River Time

I've been biking home lately trying to get ready for New Zealand. It's about 11 miles and usually provides a good warmup prior to taking Tiika out. Today, however, there was a strong headwind and I was pretty tired by the time I came home. It was time to hit the river!This is the Blackfoot River and as you can see, it's running high and fast due to spring runoff. A little too high and fast for me.
On the other hand, it doesn't faze our Tiika girl. I threw a stick and she launched herself off the bank. Here she is in her seeking position.
Success! In spite of being out in the middle of a strong current, she casually turns and swims towards shore. I envy her oneness with the river and her supreme confidence in her own self. Not making it to shore is just not part of her vision, so, of course, she arrives safe and sound.And she's ready to go again. This scenario was repeated many times until finally it was time to head home and make dinner.

"Active" Rest Day

Today was our rest day and we decided to head out and play Frisbee. Tiika used to like catching a Frisbee but is now only interested in a ball or a stick and definitely in that order. I'm not sure she even notices the Frisbee in Jenn's hand, so focused is her gaze on the ball. We made it out in between storms and had a nice barbeque of chicken and lamb when we returned home.

Only Three Weeks To Get Ready! Yikes!!

With our departure for New Zealand only three weeks away, we're ramping up our training rides. Today we rode up Pattee Canyon, an area southeast of Missoula where we were able to get some good climbs in. As you can see, Jenn is pumped!












Tiika is all excited, too! Of course she doesn't know yet that she isn't making the trip with us. She'll be staying up on the Flathead Indian Nation at Mountain View Kennels where she'll have a great time with Lora Hughes, the owner. We came off the mountain tired, but glad we beat the storm. We have snow predicted for tonight!

Making Canine Snow Angels

Today we decided to spend the day at Lubrecht Forest. We arose early and the day promised to be sunny.



Just minutes on the trail and Tiika spots a deer! After an unsuccessful attempt to get the deer to play, it was time for the first of many snow angels.

Tiika thinks it's amazing how many sticks you can find in a forest!


And all the dens to visit, but still, no one wanted to play. Except me, who is always willing to throw some sticks.

Our favorite trail sign, it usually means you won't see too many people. Today, however, we had the entire forest to ourselves. After a long, hard climb, it was time for a lunch of sausage and goat cheese. The cheese is only for me despite Tiika's drooling. She does make an awesome living napkin!



Then it was time for more snow angels and games!


Even after a 9 hour hike, somebody was still sad that we had to return. No it wasn't Tiika, it was me. Tiika is a Qi Gong Master and is happy and content whatever her environment. She just looked me with her kind, wise eyes and I could feel her thoughts "Oh, Robhopper (I know, doesn't quite roll off the tongue like Grasshopper), someday you will learn."




Jenn returns tomorrow and this blog will go back to what you are used to. I'm sure she'll have many stories to share from ArtFest and maybe a picture or two of her projects.

ArtFest and the Rites of Spring

While some rites of Spring are Universal, others are definitely personal. Last weekend we witnessed the spring migration of the snow geese and the trumpeter swans. As one of my favorite ecologists once observed,

"One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring."
Aldo Leopold
Definitely Universal!

This week, Jenn joined her friends to participate in ArtFest . Definitely personal, but no less important. It is talked about, called about, emailed and prepared for as soon as the packets arrive for next year's festival. She left Tuesday and will return Monday night.

Tiika and I do our own spring ritual. Her idea of spring is to run through the woods and discover all the wonderful goodies that the melting snow reveals. I follow along and try to keep her from rolling in the worst of it. If not, there's a stop at the river on the way home and she swims with the ice floes. However, this is Springtime in the Rockies, which brings up another quote:

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month."
- Henry Van Dyke, Fisherman's Luck, 1899

One day we went out and the weather looked like this . It was nice hiking in shorts and a t-shirt.


Tiika always likes to stay in front, but I'm not sure if she ever notices the sky.




I do and thought we might have a different hike today. Sure enough,
this is what it looked like when we opened the door this morning.













I hiked in fleece pants and a pair of gaiters. It will be like this through April and I've been snowed on in July, which brings up the last quote:


"The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
a cloud come over the sunlit arch,
And wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of March."
- Robert Frost

This is why you'll find both fleece pants and a pair of shorts in my pack. Oh, to be Tiika, who seems to be perfectly dressed all year long and can swim any time she likes! This is fun, but we both really miss Jenn. The last picture is of, in my humble opinion, the two best hiking partners on the planet!

Wild Winged Weekend

Guest Post by Rob:

Twice a year we're given a chance to participate (in a small way) in the migration cycles of our feathered friends. This weekend we drove up to Freezeout Lake (120 miles NE of Missoula) to be part of the spring migration of the Snow Geese and Trumpeter Swans.

They first amass in northern California from Mexico and the southwestern United States and then fly non-stop (18 hours) to Freezeout Lake where they rest for four or five days and then continue their journeys. The flock splits up here heading for Siberia, Alaska or the Canadian Arctic.

Click on pictures to see birds up close

This year, their numbers were estimated at 350,000. What a beautiful sight they made rising off the lake at dawn and heading for breakfast in the barley fields surrounding the lake. They return after feeding and spend the rest of the day on the lake. They repeat the process in the evening, returning after dark. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed watching them, especially when the flock, for no apparent reason, would all lift off to about 30 feet and then settle back down. We were close enough to hear the wingbeats as they flew off. It sounded like thunder! They honk incessantly and we wondered how they ever managed to get any rest! I slept fine as their sounds soothed me to sleep. Jenn and Tiika seemed to sleep well also, despite being outside in 25 degree temperature. Love those sleeping bags!

In addition to our bird friends, we met some nice folks around the lake who ended up being torn between watching the birds and watching Tiika! Our Tiika girl makes friends wherever she goes. I wish we were taking her to New Zealand with us as I'm sure she would open a lot of doors.

We headed home after the second dinner flight happy and peaceful. As you can tell by the picture, Tiika was enthralled!

nothing terribly noteworthy

I don't have anything terribly noteworthy to report these days, hence, the lack of posts and pictures.

The weather has been quite cold (7 below the other morning!) and not snowy. The result is not conducive to getting out. Poor Tiika is getting a little bit stir crazy. I'll be taking her out to play ball here in a little bit so it ought to relieve her of some of her pent up energy.

We have been cleaning like crazy the last two weekends. My Mom is coming out this weekend for a visit so we want our place looking as good as it can. We really ought to do this more often for ourselves, too. If there's not a guest looming on the horizon though, it just doesn't happen.

Well, like I said at the beginning, not much to talk about right now so that'll be all for now. Just wanted y'all to know we are still alive out here. Ciao.

bird tree

Whew! The holidays are finally over...we created our last event celebrating ChriSolstiNew Year yesterday afternoon with a snowshoe into the woods.

It used to be the tradition in this household when going out to find a Christmas tree, to decorate a tree for the birds. We weren't prepared to do it on that day and decided to pick another day to so instead. That day turned out to be Sunday.

Rob purchased a suet brick, a nut block and a seed bell and I popped some popcorn to string. Sunday morning we spent time stringing said popcorn with only some mild cursing from me while I got the hang of it. (I hear Gretchen used to be a pro at this particular task...)

Once we felt like we'd strung enough, we packed up the truck with our shoes, the feeding supplies and the tree. Tree? I forgot to mention that the other reason for heading out into the woods was to return our tree to it's home in the forest. (It's the one standing next to Tiika in the picture above.)

You can't really see the goodies from a distance, so here's a closer shot. Yum for the birdies! Hopefully the squirrels won't be able to get to them.

The air was pretty frigid so we didn't stay out too much longer. All in all, it was a good trek. (Teal and Gretchen were missed though...family traditions may change over time but heartfelt memories never do.) We'll head back out at some point to retrieve whatever skeletons might be left behind. We certainly don't want to be litterbugs!

snowshoeing = fun!!

Oh. my. goodness. I had no idea that snowshoeing would be so much fun! After the opening of presents, feasting and talking with family, we headed out the door to enjoy the warm spell - about 25 degrees and gently snowing - trying out our gift to each other, MSR Denali Snowshoes (purchased on a heck of a sale about a month ago). Rob snapped several pictures to commemorate the event.

Tiika was getting a little bit antsy as we prepared to don the shoes. She hasn't been out much lately due to the extreme cold so was rarin' to go, more than usual if you can imagine that!

I was a little bit more anxious but mostly attempting to not have any expectations. Cross country skiing has turned out to not be my cup of tea so I was looking for something that would help me get outside in the winter.















Ballet anyone? I was amazed at how short the learning curve was for these things. After I got my boots buckled in, it was a breeze to just GO. Love, love, love it!


And thus we began our trek through the woods...







We went this way up the hill.
While skiers would have to take this less adventurous looking trail.













I haven't had so much pure fun out of doors in winter for a long time. By the time we made it back to the truck an hour and a half later, the only thing that hurt was my face from smiling. I can't wait to get back out there. We're making a plan for a trek down south on Saturday, weather willing.

opening a present entertainment

Yesterday was a great day. We slept in (for us, 7 am is sleeping in!) and had a lovely breakfast of eggs and bacon, coffee with eggnog, all started with a couple of Mom's fabulous Christmas cookies. Then we opened some presents and made the first round of holiday phone calls.

We did very well in the gift giving department for each other, no question. The most extravagant purchase was decided on in advance - snowshoes! (More on those later.) We also received well-chosen gifts from my mom, a generous check from Rob's mom, a family history from Grandma O., breakfast foods from Jane, dinner via Omaha steaks from my dad and Virginia, and a passel of family photo Christmas cards.

I have to say the most entertaining portion of the morning was giving Tiika her gifts. She pretty much inhaled the twisty, meaty, chew-thing that was her first gift. The second gift, a tug-a-jug, gave her a few more challenges. This product was recommended by the owner of Go Fetch!, Tiika's favorite store in the whole world. Witness her opening skills:


She really gets into it doesn't she?
And then her investigation of "just how does this thing work?"


















Due to the strategically placed holes at the "bottom", she is still convinced that there is some way in at the wrong end. She has had some success at getting treats out, enough so that she keeps coming back but not enough that she can gorge on the whole thing at once.

Though I missed seeing and hugging family throughout the day, it was good to connect on the phone. All in all, I think staying in Missoula was the right thing for us this year especially since the weather and roads were pretty yucky. There will be more Christmas Days.

I'll post more later on how we spent the rest of our day.

decorated tree!

Ho! Ho! Ho! The tree is all decked out and twinkling. We think it turned out pretty well. I wish the picture did it better justice. It's way brighter than I'd like it to be and you can't see the multi-colored lights. We just couldn't figure out how to get the camera to give us what we wanted. Oh well.

Tiika doesn't seem to mind a bit having the tree over her head. We're not sure she even notices it. We've been calling her Queen of the Christmas Cave much to her bewilderment. =)

It's looking an awful lot like Christmas here...

Peace Park

Since Saturday, the weather has been glorious here. Freezing cold mornings give way to lovely, sunny, warm (50's) afternoons. It's supposed to hold until this Saturday and then the rain will move in.

Though I was knee deep in chores all day Saturday and wanted to get more done on Sunday, Tiika needed to get out. (Honestly, so did I.) I got going early Sunday morning and we headed into town for a hike over Waterworks Hill and through the Peace Park set up by the Jeanette Rankin Peace Center. I even remembered the camera to document our hike. Enjoy!

This is the best pic I could get of the peace sign that dominates the area. It replaces the peace sign that used to live up there on an sign owned by Qwest that no longer stands. It was a great town landmark and I'm very glad the Peace Center put together a new one in a similar location.


This is a close up of how the sign is made. It is a collection of mostly white fabrics. I saw everything from t-shirts to sheets and towels. They are all anchored by rocks. Some of the rocks are painted white, some are not. Others have messages painted on them. All were placed in hope for peace.


Of course, some people will walk right through the symbol of peace! She didn't disturb anything though, just pranced through without a care in the world.























And this one is just plain goofy! I look like I'm enjoying myself though, don't I? I've got my shades and my tunes, the sun is shining and the wind blowing through my hair. All was good.

Sunday, Sunday

Today is opening day for hunting so Rob is out in the woods, looking for an elk or deer to bring home. I've got hunting of other sorts to do today. Actually, I'm planning on tackling my long list of things that have been bugging me. One of which was checking to see if a generous gift was going to work.

The gift? A Brother laser printer!! When they were packing up after the conference earlier this month, it was decided they didn't want this baby. I happened to be the only one from my organization around at that time so the business manager asked if I wanted it.

"For me?!"

She said, "sure".

I was on it even though we weren't sure it was still in working order after being stored for the last year. It has been sitting on the porch ever since. I finally brought it in this morning, cleared a space for it and set 'er up. Woo hoo! It works. Now I just need to remember how to do laser printer transfers for my art projects...

Now, it's time to take Tiika out for a morning hike. She didn't get any exercise yesterday and is missing her Pop for the second day in a row. She's a bit on the antsy side so off we go.

the weekend

Whew, home from the weekend in Issaquah. Even though we got home Monday evening, I still feel like I am playing catch up. Good thing it's a three day weekend in a few days.

It was a good weekend. Challenging at times, good support and much laughter, too. Tiika seemed to enjoy her stay at the spa. It sure makes it easier to leave her knowing she likes it there with Lora. Not that we like leaving her, it just makes it less worrisome.

The rivers around here are at, or near, flood stage due to the hot weather over the weekend and the rain yesterday. All that lovely snow melted mighty fast over a 48 hour period. It will put a little "sog" in the Memorial Day weekend for some people.

We haven't made any grand plans. I have a team call on Saturday morning but then we are "free to move about the cabin." Actually, we'll probably run in to the Farmer's Market first thing and I'll make my call from the cell phone. Rob's call isn't until Tuesday.

That about does it for now. Time for a cup of hot tea!

ttfn

blustery morning

My oh my, is it ever blustery this morning. It snowed a bit last night and now the wind is blowing it all about. Brrrr...it was a quick trip outside for Tiika and I. There were too many noisy things in the air like plastic bags. We were both a bit spooked.

Yesterday at work we began interviewing to fill our GIS position. This is the first time I have ever been on the hiring side of the table. The whole situation is providing me a good opportunity to prep for my near future. It is also freaking me out a bit. Probably a good thing, I need a little bit more of a kick in the pants to get the ball moving.

Next time I'll have a picture to post...can anyone guess the subject??

4 or 28?

Our girl Tiika had a birthday yesterday. She turned 4 or 28 depending on your perspective (human or dog).

When we first brought her home, after she got up to date on her shots, we took her everywhere with us to get her socialized. One of her favorite places (oh, ok and one of ours, too) was the Bayern Brewery tasting room. She tried her darndest to get served...








So we thought it only appropriate that for her birthday this year she ought to be able to pop one open and enjoy a little Bayern at home. A seasonal favorite around here, the Oktoberfest brew.


It might have been a bit much for her however...


She seemed to recover just fine when we brought out her birthday cookie, frosting and all.

Now you see it...

Now you don't!

Happy Birthday Tiika-girl!!! Love, Pop and Mama