Northernmost

We only have a few days left of our holiday and I’m actually starting to look forward to welcoming spring and summer on the coast. Overall, the winter of 2014/15 will be remembered as a frustrating wait for colder weather that never quite arrived. The last few weeks in Lapland have completely saved our sledding season but even here, in the Far North, spring has arrived about one month too early. Below are some snowy skijoring pics from different days last week. There’s something about big snowflakes that makes my heart smile ♥ Have a happy weekend, everyone!

My favourite pic from April – All Weather Dogs 🙂

Shall we go?

Running with frosting on top!

Oh no…Lyra has spotted the camera woman…

…glad Tuisku kept her on the trail, or I would have been love-attacked at full speed 😉

Sledog Dream Leaper, WTD, aka Lyra ♥

Time flies when you’re having fun, and we’re having a good time here in Lapland! During the first week of our holiday we had a couple of sunny days but for the most part it’s been snowy and wet, like today. The trails are holding up pretty well despite the mild weather and we’ve been out on daytrips nearly every day, exploring the trails in and around the village and visiting the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park on an overnight trip too. The dogs seem very happy to be on holiday and have been in a relaxed mood since we arrived here – eating well, working well and sleeping well 🙂 There have been a couple of less joyful moments too – like when the car broke down and when Fredrik snapped his skate ski – but we tend to forget about the debacles and focus on the good stuff instead. Life is an adventure so you’ve got to expect a few bumps along the way.

Tuisku shaking off the snow after a break. Five degrees (41 F) is balmy weather for Malamutes.

An eager Thunder checking out the trail ahead.

We went on a trip to Sissanki kota, where we cooked lunch on the fire.

Happy Malamutes awaiting their snacks.

Gemma, enjoying the sunshine 🙂

Hilary, looking regal in royal blue.

My Mum joined me and Leia for a day of skijoring in the national park. 10-year-old Leia is equally happy going on a leisurely “dog walk on skis” as she is going sledding with the team.

Love my fuzzy Bear ♥

Fredrik’s Mum nicknamed Leia our “Kim Kardashian” – can you guess why?

Titan inspecting his holiday dog house.

Yup, the straw smells the same as at home – this place will do.

My pretty Mom ♥

Another day, another trail.

Wilder – such a happy fellow!

My little team on an evening run around the village. I’m really pleased with how well they have worked this season. Tuisku is an absolute force in lead!

Plenty of snow in the kennels, we had to shovel our way in on the first day. 

Gemmy is happy to be in Lapland again!

And Hilary…not so regal looking in this pic 🙂

We’re up in Lapland enjoying a couple of weeks of holiday with the dogs. After a lousy winter on the coast it feels great to have access to good trails again, and not have to worry about ice conditions or lack of snow when planning our excursions. Having said that, this spring is probably the warmest we have experienced in northern Lapland. I can’t remember ever having had temperatures above freezing for one week solid in early April. Something seems to be going on with the weather, but hopefully it is just a temporary thing.

Below are some pics from our first excursion during Easter – a trip from Hetta to Näkkälä and back. Fredrik skijored with Hilary and Wilder, while I hooked up Tuisku, Gemma and Thunder in front of the sled.

There’s still about one metre snow in northern Lapland but it’s unusually warm for the time of the year. Normally, we don’t have wet and punchy trails until the end of April, beginning of May.

Tuisku, Gem and Thunder during a cooling break.

It’s a luxury to be able to go right out of our yard and get on endless trails 🙂

We stopped halfway through for a lunch break in the snow.

The dogs anticipate their tasty tuna water coming up!

♥ Gemmy and Thunder in their new Neewa harnesses ♥

This is Tuisku’s 10th season of working in lead. I’m so happy that his foot injury doesn’t stop him from doing what he loves best.

Heading home in the afternoon – smooth sailing on well-packed snowmobile trails.

We have been enjoying the beautiful weather on the coast today together with Thunder and Leia. The wind from the sea was a bit nippy but we lit a bonfire and warmed up with some hot coco while the furkids had fun playing on the rocks. Leia even had a swim in the icy water but…shh, don’t tell anyone…I think she meant to leap across the water but miscalculated the jump and fell in!

Tomorrow is Kennel Clean Up day here at Northernmost, but looking at the weather forecast I realise that it’s going to snow tomorrow. We haven’t had snow for weeks so it’s quite typical that winter decides to return when we have a major cleaning day scheduled. Hmm..maybe we’ll have to go sledding instead?? Have a fun weekend, everyone!

Stay cool, says Thunder.

While winter might be nearing its end here on the coast, there is still plenty of snow in “Fjällen” – the mountains of northwestern Sweden. We love to explore new spots in the mountains and our latest discovery is the village of Stora Blåsjön in northernmost Jämtland – a place almost too beautiful to be real. We visited Stora Blåsjön last weekend together with Tuisku, Lyra, Hilary and Wilder and had a great time skijoring on the fantastic trails in the area. There are mountains in every direction and you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to trails, as this is a paradise for both dog people and snowmobilers. Next time we need to stay longer as there is still so much to explore – I can imagine that this place is stunning in summer too!

After a dull winter on the coast it was amazing to be surrounded by glistening, white snow again.

We headed out early in the mornings, and had the trails to ourselves.

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and it had snowed heavily a couple of days before our arrival, so everything looked absolutely picture perfect.

A two-headed Malamute?

No, only Lyra and Tuisku – ready to go!

We really like our new Neewa harnesses from Baggen, they are a perfect fit for our Malamutes!

Skijoring with a Nordic pulk in a downhill involves controlling your skis, poles and lines, while at the same time pressing down the hand break as hard as you can. It takes practice to get it all right!

Lyra and Tuisku, cooling down in the snow after a long and steady climb in the morning.

Heading into the white – the best part of the year has begun!These two love to snuggle up together…

…and to suddenly attack you with sloppy kisses!

Wilder

and Hilary

Tuisku knows how to make the most of a break – he curls up into a ball until it’s time to go again.

Lyra is good at camping too – she attacks the snow with her front paws until a perfect bed is formed.

Imagine waking up to this view outside your window every day…

Hilary and Wilder found themselves a little mountain cabin and decided to stay 😉

There are more photos from our trip in the Gallery Stora Blåsjön 2015.

Aww ♥ This heart-melting print is available on t-shirts, longsleeves and hoodies from Rocking Da Moots. Mother-daughter company Rocking Da Moots in Oregon donates 5% of sales to rescue and has raised over $11,000 so far! A wonderful initiative worth supporting!

On Boxing Day we woke up to brilliant sunshine and packed our bags for a picnic by the sea. My six-year-old nephew Calle first didn’t think that visiting the beach in December was a great idea, but once we got there he realised that the beach is actually a big playground also in winter. Hilary and Wilder had fun too, although they had to remain on leash throughout the picnic, as Hilary would otherwise have jumped straight into the water (most probably accompanied by her partner in crime) and we didn’t fancy having to blow dry two wet dogs on our return home, as even with a HV dryer it takes a couple of hours to get their thick coats completely dry.

We enjoy visiting the beach during all seasons and I’m always amazed to see how different it can look depending on the weather, the time of the day and whether it is high or low tide. On Boxing Day the snow sparkled on the ground and the sea was calm and crystal clear – it was one of those days that will be etched in my memory for a long time to come.

♥ My sister and my Mom ♥

A fast way of cooling down hot chocolate!

Hilary is dying to jump into the water here – an excellent opportunity to train impulse control.

Calle collecting *ice diamonds* from the shoreline.

Fancy a swim?

When the sun started to sink into the sea we packed our bags and returned home.

A great Boxing Day!

It’s been another chilly, gray day without a snowflake in sight. I always get cravings for snow in November, when it’s dark outside and we’re stuck in the endless fall leading up to Christmas. To get into the winter spirit I have been looking at photos from years gone by, dreaming myself away to winter wonderland. We’ve had some great winters since we moved to our home here on the coast in 2010 and hopefully 2014/15 will be another magic season – unless, of course, Buffalo, NY, steals ALL the snow?? Roll on winter – we are ready for you!!

I love the new design that is available from Rockin Da Rescues… ♥

Each month Rockin Da Rescues selects a new rescue to donate 5% of sales to. Isn’t that a great excuse to go shopping?!

Remembering one evening in Lapland a number of years ago…Leia and I were snuggling up on the couch after an eventful run with the sled in heavy snowfall. It was late in March and the snow was already mushy and the ice on lakes and rivers was starting to open up. When we crossed Lake Ounasjärvi on our way home from the fells, I stepped through the ice up to my hips. The water was painfully cold and when the ice was beginning to break up around the dogs in front of me, I knew that we had to make a fast move and go back the same way we had come before we plunged any deeper. Luckily, when the other dogs pulled desperately in every direction, clever-girl Leia listened to my “turn around” command and managed to pull the team safely back to the shore.

Leia has always been reliable that way – a dog who knows when it’s time to work and when it’s time to play. She hasn’t exactly been the kind of Malamute who jumps with joy at the sight of her harness, however. On more than one occasion she has tried to escape the task by hiding in the back of her dog house! But once hooked up to the team, Leia runs like a locomotive and she always puts in a higher gear on the way home 🙂

I took half-day off from work today to spend some quality time with Tuisku. Since Tuisku cannot work in harness due to his foot injury (involving the extensor digitorum longus muscle in his rear foot) we try to compensate for that by spending some extra time with him doing other things instead. Today was a perfect day for hiking so Tuisku and I headed for the sea where we hiked along the coastal trail for a few hours between noon and dusk. The temperature was only a few degrees above freezing but Tuisku still had to go for a swim – it doesn’t matter if the water is ice-cold, swimming is compulsory unless the sea is covered by ice! We had a nice time together, training left and right commands along the invisible trail and sit-stays in front of the camera.

Our dog physio has recommended that we take Tuisku for walks in uneven terrain as it encourages the use of the affected muscles and also helps rebuild lost muscle mass. An untrained eye probably wouldn’t notice that Tuisku has an injury, but when you study his right rear foot more carefully, you can see that he doesn’t extend some of his toes fully. Nevertheless, Tuisku is still running around and the injury doesn’t seem to stop him from being a happy dog. And that’s the main thing.

In this picture you can see that his right foot isn’t in the same position as his left foot. He doesn’t limp when walking or running, he just doesn’t extend his toes properly.

We had wonderful weather today – Tuisku enjoyed the sunshine too.

I took plenty of pics as the light was so beautiful.

I even managed to get a photo of us together using the self-timer. But I couldn’t convince Tuisku to look into the camera and smile – maybe next time?

Hot chocolate and a cinnamon bun tastes good when you’re out hiking.

♥ ♥ ♥

Tuisku got in a hurry when we came close to the beach…

Yay! Time for a swim!

Tuisku is definitely a Dog of the North, he shakes off icy water like a polar bear.

I think someone had a good time today!

♥