...Gabby goes to Kindergarten

Laura gives Gabby a treat for the appropriate behavior.

The instructor used Gabby to demonstrate "leave it" for the class.

Gabby exits the tunnel.

Gabby crosses the bridge with the encouragement of Laura and the class instructor.

We enrolled Gabby in puppy Kindergarten last night and it was a hoot! She made lots of new friends including a poodle, a corgi, a German Shepard, a Golden Retriever, and a huge bull Mastiff. She learned to respond to a "clicker" and received lots of treats for performing the appropriate task. She did very well with the "leave it" command and the instructor had Gabby demonstrate it for the rest of the class. Yes--we were all so proud!

At the end of the class the puppies got to have recess. They were able to interact with each other and pass through tunnels, cross over bridges, and walk the length of a ladder placed on the floor. Humans and canines alike had fun and we can't wait for next week. Because, every Friday evening for the next eight weeks...Gabby goes to Kindergarten.

...puppy school

The retired teacher's reinforcer of choice...Canine Carry Outs.

Mrs. Hufford and Gabby practice "high five."

Gabby waits for a treat after working on the "down/stay" command.

Gabby "sits" for a snack.

Mrs. Hufford, as most of you know, taught school for 24 years before retiring at the end of the last school year. These days her student has four paws and works for puppy treats. Gabby and Mrs. Hufford conduct puppy school on a daily basis and the student is coming along nicely. Already Gabby can "sit," "stay," "down/stay," "shake," "high five," and "walk with me." Mrs. Hufford's first report card gave Gabby 'Proficient' in all areas. Way to go Gabby and Mrs. Hufford! Keep up the good work in...puppy school!

...Gabby's friend Raven

The pups and people pose for a group picture on the ice of Island Lake.
Superhero Laura and her emergency blanket cape.

We met a group of skiers on our walk.

Walking toward the island in Island Lake.

Gabby had her friend Raven over this afternoon for a walk through the woods and over to the island in Island Lake. We took off, six humans and two labrador retrievers, trudging through the snow eventually making our way on to the ice where, not surprisingly, the wind was blowing. We took refuge in the trees of the island and examined the geocache attached to one of them.

Before long we were on our way back home. We met a group of skiers along the way and after a short visit we tromped the rest of the way to our house--where it was warm and the air was still. We warmed up with hot chocolate and popcorn, then spent some time talking about the day. It was loads of fun and great to go with...Gabby's friend Raven.

...ice fishing first

The transportation to and from the fishing grounds.
The ice fishers pose for a group photo.

The Quickfish 3...it is one fine ice fishing tent.

Gabby curled up and slept through most of the event.

It was a day of firsts on the ice of Island Lake. Karen and Gabby went on their first ice fishing trip. Karen caught her first fish through the ice and rode a snowmachine for the first time.

It all started when Emily, Gabby, and I walked out to the fishing spot and set up the Quickfish 3. It was windy and cold, but once the tent was standing and the Mr. Buddy heater was burning things warmed up. Still, Gabby looked at me with a, "You've got to be kidding me," look on her face as we settled in and started fishing. She immediately curled up on the tent storage bag for a nice long nap. She doesn't seem to like the cold very much. Mr. Buddy heater notwithstanding.

Karen and the Burnett family showed up later and after a trip to the computer and the internet for fishing licenses (one of which was very expensive) we started fishing in earnest. It was slow for a while but the fish gradually made an appearance and Karen reeled in some nice trout and arctic char. Of course, all the pictures of the fish are on her camera (really, I'm not kidding) so I didn't have any to add to this post. You'll just have to take my word for it, they were nice fish.

Towards the end of our time Karen got to jet around the lake on the snowmachine with Zach as the rest of of us watched. Then it was time to pack up and head home...which was only about 100 yards away. We all had a great time as we enjoyed our...ice fishing firsts.

...Gabby goes snowshoeing

Mrs. Hufford poses for the camera while Gabby tries to wiggle away.

Gabby found my coat to be very warm.

Emily reads a story to a tired puppy.

Snowshoeing should always be followed by a nap.

Emily was at a friend's house. Laura had homework to finish. That left me and Mrs. Hufford to take Gabby on her first snowshoe trip through the woods and on to the lake ice. We made our way across the road and down our well established trail. The trees kept the wind at bay and we snowshoed our circuit of trails while Gabby nipped at exposed twigs and blades of grass with her tail straight up and wagging wildly.

All that changed when we walked on to the lake and into the wind. Gabby didn't complain much but by the time we made it to the island she was happy to sit and bask in the sun in a spot we found out of the breeze. I even took off my coat which she immediately curled up on and went to sleep.

When we got home Emily had returned and she read a story to our tired puppy. It didn't take long before Gabby was fast asleep. I'm sure she was dreaming about the first time...Gabby goes snowshoeing.

...puppy love

The un-named puppy arrives.

Laura and Gabriela Bella Noel--or--Gabby.

Gabby the black Labrador retriever.

Gabby naps while Laura does her homework.

Back before Thanksgiving Mrs. Hufford and I decided the time was right our family to get a dog. We've had them before but it has been a long time. With Mrs. Hufford retiring someone would be at home and Laura has wanted a puppy--badly--for a long time. Everything seemed to be in place. We knew some lab puppies had been born and we went to check them out. They were cute! We chose a black female with a shiny coat and a sweet personality. We wanted it to be a surprise for the girls so we said nothing about it for the next five weeks. It was difficult. Every time we saw a black lab or Laura said she wanted a dog we had to pretend like we knew nothing.

Yesterday was the big day. She arrived at 5:41 PM. Laura was elated.

We enlisted the help of our friend and fellow lab owner Linda. She and her daughter Tika brought the puppy to our door and rang the doorbell. When Laura answered it Mrs. Hufford and I were ready with the cameras. Laura couldn't believe it at first and then she started to cry. The puppy was calm and I am certain a little frightened. It had previously spent its life with 11 brothers and sisters and it seemed to be wondering was was going on.

We all got to know each other throughout the evening and settled on the name "Gabby." Well, that's her shortened name. Her name in full length is: Gabriela Bella Noel. Around midnight she went to her crate for the night and slept until 7:00 AM.

This morning she has played several games of fetch and started working on potty training. She also took a nice long nap on Laura's feet as she did her math homework. As I write this Emily is attempting to get Gabby to watch the Phineas and Ferb show on a video iPod. It seems to have put Gabby to sleep...again.

This afternoon we will go out for several walks and shuffle through the snow. Then we will come back for the evening to our house filled with...puppy love.

...a Big Sky ski day

Laura and Liz in front of Lone Peak and the slopes of Big Sky.

Deciding which of the multitude of runs to take.

Laura and dad in front of Lone Peak.

Laura shreds the slopes of Big Sky.

After a day in the winter wonderland of Yellowstone National Park we took to the slopes of Big Sky ski resort in Big Sky, Montana. Emily spent some quality time with Aunt Jeri, Uncle Keith, and Cousin Kirsten, while Liz, Laura, and I hit the slopes.

We started by renting gear and buying lift tickets. Then we checked out the trail maps and climbed aboard the chair lift. The skies were sunny and clear as we took our first runs down the easier slopes to warm up and get our skiing legs under us. We worked our way up the mountain to the more difficult slopes and eventually found ourselves near the top of Lone Peak. The views were beautiful and the snow was perfect dry Rocky Mountain powder. We really had a great time carving our way down each run and then riding the chair lift back to the top. We met a number of people as we rode the chair lift and many of them had been to Alaska to either work or vacation.

We skied the entire day with a short lunch break and still only made it down about a quarter of the runs at the resort. We thought it would take at least three more days to completely ski all the runs available. And, that would be good. Because we can't wait to go back for another...Big Sky ski day.

...winter in Yellowstone

The gang poses at the sign near the entrance of Yellowstone Notional Park in West Yellowstone, Montana.

Boarding the snowcoach. Note the front 'wheels.'

This was the view out the window of the snowcoach when we stopped for a break at Madison Junction. It was minus 26 degrees. The snowmachine riders looked very cold.

This photo was taken from the boardwalk at Old Faithful. The bison were in the steam way off in the distance.

Emily stands in front of Old Faithful as it erupts.

After leaving California we landed in Billings around midnight. We slept soundly until the morning when we awoke to celebrate Christmas (the day after) by opening presents. Emily distributed the gifts and we soon had a mound of wrapping paper on the floor. After the exchange we ate a quick breakfast and packed the vehicles for the drive to Big Sky, Montana, where we stayed for three nights.

On Monday morning we woke at 4:45 AM, packed lunch, and drove to West Yellowstone, Montana. It was minus 26 degrees when we got there...chilly. But, we weren't bothered by it since we were going to be riding in a heated snowcoach for the rest of the day on our tour to Old Faithful and back. We looked out the windows at the snowmachiners as they got on their machines and drove into the cold.

The snowcoach follows the road into the park and stops frequently for photos and discussions about the features and wildlife of the park. Doug was our driver and he was a wealth of knowledge. He drives snowcoaches in the winter and works as a permanent seasonal park ranger in the summer. He is also a retired Orthopedic Surgeon. We saw eagles, swans, golden eye, Canada geese, and a couple of elk as we rode along. Our first stop was at Madison Junction where the snowmachiners pulled in beside us. Some of the younger riders had to switch to the snowcoaches due to the cold. Their faces certainly were frosty and some of them covered with icicles when they entered the heated rest area!

After the break we sallied forth and traveled through the geyser basins which were filled with steam. We did take a side road to Fire Hole Falls which was the coldest waterfall I have ever seen. Then we headed through the steam directly for Old Faithful. It was beautiful when we arrived as the skies were clear and sunny. We ate a quick lunch in a yurt and walked over to the boardwalk for a view of the the eruption. We have seen Old Faithful in the summer and it is spectacular, but it is even better in the winter when the temperature is cold because the amount of steam created by the column of hot water is amazing and beautiful.

After the eruption we had plenty of time to walk around the area and go inside the Visitor Center. The temperature warmed up to around 20 degrees above zero and it became very pleasant. We took some photos and climbed back on the snowcoach at 1:35 PM. We started our trip back to the entrance stopping at one of the geyser basins along the way for a short interpretive walk. Emily and I watched as the ravens scavenged the parked snowmachines for food. They opened velcro closures and plastic buckles in their efforts. It was quite amazing. They are extremely intelligent birds.

Eventually we made the final push for the entrance passing large herds of bison, steaming ground, geysers, elk, and coyotes hunting mice. We stopped at the heated rest area at Madison Junction on our way out just as it started to get cold again. We were glad for the heated snowcoach. We reached West Yellowstone a little after 5:00 PM. We hopped in the vehicles and drove back to Big Sky where we ate pizza at a great little bakery. It had been a great day and the first time we had seen...winter in Yellowstone.

...Christmas in California and Montana

Dear Reader: We just returned from our annual Christmas trip to California and Montana. Due to the number of activities and the excessive amount of photos I took I will create several blog entries over the next few days which will chronicle our travels in the order they happened. Check back frequently for updates.

Emily drove our luggage cart when we arrived at the airport in San Francisco.


This is the "mini" van we rented.

Laura and Emily play Christmas music on Grandma Mary Jeanne's piano.

The annual flaming plum pudding. The lights must be turned out when it is served to get the full effect.

Grandma Mary Jeanne displays the mug given to her by Emily.

We arrived in California in the middle of the night. After collecting our luggage we made our way to the rental car desk where we filled out forms and pushed our cart out to parking lot to get the mini van we had reserved. We watched in astonishment as a huge 13 passenger van pulled up and stopped. The agent got out and handed us the keys. "We don't have any mini vans right now and we don't know when we will get one in," the agent said. "You can take this one and we will pay for the gas." Mrs. Hufford and I looked at each other and shrugged. Then we started laughing. What else could we do? We could wait longer into the night/morning for a true mini van, or we could hop in the white monstrosity before us and make tracks for Healdsburg. So, that's what we did.

I drove as Mrs. Hufford navigated through the streets of San Francisco. We made our way down 19th Avenue to the Golden Gate Bridge where the wind was blowing wildly causing our van to shudder and sway as we crossed over Golden Gate Strait. We eventually made it to Sonoma County and pulled into Healdsburg just after midnight. The next morning we woke up to warm sunshine and clear skies. The weather remained that way for the rest of our time in California. It was a welcome change to the weather we had been having in Alaska.

The days that followed were filled with food, playing the game 'Telephone' after meals, shopping, and getting ready for Christmas Day. We did take a drive to Alexander Valley one afternoon where we visited the grounds of White Oak. It was a nice place and we joked how we could have picked up a basketball team along the way if we wanted to--we had room for them in our van for sure. On Christmas Eve afternoon we went to see the movie, "The Princess and the Frog," which we enjoyed very much. Then we opened presents later that evening. On Christmas morning we went to Mass and then spent the remainder of the day preparing for dinner guests. The main event of the meal was a flaming plum pudding which is an annual affair. The lights have to be turned out before it enters the dining area in all its flaming glory in order to get the full effect. This year the flames lasted for a long time and everyone enjoyed it until it burned out at which time it was served. The dinner conversation was interesting and spanned a multitude of topics including: politics, aliens, cats, Dora the Explorer, big white vans, Pixar studios, the weather, and Sarah Palin. It was great listening to everyone talk and hear their points of view on so many things. I also need to point out that as I sat around the table I noticed that of the 11 people seated only two of us were gainfully employed. The others were either too young for jobs (2) or retired (7) (I had to write that sentence for my mother-in-law). After the guests left we made quick work of cleaning up and everyone went to sleep with pleasant memories of another Christmas Day.

The next morning we woke up to more sunshine and packed our bags into the van for the drive back to San Francisco where we caught our flights for Montana, which will be the next installment of...Christmas in California and Montana.