This morning I have three totally crashed Chinooks sharing my office.
Yesterday we went in search of a Christmas tree - totally futile when the youngest tree on the place is over 20 years old but a great excuse for a fun adventure.
On our way up to the top of the ridge and into the fog.
These trees were once part of huge Holiday parties we used to hold. What started out as three boys baking cookies after bringing down their tree turned into a party with over 100 people getting trees; making wreaths and; baking hundreds of cookies - a little frosting for the cookies, a lot of frosting for the kids - a little sprinkles for the cookies, a lot of sprinkles for the kids while the adults washed down the sweet treats with drinks of festive joy. We had a full bakery, long counters, three ovens and a commercial mixer for the cookie dough - lots of cookie dough.
The last party held here included children and grandchildren of the original three boys along with friends and the now grown boys themselves.
The trees are now much too big for the living room.
Cedar and Koyuk resting and waiting for Trask on the sunny side of the ridge.
A dash to the back pond.
Koyuk after her cooling swim.
Um, "Trask where is your visibility vest?" I suspect snagging the vest was the reason for Trask's delay in making it over the ridge.
Exploring around the oak Savannah.
Without his vest, Trask is no where to be seen. I did see a pile of bear poop the size of a small load of bread. I guess mine don't hibernate.
Koyuk
Twelve year old Cedar still running on the way back up the ridge road. I tried to get her to ride with me but she insisted on running with the other dogs.
Trask in the lead.
We searched the woods for Trask's vest but were as unsuccessful with that as we were with finding a living-room size tree.
Heading back down the north side of the ridge.
Trask has once again disappeared.
Trask was quite proud of himself when he came from the same area with a stinky deer leg.
There was no way I was going to get anything more than a picture of him with his prize.
"Nope, it is ALL MINE"
All of the dogs were filthy. Normally I toss them into the pond to cool off and get clean after a run. But, the pond was still frozen solid even after 48 hours of heavy rain and above freezing temperatures.
The ripples are ice, not wind.
After everyone was through supervising Trask eating the entire leg, they agreed to come in for a bath and nap. Twice this week I have spotted a cougar from my window in the same area Trask found the deer leg. A cougar defending a carcass is not the confrontation I want to think about. Just in case, new batteries were put in the invisible fence collars. Our next adventure to find the visibility vest will be delayed. The tree will have to be store bought this year.
