As, I sit outside overlooking the kennel having my morning coffee, there is a stillness and silence that is so peaceful.
What a great way to start a new day!
The view of the lake offers a majestic view of the simple life here in the forest!
This week, we had a thunder storm that passed here resulting in a drop in temperatures.
Now cool single degree temperatures though the night and early morning.
Signs that Fall is not to far away.
The dogs are enjoying the cooler temperatures and are ramping up their activity getting ready for the start of another running season.
Soon Kira will start her third year of running lead. She has already shown to be a great Leader.
Lance & Levi will start their second full season of running with Lance getting more opportunity at lead and Levi has developed into a fantastic Wheel Dog.
The fun will soon begin!
​Until next week........

Soon a new season of running will begin here at Miortuk!
It is fun and exciting to look back at last season, seeing videos and photos of the dogs doing what they love.
The joy of running a nice team of dogs is something that never gets old.
Although Winters here can be long and challenging, the time on the trail with my canine family makes it all worth while.
​The planning for this coming season is well underway with continuing to work with young Leaders started last season, looking into the the new dogs to be introduced to the lead position and the work with pairings to bring out the maximum performance of the individual dogs.
It is the new challenges that keeps the fire in my soul stoked.
Too say that I love what we do is an understatement!
​Until next week........

Just because it is the off season for running, it isn't a time to be idle!
At the end of last November, Olive arrived here at Miortuk.
Although Olive is an experienced runner & leader doesn't mean that she doesn't have a period of adjustment to her new surroundings, kennel/team mates, diet and a new musher.
It is no difference for a dog than a human learning to feel comfortable to a change in their lives.
Although Olive is a very easy dog to work with, she needs time and attention to fit in with her new life here.
She got a feeling of what it was like to be here last Winter and performed very well.
However with that being said, I feel she has far more potential than what she displayed last season.
It is a mushers responsibility to assist her to live up to her potential!
This off season, I have spent a lot of one on one time with her to bond with me and her new kennel mates.
Olive loves attention and she has received a lot of it this Summer. 
She gets excited when it is time for our one on one time and is very affectionate.
It can't be expressed enough the importance of this bonding!
She has now fully adjusted to the change and I expect she will be more comfortable to have the desire to give me her best.
Looking forward to the upcoming season with Olive.
​Until next week.......

The weather is changing with cooler days and nights. Soon Fall will be here and the new season of running will begin.
The above videos are a reminder how quickly time goes by as they are of the first runs of the "L" Litter.
Last season, they were all running on the "A" Team.
We finally had some rain this week that will help with the dryness here in the forest.
The Fireweed are in bloom and as soon as they go to silk (seed) will announce the the first snow is 6 weeks away.
As I sit here writing the Blog, I hear the sounds of the Loon calling to its Mate across the lake.
The sounds of Nature, I love It!
Until next week........

Longing for the return of Fall and a break from the heat/humidity of Summer.
Today at 10 am, it was already 30 C. in the Sun.
This weekend is the start of Construction Holidays here in Quebec.
Here all construction shuts down for two weeks of vacation.
Busy time here with Vacationers, this is the height of visitors in the forest with many people escaping the cities for a quit time here.
Ah yes, the sound of Quads, Side By Sides and Chainsaws breaking the silence of the forest!
There is plenty of Dragon Flies this week feasting on the Mosquitoes and other annoying flies. They are a welcome site!
We have had a number of storms pass by this week but only leaving a little rain.
The forest is dry and could use some rain to help prevent Forest Fires which are always a concern with more visitors from the city.
The dogs are handling the heat fine as long as they have shade and plenty of water. The way the kennel is setup, half is in shade in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. They can find shade in their houses and behind or along side of them. 
They know how to relax during the day and get more activity in the Evening.
All is going well with getting Handler/Trainees for this coming season with all positions being filled and with applicants on the waiting lists in case of vacancies for this season and also signing up for the next season.
Very lucky to have some great people wanting to come here and experience the life here with Sled Dogs and the Nature.
Until next week.....
​

It was another busy week here with multiple trips out of here to do do truck repairs and attend some personal matters.
It is most uncomfortable to make so many trips out of here the last couple of weeks and looking forward to staying here and getting back to just enjoying the peace of the forest.
However, these challenges of life need to be taken care of as soon as possible when they arrive. 
The weather here was hot/humid with a couple of Thunder Storms passing through here in the later part of the week. The storms did however bring relief with much cooler temperatures for the weekend.
The black Flies are almost gone for another year. However, the Tiger Flies are abundant and viscous! They love to bite!!!
The Mosquitoes are plentiful in the evening and early morning.
The dogs, due to the weather and flies, have been busy digging holes around their houses to keep cool in the wet sand and avoid the annoying flies. 
They enjoy the cooler temperatures at night and have heir playtime with each other. Soon Fall time will return and the excitement of running again will be back.
Come September, the annoying flies will be gone and the pleasant temperatures will return.
The Fall is a beautiful time here in the forest.
​Until next week.......

Summer has arrived here at Miortuk!
Along with the hot/humid weather, there are also some beautiful sunsets.
Of coarse with the hot weather, the flies are very plentiful along with the Mosquitoes.
We had a couple of warm evenings and now the temperatures at night are back to normal around 10 Celsius.
Great for sleeping!!!!
It was a busy week with the monthly shopping (actually 5 weeks) for supplies for here and the pickup of 20 forty pound blocs of meat mix for the dogs.
It always seems a task to leave the forest.
But, it is always great to return and not normally have to leave for another 5 weeks.
​Until next week......

If you want to see the Sunrise, you have to get up before 5 am!
This week, I was able to capture this fiery Sunrise that was truly breath taking. 
It was a preclude to a major Thunder/Lightening show that evening into the night.
This week, hot/humid weather was back here for the start of Summer.
For the next few months spectacular Sunrises and Sunsets will paint the skies here at Miortuk.
With the advent of the warm/humid weather, the fly season has officially started.
The Black Flies, House Flies. Mosquitoes and the No- See-Them are back. The No-See-Them are a very small fly that can come through the screens on the windows, almost invisible to the human eye but they can give a very painful/itchy bite!
They are mostly in the evening and can cause a very restless sleep.
Only burning Mosquito Repellent Coils will kill them!
Oh, alas the joys of living in the forest in the Summer.
Luckily, the flies are not biting the dogs too much possibly due to the addition of some garlic powder to their feed. 
Only one dog so far needs the addition of a pasty product called Swat that can be spread on their ears to keep the flies from biting. 
The good news is all these flies usually have a short season of annoyance.
​Until next week.......

 

There are many ways that dogs can express their emotions and their eyes are one of the ways.
​Daily when I am petting the dogs and giving them their one on one time with me; I look in their eyes, they and I can can see the love/trust we have with each other.
We have that moment of bonding and feeling of oneness with each other through this non verbal way of communicating.
With whatever pressures I have through the day, that moment I look into their eyes I can feel a calmness and all other feeling melt away.
Through their eyes you can see their feelings of excitement, their affection, their calmness and anxiety.
Yes, their eyes are the window to their soul!
​Until next week.......