Wednesday round the watering hole

Huskies & others can really work up a thirst at an all-day hike and event. There were plenty of big bowls of water, most of them also full of bumpy ice. After getting the hang of lapping up water around the bumpy ice, I got a good long drink.

I wasn't the only thirsty pup!

And some puppies needed to khool their feety-feets after the hike, too. Does this floofy-tailed huskette look vaguely familiar?

Yup, that's Khyra in the water, and Moon taking a drink around her.

Huskies weren't the only ones interested in water - follow my snooter to see who else hopped by the watering hole!

Ha-roo roo, I think this toad scared a couple of the huskies, they backed way off when he hopped their way! No toads were hurt in this encounter, it was carried to safety by a toad-loving biped. (You can biggify the pic by tapping it)

And last, a picture of some of the huskies lining up for another fun contest, one that didn't involve plucking. Lucky dogs!

I believe mom still has a few days worth of pictures left, so we will see you tomorrow - same time, same place!

A-roos to yous,

Jack a-roo

pluck, pluck pluck!

Today I'll woo some more about the TOTT Hike events. There were all sorts of fun things to do, like weight pulls, mushing, "find the bone", "musical sits" and so how come my mom entered me into the "Plucking Contest?" That wasn't any fun! I had to put up with brushing and plucking and even a bath before I went on my trip... then, once I'm there, she PLUCKS me PUBLICALLY! With all these other huskies watching! I tried to duck out under the flag -line, but the leash of oppression was attached...

The good thing is that the plucking only lasted 1 minute, and I tied fur second place! The husky who won had somehow managed to escaped being plucked by his human for at least a month or two, he had fur falling off him every time he took a step! I guess he won last year too, cause they said his owner was the greatest mother-plucker of all time. That made the humans laugh like loons. I don't get it.

Khyra gave me one of her pretty smiles to let me know she was proud of me fur putting up with it and not to be embarrassed. I'm glad she was there.

Late in the day, we found out that I won Third Place for donations! That was a surprise. Mom wouldn't open the prize till Dad got to admire it, so last night, I got my first treat - a furry tasty gourmet cookie with icing on it. Yum!

We thank efurryone fur their support, we raised over $230 for the rescue. That will go a long way to helping a few more homeless huskies. Mom says wishes she could have taken home all the fosters. We couldn't, but mom did find one husky to take home: Meet StarStuffie

Mom says I have to be furry careful, I can sniff but not play with this stuffie. I'm definitely not allowed to destuff this one! She's going to live in the cabinet with the ShermieStuffie. Mom says she'd rather have the real ones back, but at least she can still hug Star & Shermie when she needs to:

Of course, I'm still available fur hugs, and I do a good job of it. As a working breed, I do my best, and I'm working hug duty overtime to be a comfort to my bipeds. The best thing about hugs is that they work both ways, woo get a hug when woo give a hug, and I love getting hugged!

Tomorrow, we'll post a few more pics from the Husky hike. See woo then!

a-roos to yous,

Jack a-roo

monday Movie: Ice Creme Contest!

A-roos to yous, efurryone,

We made it back from our trip late last night. We had a furry fun time at Moon's house and at the TOTT hike. Moon & I were just husky-crazy to see each other, and his new house is HUGE - we had lets of room fur husky smack-down and zoomie races.

We met several blogger pups at the Hike, but of course, the highlight was meeting Khyra and her Mom! Khyra gave my mom lots & lots of special sympathy kissies from all of our bloggy friends, and mom was so furry grateful for each and every one.

Our Monday Movie will give woo an insider's view of the Ice Creme eating Contest. Moon's boy, Michael helped me follow the rules (bowls must remain flat on the ground). It was mmm-mmm-good! I savored every lick. That's MFT next to me, and she won 2nd place! Go Khyra! She liked it so much, she tried to eat the bowl too! Ha-roo roo roo!

The nice people at TOTT gave me a yellow scarf, to show that I was hiking in memory of someone furry special - my beawootiful sister, Star. Moon's mom suggested we get some fabric paint & write that on my scarf, so till we do, Mom did it with digital-magic on this pic of Khyra & me. Mom was able to read many of your beawootiful comments in sympathy for Star before we went to the hike, and we carried your words in our hearts, knowing woo were with us at the hike in spirit, if not in fur.

We have lots of pictures, so we will spread them over the next few days as mom has time to work on them & make posts. She apologizes, but she's "playing catch-up" with several projects the next few days. I wanted to play "catch-up" too, but fur me, that mostly means more naps....Which is one thing we did a lot of after the hike! What is it they say?.... "A good husky is a tired husky." Moon & me are sooooo good!

Tomorrow we'll tell woo about the prizes I won, woo!!! 2nd place in the plucking contest, ouch. And I won Third Place fur the most pledges raised - Thanks again fur all your support!

I think I'll go play some more "catch-up" - woo to you later!

A-roos to youzzzzzzzzz,

Jack a-roo

TOTT Husky Hike!

A-roos to yous,

Jack-a-roo

There is a new Star in the heavens tonight

Blue Moon Star

January 25, 1997 - Sept. 24, 2009

This afternoon, our beautiful Star became

a new star shining in the heavens.

After a long summer of declining health, she is surely doing full-speed zoomies in the fields across the Rainbow Bridge. I can imagine her happiness as she is forever reuinited with her beloved Sherman. And her first canine sibling, Rosie, is without any doubt, doing her "hula dance", feathers flying, butt wiggling to & fro, ecstatic at Star's arrival. There 's gonna be a pawty tonight.

Jack & I are still planning to hike, and we are dedicating our participation to her memory. God bless the rescues, they do such good work. Every dog deserves the kind of life she had. She was with us since she was 5 weeks old, and has never known hunger, harsh treatment, or abandonment. She was deeply loved and cherished her entire life. And she richly blessed ours.

I'll be away from the computer most of Friday - Sunday, but I promise we will read every word when we get back. I have a Memorial post in the works, I just can't deal with that right now. Please know that we feel at peace with her passing, and that peace is the best affirmation that the time was right.

Thank you, all of you, for being part of Star's & our extended family.

Thank you for loving our girl.

Pat, JoJoe, and Jack

Ready to Hit the Road, Jack?

Hey, Mom! It's almost time to pack up the Siberian Outback!

Jack's checklist:

1. moose blankie *CHECK*

2. Sleeping mat *CHECK*

3. Food & treats *CHECK*

4. toys fur in the car *CHECK*

5. leashes & brush *CHECK*

6. khool camo-bowl *CHECK*

(check out my portable water bowl fur the hike - it's furry "Ao4", don't woo think?

7. potty clean-up bags *CHECK*

See, I won't take up much room:

hmmmmm...

oh yeah! CHECK fur TOTT Rescue *CHECK*

Thanks fur all your support! We raised $170 in pledges to help homeless huskies- that's furry khool, woo guys rock! (If woo just now snagged your bipeds plastic, woo can still make a pledge through the TOTT site, just click the sidebar link.)

Mom & me plan to "hit the road, Jack" on Friday morning to head west to Moon's place. I'm so furry excited! Husky smack-down with Moon, a full day of hiking with lots of other huskies, and meeting Khyra & her mom....all I can say is "woos & a-roos!!!!"

Gotta go pack a few more things... have woo seen my toothbrush, mom?

(Yup, I did get a b-a-t-h yesterday. Thanks fur the compliments on my "spikey look"!)

Jack a-roo

Wooless Wednesday

Monday Movie: Victory Lap

Monday Movie time!

Short & sweet today. (Just a wee little clip & some uplifting music) Woo may not even have time for popcorn, but go ahead and watch it a couple times, if woo need more munching time.

I'm excited about going to the hike next weekend, seeing Moon, and meeting Khyra, but right now Im a little worried about my big sis.

She's not been well this summer, but was doing a little better. She had a furry rough weekend and could use some good thoughts & sibe vibes, that the flow of you-know-what stops and she gets some strength back. Mom works hard at trying to make her feel better, and eventually Star even sat up & posed fur dad & the snappie beast.

I'm doing my best to be a good brother. She hasn't wanted to be in the house lately (quicker access to the yard potty if woo stay outside!), so I stay with her and ward off black & white kitties and evil squirrels.

Thanks to my vigilance, mom discovered there is a whole family of black & white kitties that live just behind us. We watched them playing under a big pine tree outside the next yard last night. Those white stripes sure stand out in the moonlight! I watch furry quietly, don't want to startle those kind of kitties. So far, they have stayed away from MY fence (I keep them away with my super powers). Star says she's kilt a few of them in her time, but be aware that catching one means woo will get a b-a-t-h, in fact, several! Noooooo thanks!

Tomorrow is the first day of autumn, can woo believe it? Winter's on its way!!!!

A-roos to yous,

Jack a-roo

Shiver Me Timbers!

Ahoy mateys! Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day

Wanna hear me woo in pirate?

Harrrrrr-rooooooo!!!!

Well mateys, what d'ya think o' that? Harr!

Pirates has a colorful history right here along our spit of coast. Here be a bit a readin' fur yur pleasure and edification:

Newport was a major center of pirate activity during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. So many pirates used Newport as their base of operations that the London Board of Trade made an official complaint to the English government. The most famous pirate who made Newport his base was Thomas Tew. Tew was very popular with the locals; after one of his pirating voyages, it was reported that almost the whole town came out to greet him.

In the 1720s, colonial leaders, acting under pressure from the British government, arrested many pirates. Many were hanged in Newport and were buried on Goat Island. (Shiver me timbers! We go walkin by there!)

-and-

Thomas Tew (?-1695), also known as the Rhode Island Pirate, was a 17th century English privateer-turned-pirate. Although he embarked on only two major piratical voyages, and met a bloody death on the latter journey, Tew pioneered the route which became known as the Pirate Round. Many other famous pirates, including Henry Every and William Kidd, would follow in Tew’s path. Captain Charles Johnson said "Tew, in Point of Gallantry, was inferior to none."

Here be Thomas Tew, spinning yarns about his pirate days:

Here be pictures from mom's magic box of a Pirate Parade right here in me home port of Newport! Sees if ye recognizes any of these fine pirates....

We knows fur a fact that those last two pirates be experts at digging holes fur hiding treasure! Off ye be now, go talk like a Pirate, harrr!!!!

Star of the Seven Seas and Black Jack a-roo

Friday Flower Fotos

While I was having some quality Wubba time, mom ran around snapping pictures and sighing about how the summer is just about over. I say "GREAT! That means it's almost time fur husky weather!"

Last dance of brilliant blossoms

before autumn wind sweeps branches clean,

and summer's riotous pinks and purples

turn brown and olive green.

Rejoice and join the merry dance,

garden cherubs urge,

Drink in deep fragrance and last color before

the winter purge.

~Mom

Now... back to the important stuff.

THANK WOO THANK WOO THANK WOO!

Mom & I are blown away by all the pledges to TOTT for Jack, the Hiking Husky! I am so honored to represent woo next weekend in PA! I will hike my paws off to do my furry best. (well, not literally, but woo know what I mean!) The donations mean so much for the lucky pups who are watched over by the angels at Tales of the Tundra Siberian Husky Rescue. Every dollar helps assure that more homeless huskies will get a chance at a happier life. We love their slogan, "Second hand dogs give first-class love." Woo can read about several ways to donate on their donations page.

We hope to continue raising funds for TOTT right up to the hike. Mom is already getting things ready to pack up our Siberian Outback to head to PA where we will meet up with Moon & meet Khyra for the hike on Saturday! Time to start doing a Sunshine Dance!

A-roos to yous,

Jack a-roo

Wooless on Wednesday

Woos & a-roos,

Star & Jack a-roo

PS from Mom- Thanks to all of you who have pledged so far - [ you know who you are ; ) ] We're really touched by your generosity towards this worthy cause!

Monday Movie: Flying Horses!

Remember we promised to show woo some flying horses?

They are today's Monday Movie feature!

This carousel is apx. 133 years old. (That's close to 1000 yrs. old in dog years!) Our mom says she remembers seeing it when she was a little girl and has always remembered these horses, with their small size, agate eyes, leather saddles, and real horsehair manes & tails! But, she says her memory's fuzzy, as she thought it was located in Massachusettes. She was furry happy to find it again on the internet, quite by accident earlier this summer. We came here last weekend to see it for ourselves. Woos & a-roos, it looks pretty good fur being so old! And the best part was that we got to share ice creme cones with our pawrents afterwards!

Here's some of its interesting history, from Wikipedia:
The Flying Horse Carousel in Watch Hill, within the town of Westerly, Rhode Island, United States is one of two in the state designated as National Historic Landmarks, along with the Crescent Park Looff Carousel in East Providence. It may or may not be the oldest carousel in the nation, but it is certainly the oldest of its type ("in which the horses are suspended from a center frame"). The carousel is believed to have been built 1876 [other sources say possibly as early as 1874] by the Charles W. Dare Company of New York. It was part of a traveling carnival until 1879 when the carnival was forced to abandon the carousel in Watch Hill. Unlike most carousels, there is no wooden platform to support the horses but rather, they are suspended from chains. As a result, the horses seem to "fly" as the ride increases speed, hence the carousel's name. Each horse has a tail and mane of real horsehair and a genuine leather saddle. . . . It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987. It is located at the end of Bay Street in Westerly.

And isn't this sweet? [..... The carousel was originally drawn from place to place by a horse, and legend has it that the horse was so faithful to the carousel that when he died his tail was cured and inset into the rump of one of the carousel horses as a permanent memorial. The carousel survived the great hurricane of 1938 that killed more than 50 people and destroyed the homes on Napatree Point. After the storm, the horses had to be dug out of the sand! - Equine Ink]

We still don't know if pigs can really fly, but now we know fur sure that horses do!

Ha-roo-roo-roo!

Hope your week gets 'off the ground" with a "flying" start!

Woos & a-roos,

Star & Jack a-roo

Jack, the husky hiker!

Woos & a-roos,

Jack here. In less than two weeks I'll be heading to PA with mom in our Siberian Outback to go hike in the TOTT Siberian Husky Rescue "Tales on the Trails" Hike! It's one of their fund-raising (and also "fun-raising") activities! As it turns out, my good buddy Moon's family moved just a few miles from the hiking site, so I will get to stay with my bestest buddy-- a-roos!

I'm also raising donations for this worthy cause. The TOTT site will be posting me on their donations page here. Get your paws on your biped's plastic and make a donation, Or...look really cute (never hard for a husky to do) and woo nicely and get your humans to go to the TOTT site & see what a great rescue they are - they won't be able to help themselves - they'll want to make a donation!



As a personal thank-woo, Mom is going to send a free JackStar greeting card to everyone making a donation in my name! Just let her know which one woo'd like at cybersibes (at symbol) gmail and the dot-com thingy so we can get it to woo. (She also donates 10% of every sale to husky rescue - this year we're giving it to TOTT)

Gotta go, mom's taking me on extra walks so we'll be in tip-top shape for the hike! Woo can expect to see lots of pictures when we get back. If all goes well, we'll even be meeting a certain fluffy-tailed brown-eyed huskette we all know & love! Yup, Khyra & her mom also plan to hike. Maybe even more of our blogging pals will show up, who knows?

A-roos to yous,
Jack a-roo
* (If you would like to make a donation, please fill in name as "Pat St. Onge & Jack, thank you)

PS-Star will be staying home for some quality dad-time while we hike. She's facing some health issues and would prefer to woo for us from the comfort of her own backyard.

Serene Sunset

Is life just too hectic?

Are things not going your way?

Are your bipeds driving you crazy?

Well sit down and relax, here is a serene sunset to sooth your furry soul. Mom photographed this beawootiful sunset from our furry own backyard while she was on the phone with her brother in Maine. They talked a long time, and the sunset just got prettier and prettier. She was going to post the pictures, but Star woo'd that she thought it would make a stunning video clip, so here it is. Enjoy!

Woos & a-rooos,

Star, Jack a-roo, & Mom

(Corelli: Adagio from Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G Minor performed by YoYo Ma)

Wednesday Woos-FINALLY!!!

Yippee! Blogger is working again! Here's the pictures we promised earlier...

~A-roos to yous!

Star, Jack a-roo & Moon

Earlier post reads:

WOO ?

Blogger is "unable to load pictures due to an internal error"

so I guess our Wednesday Woo is not only silent, but blind as well!

Will upload pics of Moon visiting us last night before his family left for PA when Blogger bipeds figure this out...

Star & Jack a-roo

In the meanwhile, check out some of mom's new cards in the little window to the right, she drew some cute Sibe puppies and has some of our best shots made into cards now.

Tuesday's Monday Movie: Moonzoomies

Hope efurryone had a nice holiday, we did! We got to go on a short trip and watch flying horses - no kidding! Mom will show them to woo later this week. This morning, we were hanging out - I'm pretending to be a Super-Sized Siberian, about to snack on my mini-sibe sister! Ha-roo roo roo!

Remember that Moon visited us on Wednesday? Here's a little clip of us running around like lunatics - plus, it was a full moon night! Mom didn't edit it or anything, so it's just us running around. We had fun!

(Yippee! Mom finally got the video working! Go mom!)

Woos & a-roos,

Star & Jack a-roo

Friday Fotos: Hangin around

It's not only Friday, but its one of thse long weekends bipeds love. And it is also beawootiful here in New England, blue sky, cool days, almost crisp nights....ahhhhhh.

On Wednesday, we heard we were going to have a visitor, but we had to sit around and wait for a while, which was kinda boring.

Then mom appeared in at the back patio door with .....

MOON!

His family is back here for a couple days, and we got to have an all-day playdate! We had lots of fun. Mom didn't get many pictures, but here's a couple stills she pulled off the short video she'll post later. We did a lot of husky smackdowns and chases, but we stopped everytime the flashie beast appeared, ha roo-roo!

Being one of those long weekend holiday thingys, we smell pic-nics in the air, so keep a sharp ear out for the sound of hot dogs & burgers falling to the ground --- those are OURS! (not that we'd ever help them to the ground, of course).

Woos & a-roos,

Star, Jack a-roo & Moon too