Last night, I took one last run on our "puppy run" trail by the cabin at 9:30. Alone with the dogs, watching the sun set over the aspen and firs in a pink haze, tears came to my eyes. I listened to the elusive wind-up toy bird who I wish I could see. And after coming back to the cabin, at 11:30 p.m., I heard a great horned owl hooting high in the trees. I called back to him, but he didn't answer my call.
We made one last stop in the U.P. at Garlyn's Zoo. It was a nice distraction for the girls, and we saw some coyote and fox. But I can't help but feel a little torn about viewing them, supporting the zoo. How did they obtain these animals? And the enclosures -- they were all pretty small. It made me sad, even though I was once a zookeeper, to see such beautiful creatures so deeply imprinted on humans and caged. Coyote kept pacing: every time we'd walk away, he'd come closer to us, checking us out. But when we'd turn back to check him out closer, he'd scamper away. Little Trickster.
We watched a white female fox and her litter of pups play and wrestle. We looked on as an obese black bear paced by a tube where tourists could place apples. He awaited expectantly for us to drop an apple in, waited for its juicy sweetness to roll into his mouth. Unfortunately for him, he waited in vain.
As we crossed the Mackinac bridge heading the wrong direction -- south -- saying goodbye to the U.P., I thought already of this coming winter when I'll cross the bridge again heading in the right direction .... the one that feels right anyway. I can't wait to stay at the "Sleddog Lodge," to meet other mushers, to run dogs in the cold, to get back to the things I love: dogs, aspen and fir trees and cold snow.
* * * * * * *
We drove eight hours today to get to the Cabelas store once again in Dundee, MI. We are staying in a Holiday Inn Express with a water park attached to it. The girls are having a great time, and they deserve it. They've both been so good on this trip, even Elise, in her often erratic three-year-old body, who I was a little worried about.
We'll be back in Akron tomorrow.
Oh, and Jan Shaw called me back today, saying she does, in fact, have an intact gee/haw female leader. Who knew! Now, if only her (or our) timing could be a little better.
No pictures. Our camera has somehow died. Probably took too many!
We made one last stop in the U.P. at Garlyn's Zoo. It was a nice distraction for the girls, and we saw some coyote and fox. But I can't help but feel a little torn about viewing them, supporting the zoo. How did they obtain these animals? And the enclosures -- they were all pretty small. It made me sad, even though I was once a zookeeper, to see such beautiful creatures so deeply imprinted on humans and caged. Coyote kept pacing: every time we'd walk away, he'd come closer to us, checking us out. But when we'd turn back to check him out closer, he'd scamper away. Little Trickster.We watched a white female fox and her litter of pups play and wrestle. We looked on as an obese black bear paced by a tube where tourists could place apples. He awaited expectantly for us to drop an apple in, waited for its juicy sweetness to roll into his mouth. Unfortunately for him, he waited in vain.
As we crossed the Mackinac bridge heading the wrong direction -- south -- saying goodbye to the U.P., I thought already of this coming winter when I'll cross the bridge again heading in the right direction .... the one that feels right anyway. I can't wait to stay at the "Sleddog Lodge," to meet other mushers, to run dogs in the cold, to get back to the things I love: dogs, aspen and fir trees and cold snow.
* * * * * * *
We drove eight hours today to get to the Cabelas store once again in Dundee, MI. We are staying in a Holiday Inn Express with a water park attached to it. The girls are having a great time, and they deserve it. They've both been so good on this trip, even Elise, in her often erratic three-year-old body, who I was a little worried about.
We'll be back in Akron tomorrow.
Oh, and Jan Shaw called me back today, saying she does, in fact, have an intact gee/haw female leader. Who knew! Now, if only her (or our) timing could be a little better.
No pictures. Our camera has somehow died. Probably took too many!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave comments - I always love reading them! namaste!