dogs watched the show with me. Moms McKenzie and Cedar went bonkers when the Chinook pups vocalized but slept through the other breeds pup noises. Curious, I replayed the Chinook pups and then other pups. I got the same result. Cedar looked everywhere for the pups and McKenzie could not be distracted from watching the TV. 

 I posted this phenomenon to Chinook owners and all reported the same findings -   recognition and searching for Chinook pup cries and ignoring other breed pups. Then there was the promo for "Too Cute - Kittens". Even Koyuk joined in the frantic search.

Evening Fog Foragers

When I spotted them, there were two large bucks and five does munching on dropped fruit in the backyard orchard. The bucks and three does headed for the woods when I opened my door. These two does were  non-phased and continued their feast.

As long as I was outside with the camera, I took pictures of the Ferrari ride. A whole day's work went into custom fitting my Laser trailer into Ferrari trailer.

Zooming in with the camera I spotted one of the does munching on fallen plums.
 With most of the deer up in the woods, I let the dogs out. 

 Cedar and Koyuk.

McKenzie would have nothing to do with posing for pictures. Pear scraps from today's food dehydrator load  had all of her attention.

SPYteam Hang-time

Once a year all ski patrollers train as a group on-the-hill. The training includes lowering skiers from a disabled lift. 

Today started sunny with a dusting of snow. Still sitting over an hour on a lift chair can be chilling.
Still hangin' are Karmin, Noah and Zak.

Right with them are Taylor, Ethan and Zak.

Ethan takes the plunge.

 Noah not far behind.
 Sam in the air.

 Karmin in the trees.

"'bout time you got to me" Zak

Kristen takes flight later in the day when it is snowing.

 Taylor in the air.

"Hey, it's snowing. Get me down so I can ski!" Nick.

The kids were not only repeatedly lowered from the lifts, when not hanging in the air, they were "patients" in search and rescue scenarios.
SPYteam heros:

Alysha

Althena

Karmin

Taylor

Nick

Ethan

Zak

Jack

Kristen

SPYteam at Work

Today's first light was really beautiful but alas...

 the SPYteam had work to do.

We gathered way too early for my liking - though I did get to see beautiful early morning light - to to become professionally made up patients.

Karmin suffered a head wound.

 Sam got a prosthetic leg and broken femur.

 Zak also broke his femur.
 Taylor was impaled by a buck.
 Not quite enough blood.
Ethan, guts in hand.
Hurry up and wait.
Every one of these patrollers will be treating each and every one of the SPYteam members.
Under his cool riding clothes, Zak's broken femur can only be treated after removing his board and these two patrollers are skiers.
.
The instructor is explaining how Ethan became impaled by the buck while Ethan pulls out his guts (sausage casings full of jello and choc. pudding.).Alysha is put on the back board.

Taylor just hanging.

A Days Labor

The rains and frost have finally come. Time to get in the last of the harvest. This morning I pulled plants and picked a basket of tomatoes and about 40# of apples and pears to add to the 100+ pounds of fruit, pumpkins, beans and tomatoes waiting their processing turn in the mud room. The tomatoes still have a bit of ripening to do but the ones I left on the vine and covered with a bed sheet actually ripened better than the ones I had earlier brought in. Of course it is a lot easier to pick the last ones when they start to turn than daily go down to the garden to uncover and later re-cover the plants.I still have twenty, 100 year old pear and apple trees behind the house to pick. That will be ladder work. Speaking of work - Several hours went into these 5 1/2 jars of apple sauce. Pick; wash; peal; slice/chunk; vinegar bath;  cook down; add cinnamon  real vanilla  and a taste of brown sugar; smash until smooth; fill hot jars; put on lids; boil in a caner; hope the seal sets and you have not a lot of very tasty winter fruit...

and a lot of clean-up.

I also processed 20# of tomatoes. The dehydrator is full of drying pears and apples for snack time.

Test Run

I could not stand it. I took Ferrari for a test run. 

Three dogs used to easily pull this steep hill. The dogs and I need to get back into shape to make up for the loss of Willy.

Zooming on the flats at the end of the run. I had to hold on while blindly snapping the camera as I bounced along.

Rebuilt Ferrari

This morning I rolled Ferrari out for reveal pictures. The paint is finally dry, the brakes are on and the dogs approve.