All kinds of stuff happening around the kennel right now, even if we are in the midst of a heat wave and not doing too much at all with the dogs!!
First off, we just finished a very nice visit with Jackie and Chris Marshall. In case I haven't mentioned Marshall's of late in my diary entries, let me take a moment to tell you a bit about them and why they are so important to me.
It was about 18 years ago that I showed up in Jackie and Chris's yard out in Invermere, BC. Jackie was the boss of one of my best friends and my friend had thought that it would be cool to go see their kennel while I was out visiting for a week. No one knew at the time that I had decided I wanted to buy a Siberian Husky, it was simply a coincidence that we ended up in their yard that day.
Before we left, I had made arrangements to purchase 2 year old Meomar's Miss Liberty from them, although we didn't pick her up until a number of months later, when we were settled in our house in Wembley, Alberta.
First off, we just finished a very nice visit with Jackie and Chris Marshall. In case I haven't mentioned Marshall's of late in my diary entries, let me take a moment to tell you a bit about them and why they are so important to me.
It was about 18 years ago that I showed up in Jackie and Chris's yard out in Invermere, BC. Jackie was the boss of one of my best friends and my friend had thought that it would be cool to go see their kennel while I was out visiting for a week. No one knew at the time that I had decided I wanted to buy a Siberian Husky, it was simply a coincidence that we ended up in their yard that day.
Before we left, I had made arrangements to purchase 2 year old Meomar's Miss Liberty from them, although we didn't pick her up until a number of months later, when we were settled in our house in Wembley, Alberta.
Over the next few years, I made a lot of trips out to Invermere to hang out at Marshall's. Their door was always open and they were always willing to answer my rookie questions.
It was the first winter I knew them that they took me out on my first sled ride.
Many more rookie questions followed and it was with their guidance that we bred our first litter, hooked up our first dog team, entered our first race, etc, etc.
They were patient and gracious teachers and we were able to advance quickly in our 'mushing career' with no small thanks to them.
Over the years their lives and ours have been hectic enough that we haven't actually seen each other in over 12 years.
Marshall's have just recently sold their place in Invermere and are living in a 5th wheel for the time being, so what better time to visit.
I must say, their 5th wheel is the most gorgeous trailer I've ever been in - with all 4 sliders out it features over 400 square feet of living space - unreal!!
Anyway, we had a nice couple days catching up, looking at photos old and new, and gossiping before they hit the road yesterday morning.
All the babies are doing very well. With the soaring temperatures, I bought the 'Cree' litter a pool the other day and was shocked at how fast they took to it. It was still filling up when all three girls baled in and started splashing about. Utin thinks his sisters are nuts and only goes in if we put him in, but the girls are water babies!
Kara and her kids are out in a puppy pen. The pups are having a grand time - Kara is pissed. She actually scaled the 4-foot puppy fence and came up to the house to visit the first day she was out there. Now she has decided that that is too much work and just deeks Ronny out whenever he goes into that pen. Yesterday she came barreling up to the house, figured out she could squeeze through the cat door Mark build into our screen door and came in to help me with my yoga - very helpful.
I've started giving her a bit of house time, as her babies don't want to start eating kibble, so with her up in the house a few hours before meals, we know they will be hungry when dinner is served.
Hilda's puppies have been named. Because they are a pretty inbred litter (and no we are not worried about that - the odd inbreeding in a solid, healthy pedigree is not worrisome and can even be very good) we went with a 'Hillbilly' theme. The girls are - Daisy, Fritter, Billy (Hillbilly) and Banjo. The boys are - Bubba, Roscoe, and Cooter.
I moved them out into the MASH pen off the house, as the babies were escaping the pool and poor little Roscoe fell out the doggie door the other day - and that's a big drop!! I decided that it was safer for them outside. We will move them out to a puppy pen soon, but for now it is nicer to have them close to the house.
Make sure to visit Ronny's web album - http://picasaweb.
I also have a few photos of the HillBillies up on my site - http://picasaweb.
Well, time to go throw some dinner on. We are eating early tonight, as I have to make a late night run out to the airport to drop Rainy off for her trip back to New Hampshire. Many of you might remember Rainy as one of Moses and Kaylinn's children. We sold her to Kim and Kelly Berg a year or so ago and they send her back up last month to be bred to Q. It should be a very nice litter.
It was the first winter I knew them that they took me out on my first sled ride.
Many more rookie questions followed and it was with their guidance that we bred our first litter, hooked up our first dog team, entered our first race, etc, etc.
They were patient and gracious teachers and we were able to advance quickly in our 'mushing career' with no small thanks to them.
Over the years their lives and ours have been hectic enough that we haven't actually seen each other in over 12 years.
Marshall's have just recently sold their place in Invermere and are living in a 5th wheel for the time being, so what better time to visit.
I must say, their 5th wheel is the most gorgeous trailer I've ever been in - with all 4 sliders out it features over 400 square feet of living space - unreal!!
Anyway, we had a nice couple days catching up, looking at photos old and new, and gossiping before they hit the road yesterday morning.
All the babies are doing very well. With the soaring temperatures, I bought the 'Cree' litter a pool the other day and was shocked at how fast they took to it. It was still filling up when all three girls baled in and started splashing about. Utin thinks his sisters are nuts and only goes in if we put him in, but the girls are water babies!
Kara and her kids are out in a puppy pen. The pups are having a grand time - Kara is pissed. She actually scaled the 4-foot puppy fence and came up to the house to visit the first day she was out there. Now she has decided that that is too much work and just deeks Ronny out whenever he goes into that pen. Yesterday she came barreling up to the house, figured out she could squeeze through the cat door Mark build into our screen door and came in to help me with my yoga - very helpful.
I've started giving her a bit of house time, as her babies don't want to start eating kibble, so with her up in the house a few hours before meals, we know they will be hungry when dinner is served.
Hilda's puppies have been named. Because they are a pretty inbred litter (and no we are not worried about that - the odd inbreeding in a solid, healthy pedigree is not worrisome and can even be very good) we went with a 'Hillbilly' theme. The girls are - Daisy, Fritter, Billy (Hillbilly) and Banjo. The boys are - Bubba, Roscoe, and Cooter.
I moved them out into the MASH pen off the house, as the babies were escaping the pool and poor little Roscoe fell out the doggie door the other day - and that's a big drop!! I decided that it was safer for them outside. We will move them out to a puppy pen soon, but for now it is nicer to have them close to the house.
Make sure to visit Ronny's web album - http://picasaweb.
I also have a few photos of the HillBillies up on my site - http://picasaweb.
Well, time to go throw some dinner on. We are eating early tonight, as I have to make a late night run out to the airport to drop Rainy off for her trip back to New Hampshire. Many of you might remember Rainy as one of Moses and Kaylinn's children. We sold her to Kim and Kelly Berg a year or so ago and they send her back up last month to be bred to Q. It should be a very nice litter.
All for today!
Karen
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