Spring Has Sprung- At least Inside

I am continually amazed at the uniqueness and beauty of God's creation.  One of my all time favorite flowers is the Hibiscus, which I believe is the Florida state flower.  Since I am a Florida girl, I really enjoy having these flowers bursting with color in my living room, bringing all of us lots of joy.

92 Mile Ironline Sled Dog Race in Iron River, MI

Only the amazing mushers, both men and women, along with their dog handlers would truly know what challenges are involved in this sport. I go along with Joanna to every race and as she leaves the starting shoot each time, I am usually in tears, experiencing the excitement, drama and marvel of the moment. All the days and nights of training these tremendous dog athletes for close to 1000 miles in sometimes 20 to 30 degrees below zero weather to enable them to function as a cohesive, responsive team at competitive speeds, requires determination, strength, (both internal and external), patience, consistency, and endurance on the part of the musher. My husband John faithfully accompanies her on every one of those 1000 miles on his snowmobile for both protection from wild animals and to be able to hook down the team to the snowmobile in case she needs to leave the sled to help a dog on the team.

This was the Ironline race in Iron River, MI, one that Joanna has never done before. She had to deal with much disappointment before we left for the race, having two of her main adult dogs injured on training runs just before leaving for the race. It was a ten dog race, and because we try to keep our kennel size down to a minimum for expenses, she only had her three young yearlings to draw from as substitutes in the race. One of those yearlings had to take off the whole month of December for an injury and didn't have the training miles the others did, so Joanna figured she would just run her on the second leg of the race, each leg being 46 miles.
In addition, on our drive to Michigan, when we dropped the dogs for a potty break near Superior, WI, it appeared that another one of the dogs had developed a limp. We had no idea how that happened. This was a blow that deeply discouraged Joanna since it may have meant that she was now down to eight dogs starting the first night run.

Isn't this just like our race in life as believers in Christ? The world we live in is full of difficult challenges and disappointments which try to sink our ship and leave us in despair. At every turn we have the choice on whether to allow the turbulent waters around us to flood our ship and sink us or cast every care on Him who loves and cares for us and trust Him to work out everything for our good. Our emotions want to run us. But God gives us lots of opportunities to practice leaning on and trusting in His goodness and favor for us.

As it turned out, we had a vet check the dog that seemed to have developed a limp on our way to the race and found out it was only pain in a toenail and after the vet treated it, she was ready to roll in the race. Joanna rose to the challenge and went forth with a victorious attitude using the dogs who were willing and able to run and did very well in a race with some stiff competition, winning fourth place. I can't imagine running into the dark with only a headlamp to go as fast as you dare on a course you're not familiar with that has drop offs, sharp turns and other obstacles. These folks develop a fearlessness that astounds me. It's character building that translates into how we live our lives in this world. I tip my tuc (Canadian for hat) to Joanna!!

Nothin' Like Being A Grandma and Grandpa

Oh what fun we had with Jonathan, Reseth and our most adorable grandsons, Aaron (4) and Titus (2). A whole week of waking up to joyful little voices and lots of activity. I can't tell you how many times my heart was warmed and melted by things they said or did. They're quite a joyful little family. Now that the boys are a older, we were able to do lots of outdoor activities once the weather got above zero. There was snowmobiling, sliding, hiking, dog sledding, wrestling matches with Grandpa and Daddy and just playing in the snow. Not to mention the new foosball game that provided hours of entertainment for all of us kids. smile emoticon We missed having Cherish with us because of sickness, but hope she and Patrick will make it up another time. Sure do love our chilluns!!!

Gunflint Mail Run Dog Sled Race

Here is Joanna's rendition of the Gunflint Mail Run 8 dog 70 mile dog sled race, her first of the season. 

Driving down to MN it was very warm, around 32 - 33 degrees F and snowing so the roads were very slippery. Still we made good time and after crossing the border turned into Grand Portage to get gas. We were going slowly due to the slippery conditions but going downhill plus trying to turn left into the gas station we started sliding straight ahead with the weight of the trailer pushing us. We hit the curb and slid within a couple feet of the cement base of the Canadian flag pole before coming to a stop! Yikes! Thank God again that He protected us and our vehicle from damage!!!! I think the curb helped bump us left as we could have slid towards the right which dropped off in a steep bank! We backed up a bit and were able to drive around the flagpoles and pull up to get gas. The guy plowing the station saw our little side detour smile emoticon and asked my mom later how the ride was:) Not something we wish to repeat!!! Later on at the race site getting ready for our vet check we discovered a tiny bit of damage from that little adventure:) The metal pin that holds the dog tie outs in or out was bent from hitting the curb and we couldn't pull it out til we un-bent it:) Then my mom asked me, "Was the trailer fender like that before?" lol nope:) It was dented in a little I guess from hitting the snowbank at the curb but not bad... poor trailer we have put it through a lot!
Anyway - about the actual dog race! Started out with Hawk and Viva in lead as they were the only two leaders on my team who had race experience in lead as there was going to be lots of from behind and head on passing on this trail. (had had to leave another of my main leaders at home due to a minor injury on our last short training run) Hindsight is always better then foresight as I wish now I hadn't bootied for the first stage (we ran just under 32 miles out and back both legs with a 3 hour rest in the middle) because the lake where we started and ran on for about 3 miles or so had a handful of slushy spots we ran through, icing up my drag pad, foot pads and the dogs booties. Not far into the run Hawk slipped/stumbled on a side hill and backed off like he had strained something. I stopped, gave him a minute and went again to see what he would do but he just wasn't right though he wasn't limping at all so I stopped again, and put Echo up there with Viva. I had been wanting to run him in lead at a race anyway as he has been a very good leader in training, so now was as good a time as any:) He did great until we had to pass, but having had a bad experience passing in a race last season he was very fearful of passing so needless to say, we had a few delays and a couple tangles and I apologize again to anyone I delayed with our troubles:) Some passes went better then others and the farther we went the narrower the trail was which made for tighter passing. It was a curvy trail with lots of up and downs, some gradual, some very steep but none overly long thankfully:) Coming around one corner I tried to quick flip my drag pad down as we headed down a hill (I somehow missed the caution signs the first time through:) but couldn't get it down in time, so dragged my heels to slow us down but my boots slipped off the iced up foot pads and I dragged on my stomach down the hill and through the water/mud hole at the bottom, it was pretty funny! I am glad I didn't have to go through the foot or so of water/mud from a leaking beaver dam that the 12 dog teams had to go through each way past the 8 dog turn around!!! All in all it was an interesting run:) Perfect weather for the race though, about 8 above F during the day and dropping that evening to 1 or 2 above when I finished. The scenery was gorgeous but I didn't have much time to enjoy it except on the lake:) I had been keeping an eye on Hawk that whole first leg of the race but he seemed ok and pulled very well. After resting 3 hours in the truck however he came out limping slightly on his left rear, so he had hurt himself with that slip like I suspected. He was checked by the vets to pinpoint the problem then had them mark him out of the race.
We were in 3rd place after the first leg so leaving with seven dogs after the rest to re-trace the same out and back route we didn't have to pass anyone for a while and the trail had set up even better with the cooler temps so it was smooth sailing until we caught up to the 2nd place team closer to the turn around point. Took a couple tries to pass, then met the team running in first place before the turn around. After that we ran alone for a little while in the dark before the team who went on to win caught back up to me again and we chased her team for a while meeting other teams on their way out to the turn around. We both got stopped by a team I felt so bad for as her team was bunched up blocking the narrow trail while she switched dogs around. The team ahead got by but Echo balked on passing again so had to go up and drag him by, then had a tangle so went up to figure out and undo the tangle but never caught back up to the 1st and 2nd place teams. I heard it was a close race between those two teams, congrats to them both on running a great race and fielding excellent teams!!! Both their teams looked awesome and I am very happy for them!!! We finished 3rd of course, very proud of my team for how well they ran even with our troubles. They gave it their all, Viva, Hawk, Echo, Vapor, Venture, Swift, Tango and Oxy! I could second guess myself now on which dog I could have or should have put up in lead but it takes time to rotate through dogs also so I just didn't bother, figured it was a good training for Echo in any case as he did get somewhat better:) I must say my mom and I both felt we have never been so cared for at a race with two free breakfasts and one dinner for the mushers and handlers! Very hospitable race they sure went all out!!! Our stay at the Big Bear Lodge just down the road from Trail Center was luxurious, cozy and comfortable lodge rooms in their gorgeous log lodge! Thank you to my dad who is the behind the scenes man in every way making sure we are prepared and safe and taking care of the home front while we are gone, and my mom as always is my amazing handler!!! The suspense of following the teams through the ham radio updates was both exciting and stressing her out lol:) Thanks again to all the organizers and everyone who puts so much into this event! As always so great to see all our friends and fellow competitors and we'll see you at the next race! Safe travels!!!!

Snow Blanket

Twas a couple of days after Christmas and all around the camp was a beautiful blanket of snow that lit up the place like a lamp.     Well..... I had to make it rhyme.  :)

Snow was slow in coming this year, but now we have about a foot of glistening snow and plenty for dog sledding, skiing or having a snowball fight.  It sure does brighten everything up with the pine trees heavily laden with white puffs of snow and makes it feel more like Christmas time. 

I realize some of our Wisconsin guests, or maybe most of them probably did not have a white Christmas due to the unseasonably warm weather, so I thought I would send along some pictures from Canada for you to remember what it is like and enjoy it with us.

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!!

We want to wish all our guests a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.  May it be a year filled with exciting adventure, wonderful surprises, and an experiential knowledge of the unconditional, unsurpassing, matchless, abounding love of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

John and Joanna have been busy training the sled dogs, first with fourwheelers and now that we have some snow, with sleds.  Her first race is coming up the middle of January in Northhome, MN.  The last time she raced it in 2014, she won it.  She's hoping to come out on top again this year.  But every year the dogs in the team changes a bit, so one never knows WHAT will happen.  That's what makes it so interesting.

We got about eight inches of snow a month ago, got warm weather and it all melted.  Now we have about 8 inches again and hoping for more.  Some of you probably don't have any snow with the warm weather so far this winter.  It really makes for a beautiful Christmas to have the heavily snow laden trees and the pure white blanket of snow on the ground.  But, whether you have snow or not, we pray you have God's peace in your hearts as you begin 2016.   

A Tribute To Sabre

 On August 15th, we said goodbye to our faithful, handsome Beauceron, Sabre.  He was almost 13 years old and had a very good life here at camp.  Most every day he took walks with Joanna down our quiet gravel roads, played lots of frisbee in the yard, could run down to the lake for a drink or to cool off and pretty much had the run of the place. 

He would be your friend if you threw a stick or the ball for him since he was forever a play boy.  Even as old as he was, if I took a frisbee outside to throw for him, his teeth would chatter with excitement in anticipation of catching it midair and bringing it back.  He would often lay down on his back on the grass, holding the frisbee in his paws and alternately chew on it and toss it up in the air and catch it again.

Joanna especially liked his intimidating size and serious presence when she would take long walks as there are wolves and other wild animals in the area and she always felt safer with Sabre by her side. On one occasion when a bear came into camp, Sabre ran him up a tree and let that black brute know that he wasn't going to tolerate any mischievousness here.   He was a great guardian and protector, always watchful and vigilant over his family.

I still laugh when I remember how Sabre used to sit in the passenger side of John's old pickup truck when taking the garbage and fish remains to the dump.  He was John's companion wherever he went and whatever he did.  Before we purchased the riding lawn mower, John mowed the entire lawn with a push mower.  A lot of the time, Saber would walk ahead of him dropping a tennis ball for John to throw for him.  If John didn't stop mowing and throw it, he would have run over it with the mower.  Sabre knew how to force him to play with him.

I would say he was in pretty good health right up to the end.  On the day we had to put him down, he was having continuous dizzy spells that made him sick and throwing up.  The vet said this was a condition that only happened with old dogs and a sign that his system was shutting down.  There was no cure for it and he would become very dehydrated.  So we had no other choice. 

We miss our sweet boy, who was a faithful, loyal obedient companion.  He was our camp mascot and he left an empty place here and in our hearts.