Blessed by the Kindness of Strangers

"Glory behold all my eyes have seen" - Ben Harper
View over the Mackinaw Bridge in the U.P.

Today, I went into town to my local meat market to pick up some beef scraps to start supplementing for the dogs. After I bought several pounds of meat, I was about to pull out of the driveway when the butcher's assistant comes out, knocking on my passengers' side window.

"Wait - he's got something for you," she says through the window. Karma, our psychotic, needy cattle dog starts growling from the seat next to me. Stranger danger.


Karma, the neurotic Cattle Dog

Out followed the butcher. "My son has had this venison since last season. We want to give it to you, we need to rotate stock," he says, handing me about 18 pounds of frozen venison!

"What do you want for it?" I ask.

"You don't have to give me anything. I just want to see pictures of those dogs," he says, smiling and walking away before I can give him any cash.

Not only am I able to live my dreams right now, working as a freelancer and training in the beautiful Upper Peninsula, now random acts of kindness from strangers abound. I returned today to find an offer to run dogs in Alaska from my friend, Jason Cameron, of Kachemak Kennels once I have a successful Midnight Run under my belt.

On top of ALL that, it's SNOWING!!!

Life is beautiful, my friends. And I am so, so thankful for all that I have.