Martin Buser and the trickery story

Guess what? Our family decided to go out on the Iditarod trail this year! Only, not exactly on the trail, but in the air above it. The four of us flew along in our Cessna 180, and went checkpoint to checkpoint as we followed the race. We stayed with the leaders, of course! :)

The above video is a former Iditarod champion, Martin Buser, telling a story of trickery along the trail. This was at the checkpoint called Rainy Pass, which is actually Puntilla Lake, AK. It can only be accessed by sled dog, snowmachine, or airplane.

I will post more pictures and the full story of our trip soon.

Winter Scenes

The days are getting longer! Spring is not here yet, but the promise of it is starting to grow on me. Seem like a reality. I love that...

Duvall wants spring to come so we can ride everyday!

I seem to have a lot more energy. I catch myself racing around the house, getting a TON done and not just wanting to take naps. My hibernation period is over..ha ha. I want to be outside, and now that its getting dark so much later, we all have more time to do that. We can ski, and not end up skiing home in the dusk by 3 pm.

We have three moose hanging around our house. Larry, Curly, and Mo. They seem to think its the place to be. They can be kind of a pain, because we have to be careful when we go outside to see where the Stooges are hanging out. We have to watch when the dogs are loose. A moose can kick a dog and maim or kill them easily.

Penelope took this picture of Mo. I was being lazy so she took Griswold (my camera) and ventured outside. I told her to be careful. Its awfully easy to think of them as gentle and harmless. But they can be very very dangerous.

Our poor lonesome lawn swing. Neglected and eager for summer. Our family spends lots of time on it during spring and summer. We have breakfast there. We sit and read books. We have a snack and talk on the phone. We lay down for a lazy swinging nap. We take family photos on it. We decorate it for the Fourth of July. We tie mini horses to it, or dogs. We have picnics here too.

I love Chickadees. They come everyday to eat from our bird feeder, or the suet hangers. They are so pretty, and they sing such a cheerful song. This is a male. The females are much more shy, but they are a bland, soft brown color.

Winter scenes. Enjoy it while you can...I have it on good authority that SPRING is coming!!!

Sledding Partaaay!

One of our traditions between Christmas and New Year's is to have a giant sledding party. Everyone just brings sleds, all types of sleds, warm gear..and lots of energy for walking up the KILLER hill. :)

We always have a ton of fun. Its usually mostly family because, well..that's plenty! We are a big crew. We have all ages, if they can walk..they can walk up a hill. Or we pull them up on sleds. It can be dangerous walking back up, dodging missiles as they go zooming by. You have to hope they know how to steer!

"Hi Auntie! Goodbye Auntie!"

After they get worn out sledding, the kids start "surfing" down the hill. On anything they can get their hands on. "Runner sleds" are popular surfboards, oh MY. I have to snap a picture, then close my eyes and look away!

Of course the adults have to jump in and play too. But SOME might cheat and snag a ride up the hill....lazy bum. JK.

We all know its time to go home when the kids start trying to impale themselves on trees while boarding down a cliff. Okay, party over...see you next time.

(but there is ALWAYS time for a white-washing victim or two..)