Sunday, June 7, 2009

Play Hard, Sleep Hard, and Get Your Toes Dirty Every Chance You Can...

I believe that most of the souls that pass through our lives do so for a reason. Sometimes the reasons are obvious and profound, sometimes the lessons so subtle we don't even realize that we have learned them.

I think I've figured out at least one of the reasons Bet has come to share my life.




She's trying to teach me to relax. I know - a border collie?? Aren't they renowned for being hyperactive?? Well, Bet is a high energy gal that plays hard but she is also very adept at resting well.

Really well...








I've figured out the high energy/playing hard stuff - but as any of you that have spent more then a day with me know, I'm not good at the 'resting hard' part.

Bet is setting a positive example for me....







She tells me the secret to life is simple -




Play Hard, Rest Hard, and Get Your Toes Dirty Every Chance You Can...










Smart dog, that Bet.












Friday, May 29, 2009

Thank Goodness I Wasn't 'Outted'

I’m jetting my way to Tennessee today to do a presentation for the Siberian Assist Rescue Group. As a wonderful treat, my friends Barbara and Jerry Lake, who donated my tickets to the Rescue Group, booked me to fly FIRST CLASS on the three hour leg from Salt Lake City to Atlanta. What a treat!!! Pillows, blankies, huge comfy seats, warm facecloths, a free meal (with REAL turkey in the sandwich – not processed turkey roll), wonderful service….this is traveling in style!!!!

I hope all the fancy people around me don’t figure out I’m a fraud!!! I brushed most of the dog hair off my clothes and I’m being careful about showing my hands, as the dirt embedded in my fingernails is bound to give me away!!

The water drops on my laptop screen probably don’t help either – they were splashed there when Bet shook after her bath the other day – but maybe folks with think it was spray from using my computer on my yacht (yeah, I can’t even spell yacht without spellchecker!!)

 

I’m sure it would all get old for me fast, but today I’m enjoying living outside my means!!!

 

 

Karen

 

 

Karen L and Mark Ramstead

NorthWapiti Kennels

Iditarod Finishing and Best in Show winning Siberians

"Pretty Sled Dogs"

www.northwapiti.com

 

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Happiness is a Warm Puppy!


Crackle


Pop


Crackle, Snap and Pop


Snap



Crackle, Pop and Snap





Snap





Crackle



In case you are missing the theme - they are the 'Rice Krispies' and more pictures of them can be found at http://picasaweb.google.ca/northwapiti/TheRiceKrispies
Karen



Friday, May 22, 2009

Growing Up is Never Easy.

Even bratty little princesses eventually need to grow up. Yesterday the adorable and very spoiled Kim and Kelly took a big step towards their future careers as rough, tough sled dogs and moved out onto stakeouts.




Kelly

Kim



They complained with great enthusiasm about the injustice of it all.


Kelly




Kim


Astro, the 'ol hat' he is at this stakeout thing - throws a disgusted look the girls way!
Barq and Runner are unimpressed by the rantings of the Twins as the enjoy the early summer sunshine.




Kara was most unimpressed of all. ...

...she hung around pretending that she had never even seen the girls before!!


Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming....

With the recent miserable weather and my cold, about the most exciting thing around here was watching Bet and Kara's 'passive aggressive' battle over the Cloud.






I'm really not sure how this is going to end up playing out, but my money is on Kara winning!


However exciting that is, yesterday morning we got back to real world


- running dogs!



Since our lives had been lacking excitement, we decided to up the anti and harness break young Astro!
Here he is hanging out with TopDog and Hector on the 'ready chain'

That's him three dogs up on the left!! Looks like a pro already - doesn't he?

There were a couple more 'firsts' on this run too!




NorthWapiti's Hillbilly - aka 'Billie' who just arrived back at the kennel from New Hampshire took her first run with us.

"Smile for the camera Billie!!!"


And NorthWapiti's Bango - aka 'Bang' ran lead for the first time for me.
All three had a great run! After 2 miles we swung back into the yard to drop of Astro (don't want to get those pups in over their heads) before heading out for another 3 miles.





Stopping for a water break!


Happy, tired Huskies!
Karen

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Snow Day

I took a few more pictures of the snowfall today, including some of young Astro out on a chain for the first time. You can see them on my Picasa site - http://picasaweb.google.com/northwapiti/SnowDay2




Utin
Karen

I Should Have Believed Her...

When I was talking to Lisa yesterday about booking a private lesson for Utin and I she insisted that we do it that day. She was babbling something about a heavy snowfall warning for the area for this morning and Wednesday. Frankly, I paid no attention. Spring is here - the woods are waking up, I've planted some plants, and purchased more that I intended to plant this week...no way it was going to snow.






I should have listened....