Winter Activities in the Yoop
Since we have gotten Beaux, the weather here in the UP as been shockingly warm. Parker and I are able to take him on some fun trails we have close by to where we live. I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of great people up here and have pretty full weeks for the most part. I always like to add in a walk for the dog- especially on more busy days in order to wear him out so I can get more done. We took him to Miners Memorial Park and the dog park they have where he met some dogs and learned to get along with them. He is still pretty shy and nervous but if a nice dog comes along he wants to be best friends. His favorite place in the whole world is actually one of mine, and that is Black River Harbor. He loved the sand, driftwood and especially the water which scared him at first when the waves chased him. He wanted to get in the icy water but I wouldn't let him. He will be so excited when Spring comes and we can all go swimming! He would play a game with the water and try to steal a pebble before the waves caught him...he ended up eating two pebbles I think but I prayed and he's been okay. I gotta watch him closer I guess, haha. Then he would run around and eat the sand and dig and roll in it- right after a bath, but it's okay he had the best day I don't care if he's dirty. I have blankets for him in the car to muddy up so it's all good.
Yesterday, after a LOVELY church service I'll link (here), I brought Beaux to see a waterfall. Parker was on a hike of his own exploring a place in Wisconsin with a friend so I decided to do some of my own. It was around 46 degrees and sunny so I wasn't about to stay inside. The trail was complete ice and I kept falling and bumping into Beaux who looked at me like I was crazy and decided it would be safer for him to walk behind me after that. He wasn't too impressed with the waterfall because it was mostly frozen. Ice everywhere. I thought this probably wasn't the best idea because it was only us on the trail anyway so we headed back up the trail. I gotta brag on him a minute- so on the way down to the falls I went off trail once I saw the waterfall observation point so I could keep my grip in the snow. The way back I didn't remember exactly the way I went so I was going to walk up all the treacherous stairs but Beaux remembered the way we went! He waited for me at each leash length to climb up the steep hill in the snow and would anchor himself so I could steady myself with his leash and he would alongside trees for me to grab ahold of to pull myself up and waited as I did that to not get too far ahead and make sure I made it safely up. He lead us all the way to the car on the icy trail looking back at me pretty often to make sure I hadn't fallen and was keeping up. He got pretty tired obviously so I dug out soft snow for him to eat and gave him some treats I had in my pocket to keep him going. We got back to the car, he got a drink and laid in the parking lot to watch a crow. The crow was very cool because he was doing a mating call and made really loud clicking and popping noises. I finally got my muddy pup into the car and we went to the harbor to walk around and play some more. We were there the day before and the waves were crashing and it was a bright blue sky day. At the harbor now, there was thick fog and we couldn't hear the waves. As we got closer I realized it was solid ice already! There was creaking noises and ice bubble underneath obviously a thin layer of ice but I was pretty surprised. Beaux wanted to walk on it so bad and I kept him away from it. I taught him how to climb and jump on the big driftwood logs instead and he wore himself out on that. Then we ran back and forth and decided it was time to go home. Today he is resting, I wanted to take him out again but it is a very gray wet day today- I think tomorrow may be better and we will go somewhere else.
I have more very cool news but I will share that next week. 😉
Bible verse for this week is: “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” -Isaiah 42:16. That reminds me of how my little 15 week old puppy helped me during the hike. It wasn't absolutely necessary but it was wonderful training for when he gets older or if I really did need help. God is always there though, keeping us on a good path is we obey him (not usually and icy one but it was fine). Beaux is learning about staying on paths as well- they always begin as unfamiliar paths but then you learn your way.
-Nichole 🐾
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