Snoqualmie point walk with beagles

Kevin and the beagles

Bob with Mt Si in distance

Brew barking - not a surprise

Brew looking for dog tracks

Brew and Bob Skijoring!

Can you skijor with beagles? Well, it turns out that it is possible.
Today, Kevin and I took the beagles skijoring. They had a great time running in the snow. We went about 4 kilometers with them. Surprisingly, once they were running, they pretty much went straight. The next time we go I think we will have a couple of additional equipment items - harness for us to wear so you don't have to hang onto the leash and at minimum an 8 ft leash.

Here is a video of Brew and Kevin. (click on links at bottom of pictures to watch the videos)

From Beagles Skijoring 2012

Here is Bob

From Beagles Skijoring 2012

I guess we will need to teach the beagles these commands as well.
http://www.skijornow.com/skijornowhome.html

Hair Ice discovered on a morning walk with the beagles

http://my.ilstu.edu/~jrcarter/ice/diurnal/wood/

Happy New Year!

Beagles on their 1st walk of the year

Happy Holidays from Team Beagle

Damaged Goods

Sure enough, we were bound and determined we were going to be do-gooders this holiday. It comes upon us suddenly and we get tunnel vision regarding all else going on in our lives. Off we go, cheerfully convinced that no harm will come from our being away from home on a Wednesday night.

Wrong. Wrong, wrong-wrong.

Fast forward only about 3 hours. In that time it became quite apparent that someone within the confines of the household had realized he has a deficiency in both wood and plastic. It had to be Baxter.

We're not sure what he started with but we know he developed a taste for hard plastic a few weeks ago when he went after a cordless phone. Highly likely this outburst resulted from a caller wanting to reduce his interest rate on all his credit cards. Baxter does not like nagging callers, especially when they don't have anything any of us want. Really.

We let that go.

However, that same evening (and I'm still building the background for you here) he also yielded to the temptation of the TV remote control. It's never been necessary to hide this from the dogs; they get to decide what to watch 90% of the time. We leave Clifford on TV when we go away, or Garrison on the radio. But not planning to be gone long and it being nighttime we figured, "Anh, we'll let them sleep." We could only hope he wanted to watch something on PBS to get him and his companions thru the angst associated with the ringing phone now ringing, crippled and sprawled, on the floor. Besides, it still worked, looking a little less together and more like the Velveteen Rabbit, "loved".


We let that go. We learned nothing from the experience.

Back to last night; stay with me here. We walk in after helping do the prep work for 230 Thanksgiving meals. Yup. That's right. I did say "do-gooders". We were thankful for being able to help and in high spirits as we opened the door.

And, there it all was - the aftermath: indoor dog party. There must have been a fling contest of coasters for they were scattered all about the living room. Granted one of the dogs loves to play frisbee/bring it but she knows to keep that outside. It had to be Baxter.

His tell-tale teeth marks were on the wooden holder for the coasters. Gnawed. DNA testing not required. Guilt confirmed by the pointing of the paws of his so-called pals and the sad sack, "I'm so sorry, Mom. I couldn't help myself. They made me do it" eyes. Baxter led us to the remnants of the remote control. No longer would it serve its intended purpose. Fortunately after the last adventure we'd ordered a replacement which had remained in its secret box. Bits of silver plastic appeared under furniture which had been sat upon during the free for all.

Any pet owner who thinks they have control, remote control or otherwise, needs to think again!

Book Covers

Once again it became clear to us how much is missed when people are judged by appearance. Ed recently underwent brain surgery (the previously mentioned benign tumor - gone). While several of us waited in the surgical waiting room we observed a pair of people upon whom most would turn their backs. Our group didn't "mix" with them but observed. One of them even came over and took a muffin from the stash a friend of ours had brought! We all chuckled over it and moved on with our waiting, waiting, waiting.

It turned out the unlikely couple's friend took the room across from Ed's so we saw more coming and going over a few days. One of the pair visited regularly, oddly dressed. We had glimpses of a wig on a chair and high heels but the room belonged to a guy so we weren't sure who was who or what was what.

Then, the young man (patient) occupying the room came over. He brought Ed a handmade card. Origami. A shirt. With a get well message neatly printed and a word of praise for God. It was moving. It changed me as it seems so many actions these days do. As Ed said, this young man, ill, probably homeless or close to it, reached out and gave us a clear example of the commandment - Love Thy Neighbor.

Sadly it took this to get me to go speak with him but I did and I admit I'm still baby-stepping my way to being God's humble servant. But I did talk to him and did wish him Godspeed at the end of Ed's stay.

There's so much to learn, so much for which to be thankful.