Excuses, Excuses...

6th Annual
Andersen/Brehler/Bicego Camp

6 dogs + 5 kids + 12 adults = no time to write.

But, what fun!

WORKING

FLD Gus, camp greeter.

Gypsy makes sure Gus gets it right.

FLD Gus waits for the mini-train with grandkids Keegan and Alec at the AuSable Valley Railroad station.  Unfortunately, he isn't allowed to ride the train (!) so he and I hang out with fellow tourists while the rest of the family take a tour.

FLD Gus holds a SIT/STAY for Keegan while Alec hides the stick.  Keegan then gives Gus a "find it" command and Gus races off to find it--again, and again, and again!  Sometimes work is like play.

IT CAN'T BE ALL WORK...

FLD Gus invites Fynn for a wrestle.  Fynn isn't interested.  Gus doesn't know how lucky he is--this picture is deceiving--Fynn is a +100 lb golden-doodle!

However, Rosie IS interested.  Round One, Lab Wrestling--Gus takes her down...

...Round Two, Rosie takes Gus.

Gauge and Odo catch the scent of a chipmunk in the woodpile.  And they're off!

PLAYING WORKS UP AN APPETITE!

Rosie waits patiently for her breakfast "OK!"

FLD Gus on his mat, licking his chops while he waits for dinner.

For dessert?  Sofia eats homemade raspberry pie; Gus chows on his Nylabone.

TIME TO RELAX

The boys, Gauge and Odo, chilling on the porch.

FLD Gus and Natalie pass out on the living room floor.

Tuesday's Training TIP: WALK YOUR PUPPY!

BEFORE

Up early.  FLD Gus stands still only long enough for me to snap on his collar and tags as he exits his crate.  OK, I say to release him.

Black-Lab-freight-train leaves the station!

Da-thump-de-da-dump, la-thump-de-da-lump...  He heads for the back door and somehow Gypsy and I get outside with him, unscathed. 

Monster paws thunder like a herd of buffalo.  Get out of the way!  Good thing Andy was right about our square-foot-garden posing an obstacle; Gus leans into a turn between them (instead of through them), spewing wet sandy soil in a rooster-tail behind him.

Something must be done.  FLD Gus was a very patient puppy yesterday as I waited for our driveway contractors to show up.  He isn't going to be content to lay around today!

MY MISSION:  TIRE OUT THE PUPPY!

We head north down the big hill on Brady Road, veer right onto Shady Shores Drive and follow south along the cottages that ring Rifle Lake, turn left at the corner of Wiltse Road, and turn left again on Brady Road--a mile-long grade back UP to our house.  All-in-all, three miles.

Along the way I change pace, stop, and give SIT, DOWN, and STAND commands to FLD Gus to divert his attention from deer-track scent and assorted country sundries.

Halfway to Wiltse Road we meet another walker, Noreeta, who is vacationing for the week at her family cabin on Rifle Lake.  Just then I spot a bald eagle circling overhead, almost brushing the treetops.

"The other day we saw a small fawn curled up by a tree stump near the lake.  It lay there all day in the sun," Noreeta tells me.  "You should have seen all the cottagers taking its picture!"

FLD Gus isn't interested in chatting, but Noreeta and I share our walk for awhile on this beautiful morning.  We part ways at the corner where the Cedar Bar still hasn't reopened after their kitchen fire the night before New Year's Eve.

AFTER

FLD Gus slurps from his water bowl like he barely survived a trek across the Sahara.  He flops down as I sit to write this and briefly looks up when I grab my camera.

Mission accomplished.

FLD Gus resting on soft, green carpet, too tired to even chew his Nylabone.

To tame a dashing, zealous morning Lab, try a long walk!

Intercepted Letter

Hey there, Rosie-Dosie!  Gus here.  Dudette—just want you to know how much fun I had last week staying with you and your girls.  Gypsy’s ok, but between you and me, I think she’s getting old.  She acts like she doesn’t want to wrestle and chase with me, but I think she just can’t keep up anymore and doesn’t want to admit it.

I really miss our water-fights.  Patti and Andy take Gypsy and me down to that lake through the woods sometimes, but it isn’t the same.  Did you know that if you keep jumping pretty soon your paws don't touch?!  Anyway, all Gypsy wants to do is race after her stick.  Swim, swim, swim.  It’s like she has a one-track mind.  Personally, I have more fun ripping around your yard and jumping in and out of your little blue pool.  We make a mess of it, don’t we?

I was glad to have you next to me when Patti kenneled us up—it sure was cooler in the basement, wasn’t it?  Be sure to let those girls know you’re ok with staying down there if it gets hot; I won’t mind if you sleep in my crate that we left at your house.

cc'd Rosie, FLD Gus, and Nat

My favorite part was when we snuggled up on the front room floor with Natalie.  You are so lucky to have her as your girl (and Sofia and Elaina, too), but there’s no way I’d let Nat dress ME up like she does you!

It’s not so hot up here.  You would really like it here.  Patti takes us on a hike in the woods every day!  She makes me work when we go into town, but I don’t mind it so much.  I really like when she takes me to the restaurant.  Lots of good sniffing on the floors in there!

Well, thanks again for all the fun!  I think I heard Patti say something about coming down again next week.  I can’t wait to see you again!  Get ready, ‘cause this time I’m going to win!

Licks, licks, licks to you, Rosie!  I miss you!

your buddy, Gus

ps, give your girls a slobber from me, ok?

FLD Gus Meets Holiday Traffic--in the Woods!

I pinch myself every time I head out the back door, hike our "patch," and a half-mile later pick up the Rifle River Recreation Area ski trail at marker #6.

The woods are bursting green now, an incredible neon green I can barely reconcile as the same woods I slipped through on my skinny boards only two months ago.

Our leafed-out woods--in green!

FLD Gus, replete with blue Future Leader Dog bandana, heels nicely at my side; we scrabble up a sharp hill to the trail marker (#8) posted on Ridge Road and turn right.  I plan to cut along Ridge Road to marker #5 where we can pick up the trail to head home.

FLD Gus perks up at a machine noise ahead.

Ridge Road is a one-way dirt access road (not plowed in the winter) that weaves between Lodge and Grebe Lakes.  We're not used to coming across cars here, yet that is exactly what bounces toward us.

I step off the narrow road; there is no room for the car to pass unless I do.  FLD Gus, however, stands tall in the middle as if to challenge the presence of this motorized imposition.  Gus.  Come, I command to get him out of the way.  He huffs back over his shoulder at the vehicle when we continue.

A few steps later and here comes a four-wheel-drive pickup truck with a young red-cheeked, blond-headed girl hanging on in the open bed.  She waves timidly at us.  Hi, I say and again step aside.  FLD Gus follows quickly this time, but hauls hard in their direction when they pass.  Before we can get on our way, a second pickup rounds the bend.

In less than one minute we've seen more cars here than we've seen since December!

FLD Gus puffs and pulls.  I imagine he's thinking, "Let me at 'em!  I'll chase them off our road!"   Or perhaps that's just what I'm thinking, this Saturday morning of the Memorial holiday.

Ahhhh, our first taste of summertime weekends.

FLD Gus at trail marker #5, eager to get off Ridge Road and back into the woods!

Gardener Gus?

A Gardener's Fable

Once upon a time, a city puppy-raiser moved to the north country with her husband and dog, and "scary-smart" Future Leader Dog (FLD) puppy.

Their house-on-a-hill was surrounded by gardens planted by the previous owners, but the puppy-raiser paid no attention (at first).  It was winter, the yard mounded with snow.

When spring puddled in, the puppy-raiser started to notice things poking their way out of the earth.  She was not a gardener, oh no, but found an interest in what might emerge.  Trips to the city drew her away for days at a time, so the grounds appeared to her as time-lapse photography.  One return home revealed crocus blooming sunny-bright by the porch-step; another return red tulips tempted ruby-throated hummingbirds; another brought the aromatic bliss of lilacs.

On an almost-level spot in the backyard, a neglected 30' x 50' vegetable plot began to sprout hard onions, turnip greens, irises, asparagus...and weeds.  The tenacity of this vegetation attracted the puppy-raiser.

One sunny morning, the puppy-raiser decided to hoe the weed-festered garden, even though she had no prior experience.  She took her FLD puppy out with her, foregoing their usual walk.

Now this puppy-raiser knew that the "scary-smart" puppy watched her and frequently tried to duplicate whatever it was that she was doing.  For instance, earlier in the spring while she cleared a new trail in her woods, the FLD puppy followed along, observing her cutting and tossing aside ill-placed seedlings.  Very soon the FLD puppy grabbed hold of a sapling, anchored his four paws in the leaf-covered floor of the forest, and yanked with all his Labrador might.  He tugged and jerked and worked at that sapling until it finally gave way, roots and all.  With the tree hanging out of his mouth, the FLD puppy looked up at the puppy-raiser as if to say, "See, I can help!"

The puppy-raiser knew this about the FLD puppy, but it was such a wonderful morning, and she really wanted the company of the silly black Lab.

So...

The puppy-raiser, with her scary-smart FLD puppy, went out to the weedy garden to play and proceeded to hoe.  She chopped at the weeds around the asparagus, which had grown so quickly it was already ferning (a term she learned by Googling "growing asparagus").

The FLD puppy studied the puppy-raiser with her new-fangled tool and decided to help, but instead of pulling out weeds he nabbed the nearest stalk of asparagus and ripped it apart.

The asparagus stalk ravaged by FLD Gus.

"Oh no!" exclaimed the puppy-raiser, realizing her mistake.  She tied the FLD puppy to the woodshed next to a gnarly old oak, safely out of reach, and returned to her hoeing.

She hoed and hoed.  Up one side of the asparagus row and down the other.

Freshly hoed garden row, turnip greens and asparagus.

The puppy-raiser paused, swabbed her forehead with her sleeve, and looked up at the FLD puppy tied to the woodshed.  He sat in the shade of the tree looking back at her.  Abruptly, he leapt up and proceeded to dig furiously; dirt and rocks and sand spewed between his hind legs against the craggy bark of the old oak tree.

"No!" yelled the puppy-raiser.  The FLD puppy glanced up from his digging, his tongue draped to the side.  His expression, to the puppy-raiser, seemed to mean, "Well, if you don't want me yanking things out, I can DIG!"

Hoeing was done (at least for now).  The puppy-raiser took the FLD puppy for a walk in the woods instead. 

MORAL OF THE STORY:  Never garden with a scary-smart puppy around.

Too Smart?

When your puppy learns by watching, it pays to think ahead.

"Forest" Gus would love to hang out with me while I plant 100 White Pine seedlings, 10 Red Osier Dogwood trees, and five Rosa Rugosa (a wild rose bush).  Gotta love the Oscoda County Conservation District Spring Tree Sale!

But.

I'm sure that after watching me dig only a few holes....LIGHT BULB blast above his head!

"I have big paws, I can help!"

We don't need uncontrolled hole digging.

"Forest" Gus gets crated.

"Forest" Gus helps me clear a trail.

A Letter to Sofia

Today's post is a letter to my niece, Sofia.  You might have read about her here.

Sofia, on the observation tower at Rifle River State Rec Area.

Hi Sofia!

Gus and I just got home from a hike down the new "Snow Shoe Trail" that I am clearing (with Gus's help, see my post from Monday) through the middle of our woods.  We are SOAKED!  This is our third day of rain!

We also walked into the park a little bit, but not on the ski trail.  Instead, we ambled along paths that looked like deer highways.  Gus got pretty excited when he saw some Trumpeter Swans take flight, but he was on his leash so he didn't run off after them!

On Easter, Gus and Gypsy and I took Uncle Andy to the observation tower in the park (like we did with your sisters on April 11).  It was sunny, and much warmer Sunday.  There was a swarm of annoying gnats at the top of the tower, so we didn't stay up there very long; there weren't any eagles in the nest anyway.  All the ice is off the water now, and no more snow in the woods.

No ice on Lodge Lake.

Thanks again for coming with me to meet Eric and see LD Mike before he goes off to Spain.  Wasn't that a special hour?  My face hurt from smiling so much.

I hope you don't have so much homework next week when Gus has class at Leader Dogs.  I missed you coming with us last time.

By the way, how is school going?  I know that getting to the end of May feels like our never-ending rain, but someday you'll look back and appreciate what you've learned about dealing with all kinds of people.  I'm proud of you for your accomplishments in school this year!

I heard that Rosie-dosie is becoming an expert thief.  I think putting her food container in the closet is a good idea.  Gypsy figured out that when we're not around she could knock the cup of Gus's food-treats off the windowsill in the kitchen!  I think she tried to pretend that Gus did it because I found Gus playing with the (empty) cup in the living room.  Yesterday Andy caught Gypsy standing with her paws on the window sill to sniff at the cup, so we know that SHE is the culprit.  Do you think maybe the "weight-control" food we feed her and Rosie makes them extra hungry?

Gotta go...Uncle Andy needs to go town and I'm going with him so I can work on "leave it" with FLD Gus at the Tractor Supply store.  Lots of interesting temptations for Gus--they sell baby chicks there!  Besides, I need to buy more birdseed for the feeders.

Brown Headed Cowbirds having a seed party.  (There was still snow just 6 days ago!)

I'm looking forward to seeing you and your sisters on Tuesday when we come back to the city.  Hopefully the rain will stop by then so Rosie and Gus can "Lab-wrestle" outside!

love and hugs, aunt patti

(Uncle Andy sends a hug, and Gypsy and Gus, too!)

Uncle Andy waves HI from the fishing dock on Grebe Lake.

FLD Gus: a.k.a "Forest Gus"

Andy (at his desk):  "The computer-weather says it's going to rain after 2:00 this afternoon."

Me (coming in from taking the dogs out to "park"): There is some spotty blue sky, but clouds are moving in.  'Might rain later.  Your computer-weather guys may well be right today.

Mutual decision:  "Let's get out early and haul the stacks up from the north-side trail."

One stack of wood.

Gypsy is not eager to get off the couch; I leave FLD Gus in his crate.  We took a long hike yesterday through the woods so a bit of down time won't hurt.  Andy and I venture out without them, for now.

We load our Chevy S10 pickup with cut logs three times, driving carefully down the two-track tote path that runs the perimeter of our woods, to unload and stack this part of next winter's firewood in the woodshed near our Hawken furnace.  We are like inverse squirrels--late winter/early spring storage instead of fall foraging.  This is work best done before temperatures push past the 50's and the forest underbrush leafs out too thick.

Andy:  "Okay, let's leave it at that.  We can't get the rest until we open up the south-side trail."

We have two-to-three cords staged for pickup on a cross-trail near the south property border, but we need to open up a turn-around and fill in a few low spots to get the truck close.  If these logs fill the woodshed, our work felling trees this spring is done.  (As a backup, there is an abundance of natural tree falls we can harvest, and most of them are pretty well dry.)  The old adage about using wood for heat is wrong--you don't get warm twice (cutting, then burning), but THREE times:  1) cutting, 2) stacking and hauling, 3) burning.

Me:  I'll take the dogs out with me for a bit.  I want to clear more of my trail.

THE CLEARING OF SNOW-SHOE TRAIL

FLD Gus, Gypsy, and I have been breaking a new trail through the middle of our 13 acres since we bought the place in December.  "Snow-Shoe Trail" travels east to west, intersecting with three  north/south cross-trails already in existence.  Armed with my new pruning shears and the bow saw, we head out.

Gus watches intently as I lop off 1/4 inch seedlings, or saw thicker saplings that obstruct the trail and toss them aside.  I edge the trail with long limbs.  Gus gets excited about this; he hears a litany of "leave its" when he tries to help by grabbing each limb I set.  In the winter he watched me drag downed, thick boughs back to the yard for the furnace, and took it upon himself to assist by dragging home the biggest limbs he could carry.

FLD Gus maneuvering a long stick along Snow-Shoe Trail.

Funny puppy.

I bend to snip another shoot; as I straighten I notice Gus is gnawing at the base of a sapling that is as big around as my finger.  Gus, what are you doing?

He looks up at me briefly, and gets back to work.  Four feet planted, Gus puts all of his 57 pounds behind each yank.  The muscles under his sleek black-Lab coat ripple as he rocks to and fro gaining momentum against the roots.  He's trying to pull the darn thing right out of the ground!

Gus tugs and tugs.  Determined.

Just when I think I'm going to have to help him with the bow saw, the roots release their hold and Gus bounces back with the sapling hanging from his mouth.  Good boy, Gus!  I say and he drops it on the trail, panting a Lab-grin.

Forest Gus.  Scary-smart pup.
 

SPRING BREAK

Ten days before the girls came to visit, I cross-country skied through our woods and into the Rifle River Recreation Area.

Last Thursday, the girls and I hiked through wakening woods where snow was visibly melting, yet still-frozen lakes were not to be trusted.

Frozen Lodge Lake.

Come along...

TREES

At the base of this tree were so many large wood shavings, I wondered if Andy had been whittling here.  Not so.

These holes are the handiwork of the Pileated Woodpecker!

This woodpecker is almost as large as a crow.

Pileated Woodpecker at work.

Woodpeckers aren't the only industrious creatures in our forests...witness the work of a beaver!

A tree, cut down by a beaver.

We are not sure what caused this tree to grow so crooked.

An old crooked tree.

THE OBSERVATION TOWER

About a mile and a half jaunt from our back door is a three-story observation tower overlooking Grebe Lake.  The open wooden stairs are a training opportunity for FLD Gus, who was anxious to follow the girls up to the top.

Looking down through the tower staircase. (photo by Sofia)

FLD Gus, calm at the top.  (Gypsy, not so much.)

Gypsy wasn't too sure about the stairs, but when her annoying barking didn't bring us down to throw her stick, she finally decided to join us.

Gypsy, barking at us from below.

Here we rested, and relished the sunshine and spectacular view.

Tallest pine.

LOOK!  An eagle's nest in the tallest pine, just across the slush-frozen water. 

Take a closer look...

An eagle in its nest!

THE GIRLS

Natalie, caught throwing rocks onto the frozen lake from the top of the tower.

Sofia, looking for rocks.  "Come on up!"

Big-sister Elaina, keeping all of us in line.

THE TRAIL HOME

 

On the sunny-side, the trail was free of snow and ice.

"Queen" Natalie, hoofing it in the sun.

But where hills obstructed, evidence of my birth-day-ski lingered.

My ski tracks are melting!!!

FLD Gus wasn't the only one dog-tired when we got home!

FLD Gus, one tired puppy.

Spring in the "Patch"

Enjoy this short video of pictures I took today, walking through our woods with the dogs.  I love my Birds of Michigan Field Guide (and companion audio CD) to help me identify the birds I see around the patch.  (Thanks, Jen and Jeff!)

PHOTOS IN THE VIDEO

In the order in which they appear.

1)  A Black-Capped Chickadee flitted in a bush just outside our living room window.

2)  A Tufted Titmouse sat in a huff in the tree by our Hawken Woodstove.

3)  Along our trail on the north side I caught a Robin as he took flight!

4)  A steep hill on the Rifle River Recreation Area ski trail--at the spot where my nieces and I skied down on our butts!

5)  A pair of Tundra Swans trumpeted overhead and soared down to Grebe Lake.

6)  A lonely fishing pier jutted out into the still-frozen water.

7)  But...it MUST be spring when Red-Winged Blackbirds sing!

8)  Gypsy carries two sticks, and will never give them up.  Gus likes a BIGGER stick to lug along!

9)  Where there is shelter from the sun, the snow is hanging on.  Nevertheless, like the wicked witch, it is melting, melting, melting!  You can barely see Gus's paw prints in the crusty snow as he passed by a sinking tip of pine bough.


Don't get the idea that I think winter is wicked!

In requiem.

Flowers for winter.

Poetry: FLD Gus Heels Down a Country Road

On Brady Road, looking south.

"Future Leader Dog Gus heels down a country road"


no wild romp in the woods today

baby-blue working vest on
we walk south along Brady Road
which ripples past our house like a shaken rug
stones scattered across the ditch
echo
the snow plows thrust, we hear traffic
long before it arrives
and have time
to step off the pavement onto the shoulder

Gus's nose drops

deer tracks
gouged in wet gravel are like magnets pulling steel
I say leave it
his head jerks up
as if the magnet just flipped over

Gus straightens, detecting
a pair of geese circling above a pond
honking to announce a threesome launch from water laced ice,
wings whacking wind
for lift

he bounces,
watching
and does not break his heel

What Tired Out FLD Gus?

A very tired FLD Gus.

Not the hour-and-a-half drive after a weeks visit at Margaret's.

Not Lab-wrestling with Rosie.

Not puppy-class at Leader Dogs for the Blind.

Not the late-night hanging out at Anne's afterwards.

Not the 6:00 am wake-up the next morning.

Not the hours waiting in the truck while I visited my mom and dad.

Not the short walk we took around my folks' condo complex.

Not the shopping trip through Meijer's.

Not the 2-mile walk through our old neighborhood.

Not our puppy-group meeting at the Clinton-Macomb Library.

A worried Gypsy in the townhouse as I pack.

Not Gypsy's anxiety as she worried about me packing up the truck.

Not the long drive north to return home.

FLD Gus does not want to be bothered.

Nope...could not have been any of these things.  No sirrreee.

"Just leave me alone!"

Hmmmm...could it have been the check-out-the-dead-trees-for-next-winters-wood hike through old snow around our "patch" with Andy and Gypsy?

THAT must have been what tired out FLD Gus.

Yes, most definitely.

FLD Gus drags himself up, turns, and flops down to a spot of sunshine.

(*smile*)

A Special Family Visit

In 24 hours,
our quiet house here in the north woods
will be rockin' and rollin' like a mosh-pit.

It won't be my three nieces causing the ruckus
(although they are sure to add spice to the party).

"See No Evil" Elaina, "Speak No Evil" Sofia, and "Hear No Evil" Natalie.  My three nieces!

Anne, my sister.

And it won't be my sister.

In a little over 24 hours,
I predict
that there will be TWO
tired out black Labs
panting
on our living room floor....

FLD Gus hangs on to his long lead, shivering in anticipation...

FLD GUS

and his buddy,
cc'd (career-changed) ROSIE!

Rosie, one beautiful Lab.

I CAN HARDLY WAIT!

My nieces, AKA "santa's elves."