...fishing on the ice

Mrs. Hufford relaxes and fishes in her snowshoes.

Karen reclines on the ice in the warmth of the afternoon.

The ride and sled that hauls all the gear to the fishing spot.

It was beautiful today. Gabby and I left early and set up the Quickfish 3 and settled in for a morning of ice fishing in perfect February weather conditions. I caught 13 fish before anyone else joined us. Trent, Michelle, Zach, and Karen arrived later along with the Hufford girls. They all caught fish, too. Everything was going great. Then Gabby swallowed a fish hook and we made a quick run to the puppy hospital. She is fine now.

We all enjoyed the warm weather and visiting on the open air. Around 5:00 PM, we eventually packed up and headed for home after a long day of...fishing on the ice.

...volleyball in Ninilchik

Laura waits to serve the ball.
The Nikiski girls listen to the coach give instructions during a time-out.

A Nikiski server in action.

Laura gets in position for the ball to come over the net.

Laura watches as the ball goes out of bounds.

The Nikiski girls volleyball team spent yesterday in Ninilchik playing other teams from Nikolaevsk, Cook Inlet Academy, and Ninilchik. There were some great serves and spikes, and a it was fun to watch the team in action. The girls played six games and were exhausted by the end of the day. They stopped for ice cream on their way home and got back to Nikiski around 5:45 PM. Outside the weather was unseasonably warm and sunny making it a nice day for...volleyball in Ninilchik.

...Island Lake Ice Fishing Derby

The reader board at the local fire station announced the event. Dave delivered hot dogs to the ice fishers in an insulated hot dog delivery bag.

The scene at the registration/weigh-in station before the event started.

Michelle peers out of the window of her ice fishing tent during the derby.

Ice fishers, tents, augers, snowmachines, folding chairs, fishing rods, ice skimmers, buckets...it was amazing to see how much equipment there was out on the lake!

The first annual Island Lake Ice Fishing Derby was a huge success by any measure. It was foremost a fund raiser for the Nikiski High Wrestling team and since over 100 ice anglers registered they did very well. The weather was perfect, too, with clear skies and average February temperatures. But, best of all the social scene was fantastic. People I had not seen for ages were out on the ice traveling from group to group catching up on the the events of each others lives. Then, along came Dave with an insulated pouch of hot dogs for the ice fishers to eat, complete with ketchup and mustard. We gobbled them down and continued fishing and talking.

So, we would visit, fish a bit, drill some new holes, change bait, eat a hot dog, bask in the sun, and visit some more. And it is here I should probably mention that I got skunked. Didn't catch a single fish. Nada. But, I really didn't mind. I was having such a great time visiting that I really didn't seem to notice.

At the end of the day we all rode over to the weigh-in station where the fish were officially weighed and the prizes awarded. It was a jovial scene and everyone clapped and cheered as the ice fishing champions were announced. After the ceremony people stood around and visited some more. It was a great day and I can't wait for next year's...Island Lake Ice Fishing Derby.

...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.