Abby Sunshine

Ah, yes, the helpers at base camp were waiting patiently for us. Abby Sunshine made a sprint out to me, proving her speed on the ski trails. Now as she meanders back toward the others, she sniffs the trail.

She kicks it into high gear- maybe trying to impress Renae, Todd and Gus with her speed and agility. It looks like only Gus notices her.

What kind of a deal is this? Abby gets a leash strapped on her- after demonstrating such fast running in the snow. Is that the attention she wants?

She might wonder why everyone is standing just standing. Let’s move!

She may be trying to rev up the crowd- Come on everybody! Let’s do something!

The ski belt is dropping to the ground. . . time to take off the equipment.

I wonder if Abby thinks that it’s her turn to go for a run!

Renae and Gus are running right toward me. Look at Gus’ excited gait! His ears are perky- his tail is wagging. I hope to find out why they slowed their pace.

Oh, now I see- Gus got thirsty. He needs water! We must quench his thirst. That’s why it’s always important to have water along and handy to give the canines when they get parched. Eating snow is not going give him what he needs.

I guess it’s enough to give him energy for the last 5 minutes- back to Abby, Todd and the car.

It looks like he’ll grab one more quick bite and they’ll depart.

Gus looks around the corner- perhaps noticing they are on the last leg of today’s journey.

They are getting smaller. . .

And smaller. . .

Well, are Renae and Gus ready to work together?

I should say so! Off they go. . .

Heads turn as this dynamic duo charges down the ski path.

After rounding a hill, they appear on top, running furiously.

They glide down a hill with rocket speed.

It looks like they are slowing down a bit. Hmmm. . . why would they do that?

Today is the start of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota . Check out this short video!

Winter is here! What does that mean? Skijor is here! What’s the problem with that? Well, for Abby, it means she gets to stand aside and let Cousin Gus have all of the fun.

Skijoring is a sport where one or more dogs and a cross-country skier work together. The skier provides power with skis and poles, and the dog adds energy by running and pulling. There is special equipment necessary for this sport. Aside from skis and poles, the skier wears a skijoring harness. The dog wears a sled dog harness, and the two are connected by a length of rope.

Let’s get ready so Renae and Gus can hit the trail. We need to make sure Gus is wearing his harness properly.

Renae has adjusted the belt to fit around her waste. The skijoring belt has a wide waistband which is clipped around her waist and also clipped to the line. Special quick-release latches are often used so that the skijorer may unhook the dog’s lead rapidly. Renae has practiced using the quick-release. It’s not quite as easy as the name suggests. That is why it is very important to be a confident skier, to have a good dog, and that the skier and dog have a positive relationship.

Renae is all set. Gus is champing at the bit. This requires teamwork. Are they ready to work together?

After Brazil flooding, loyalty to the dead

As the death toll from devastating flooding in Brazil continues to rise, a single picture drives home the sense of loss.

Leao, a medium-sized brown mutt,  lies next to the grave of her owner, Cristina Maria Cesario Santana, who died in the catastrophic landslides caused by heavy rain.  This AFP/Getty picture was taken on Saturday, the second consecutive day that the dog refused to leave the woman’s grave at the cemetery in Teresopolis, near Rio de Janiero.

Brazilians are bracing for more rain, fearing more landslides after waves of muddy water swallowed towns in the country’s worst flood disaster on record.

At least 655 deaths were reported in a mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro state, northeast of the city of Rio.

CNN report 1-17-11

I think it’s only appropriate to share times when Hemple was “king of the hill.” No dog in the house!!

Renae and “kidn.” Hemple was very new here, probably around 8 weeks old. Renae would drag a string, or something, and Kitty would chase it.

Hemple was never too far from Renae. I think she knew that Renae was a bundle of energy, so wherever she was, kitty would be in on the fun.

She was also very cozy.

Didn’t I already mention that Hemple was never too far away?

“Sisters” of a difference species

Renae and Hemple were photographed by Auntie Anita. The photo was done in black and white and then hand-tinted. It is a beautiful piece. The photo for this blog was taken through glass.

Hemple, Abby’s feline “sister-friend” passed away recently. Though I wouldn’t say that she and Abby were close, I would say that they peacefully co-existed, learning from one another. Hemple was “top dog” (in a home without dogs) for seven years before Abby Sunshine joined the family.

Hemple joined our family through a special event at the Humane Society. It was Pajama Day! The promotion stated to show up wearing your pjs and there was some special deal on pet adoptions. I can’t remember what the bargain was, but I vividly remember Renae and I dressed in pajamas, petting kitties! We met some adorable 7-week kittens, two of which were calico. Renae was one year at the time and called them “kidns.” She loved them.

The rest is history.

Here is an early meeting between Hemple and Abby. In this photo, Hemple may be more distracted by being outside (she was an indoor cat) than the fact that a new little puppy is looking at her.

2006

Here is the family, pets and all. Lisa is holding Thorndyke, Todd has Hemple, and of course, Renae is with Abby Sunshine, the “baby” of the family.

2006

Hemple also inspired artwork. This piece was done in marker by Renae.

2006

Hemple often enjoyed rest and relaxation.

2007

As Grandma Dori noticed, Hemple wasn’t shy to stare at you.

2008

She kept herself well groomed. Her fur always looked great.

2008

She was a curious cat.

2008

Renae enjoyed many special times with the kitty “sisters.”

2008

Renae made a castle for her Denmark project, and Hemple decided it was a safe haven – you can see her on the other side of  the drawbridge.

2009

Hemple and Thorndyke could be seen hanging out together.

2009

Abby could be found trying to get close to Hemple, being as gentle as possible.

2009

We often worked with all pets to bring them close together. This was not Hemple’s favorite activity.

2009

Thorny and Hempy would sit by our artwork of two cats that look much like them! The original 1894 piece is a Gigclee print by Theophile Alexandre Steinlen.

2010

Hemple would sometimes curl up into a ball.

2010

Other special memories of Hemple- she would come to a whistle, pretty remarkable for a cat! She also had the nickname “pencil toes.” When she would walk on your back while you were lying in bed, her legs felt like pencils. If they weren’t digging uncomfortably into you, sometimes this experience could translate into a nice back massage. She would usually be purring all the while.

2010

Thanks for the good times, Hemple.

For goodness sake, what now?

Sometimes it seems like Abby wonders why I am taking her picture, again.

Sure, Abby looks innocent in this photo- crawling into Renae’s bed after she’s gotten up for the day. (actually, how innocent is that?)

I’ll tell you what my alarm clock was this morning. It was Abby. Was she barking? Was she howling? Was she whining at the door? No, she was bounding onto my bed, and jumped on me. There are mornings like these, where Abby gets particularly energetic and can’t resist running down the hall- full blast- and then bounding up onto our bed.

Now look at her, she is trying to tell you that she’s just been sleeping this whole while and doesn’t know what I’m talking about . . . is that so? Well, let’s take a look at her accomplice who’s by her side on the bed. . .

“Yes, Abby was here all the while. She’s just been napping.”