There are many facets to dog ownership. I’ve grown up with dogs of all types. I’ve bred and raised German Shepherds and had everything from labs to Scotties as pets. I thought I knew what it meant to love a dog…that is until I met the Siberian Husky.

At first I didn’t understand him. I thought he should behave as all the other dogs I’ve known. That was the start of my enlightenment and my training. You see the huskies have their own way about things. They have a fierce determination to do what their DNA tells them. They don’t resist what they are, they answer the call inside of them.

This is not to say they are un-trainable because they are very trainable, but it takes a different mindset. It takes understanding where they came from. How they lived and what is hardwired into their minds before you have a chance to mold them into your family.

Trust is not given freely, it is earned slowly over time. You cannot build a bond with a husky in a few hours…or days. It takes a long time, but it never stops growing if you remain true and treat them as you would a partner instead of just a “Dog.”

They will meet you halfway, but they will never become servants that support a task master with no heart. I learned a very important thing on my journey with the huskies. And that is for true success you build your life around them. You rearrange your life and thinking to truly know this gift. The husky will accept many things and they will rearrange their own desires for you to a point. But it will not all be for you. There must be some give and take on your part.

The fastest way to a bond is to work with them in what they love the most. And that is running together with sled, bike, or other means. The important part is the bond that forms from doing what they have love and been bred to do. It is what they love for many reasons. One is adventure…the need to see and experience new things…sights and smells.

They want to bring you into that world that many people don’t even know exists. I must admit even mushing on the streets with a bike will open up your mind and heart. The thrill of being pulled along and working with these amazing athletes is almost a spiritual experience. It’s teamwork at its finest, even if it’s a bit dangerous at times.

From a puppy to a groan adult, you’ve been their whole world since they were 8-weeks old. You walk the miles, and you teach the commands that will serve you later. Day by day you work towards that point that you are free to tackle the elements and adventure. That magical day when it all comes together as you blast down a trail or road. That is when it hit me, that was when I knew I’d discovered something special I’d been missing in my life.

My dogs didn’t come from working lines at that point. They’d been bred in houses and treated as dogs of the pet variety. They found something that they had been missing as well. They found the missing connection to what they were made for. And from that day on our bonds grew. I saw as much change in them as I did myself. Dogs and man had achieved together something not historically important but life changing for all of us.

Now almost 4 years later we have learned to work together. That maturity includes the dogs. They don’t fuss when we can’t run on some days. They seem to understand that sometimes I have other things more important to attend to. They settle down and wait patiently for that to pass, because they know I will meet their needs as soon as I can. We work together because we are a family that has learned to understand the way each of our lives are interconnected.

This is the bond between us that only other mushers can understand. People pay to go on a sled dog ride to catch a glimpse into this other world. Some actually go on to find their own pack of dogs to run. But it takes commitment and work to achieve it. Nothing worthwhile is free, there is pain and sacrifices to be made along the way. And there is loss when they pass away, just like any family deals with.

That is true of all life endeavors, but the rewards are huge if you are willing to give it your all. That is the bonds that separate these dogs from the pet variety. There is so much more to that beautiful husky than meets the eye. You just have to understand them and join the team.

The dogs of winter, the direct lines of blood and DNA to Leonhard Seppala dogs that ran that race to save Nome, Alaska in 1925. They are not your run of the mill Siberian husky, though they share the same gene pool. These dogs, even though few in numbers still exist in this world. They are fierce in work ethic, and the love of the family they live with. They are the top-tier of what every Siberian came from. They are legend, and they are for real. To spend a few minutes with them you will know it. The love and work come out quickly to those who know dogs.

I’ve worked hard to own a few, and I will work harder to preserve them, for to let them fade into the night is not acceptable to me. They should shine on for many years to come, for to lose them is to lose a part of ourselves.

This video from Husky Norway Adventures has everything! Beautiful scenery, hard-working huskies, and a glimpse into the life of Mushers. If this doesn’t explain why they choose this lifestyle…then nothing ever will.

I haven’t posted a lot lately, and this is mainly due to my work on this book. It’s a labor of love, and about the dogs I’ve grown so close to. I’ve written a dozen poems to include in the manuscript. They were passed on to me from these magnificent dogs of the snow.

Immersed into their history, and pulled in by them into new adventures that I had no clue about. I’ve joined the pack, and forever my life has been changed. They teach me about their past with not words but action. They speak to me with some kind of old soul wisdom.

It’s been passed on from one dog to another, and shared with those of us who will open our hearts and minds to another plane of existence that is unknown to most. A history of hardship and sacrifice, of love of life, and the joy of living each day to its fullest with no regrets. Fate is something they understand and accept, but it does not stop them from getting the most out of life no matter what fate brings them.

They are happy with a meal, they are happy to work hard, and at night they sing the songs of their people. Celebrating another day of life and looking forward to the dawn of a new day as they curl up and go to sleep. They don’t worry because fate will determine if they see the dawn or not. They control what they can, and leave the rest to that great Husky God in the sky.

I believe that divine entity is family and history. They are connected to the past as they blaze new trails in the limited time they are given. They blaze trails into the future of their kind, just as they have done for thousands of years. And they are happy to teach us if we are willing to listen to their songs of life.

And if you’re lucky enough, you can ride along with them. You can become part of a world most don’t even know exists. Those of us that can throw caution to the wind gravitate to the husky. We share a common bond, and that is why these dogs run for us.

Work hard, love even harder, for that is the trail to a life you won’t regret. That is the legacy of the husky, that is a life well lived.

We are one, and maybe you can be one as well?

Dogs of Glory

I look into those eyes of blue,
intelligence just shining through.
I hear the sound of 40 feet,
pulling a sled through the sleet.

That sled has gone into the night,
the runners swished, then out of sight.
All this passed into my mind,
how could I have been so blind.

Those furry beings noble and true,
the ones with eyes so blue.
Their story passed in just one glance,
they went on by and seemed to prance.

Their lives may be ruled by chance,
but proud they are, and will advance.
Once they’ve set that crazy pace,
life for them is just a race.

And as they passed… I felt the heat,
heard the drumming of their feet.
Passing me the stories of kin,
emanating from their furry skins.

They ran with everything they had,
wanting to make their ancestors glad.
I stood alone in the dark that night,
watching those hounds, go out of sight.

I knew I had to tell the stories,
of sled dogs, and their race to glory.

TJ, 2018

TOGO

Togo pulled that line so tight,
15 dogs behind his might.
Seppala hooked up his dogs,
In the growing morning fog.

When he stepped upon the runners,
16 dogs and half were brothers.
They looked back howling with glee,
ready for Seppala to set them free.

Sepp looked at those fluffy butts,
16 dogs with nothing but guts.
He was proud and gave the command,
time to cross this frozen land.

Digging hard with nails of stone,
they pulled that sled for parts unknown.
Togo led that team of dogs,
into history and through that fog.

Ice was breaking all around,
it was 1925 in Norton sound.
Togo listened to his master Sepp,
“Take us home boy!” So, Togo leapt.

They crossed the ice twice that day,
Serum packed upon the sleigh.
They didn’t run for glory,
didn’t run to make a story.

They ran for love, a sacrifice,
to the man as cool as ice.
For him they would give their all,
they would answer the master’s call.

Togo would never run again,
his old bones had given in.
12 years old that fateful day,
he’d led that team and the sleigh.

Seppala told him, “My fine friend,
I thought I’d never see your end.”
With grizzled snout Togo nuzzled him,
Seppala cried when Togo cuddled in.

The greatest sled dog there has ever been,
both of them knew it was near his end.
Thousands of miles in all weather,
Togo and Sepp had traveled together.

Both of them have long since passed,
Togo and Seppala, their legends last.

TJ, 2018

Time is short:

Born blind and deaf upon the hay,
she could not feel the summer rays.
Locked inside a plywood box,
safe and sound amid moms’ locks.

Struggling for a nice warm teat,
that milk of life so sweet.
How quickly she did grow,
soon she learned of perfect snow.

The days went by much too fast,
her youth was gone it didn’t last.
She earned her place on the sled,
and for her work she was fed.

There was no time to be slack,
those who did lost the pack.
Only the strong would survive,
that is how the pack did thrive.

Working hard all day long,
followed with the evening songs.
Singing out the song of the life,
curling up on the frozen ice.

Nose tucked under a curly tail,
cold wind blowing in a gale.
Thankful for God’s furry gift,
sleeping soundly amid the drifts.

Dawn came peaking around,
dogs popping up from the ground.
A new day bloomed just ahead,
no time to worry or dread.

Life is short by any means,
the sin is not to chase your dreams.
Huskies chase those dreams each day,
Even if they have to pull a sleigh.

Dogs born unto the endless nights,
fearless beings who bring the light.
Look into those eyes so bright,
eyes that have second sight.

Souls that have seen it all before,
living  large and want some more.
They know that time is short,
living life is not a sport.

TJ, 2018

Fire Lake:

Not many knew the name so well,
it was shaped like a ship’s bell.
Fire Lake you’ll never find,
living there was never kind.

Nestled in the glaciers view,
down below those icy pews.
Named for the fire of man’s desires,
dreams of riches and golden spires.

Zia was born unto that clan,
a clan made up of dogs and man.
A life of toil and trouble ahead,
but that is why she was bred.

Gold mines had come and passed,
love was lost at such a cost.
To work and struggle was her fate,
as she was lifted and saw Nate.

A pup she was… and subject too,
this human that she was destined to.
Her coat the color of Raven black,
brown eyes shining above her snout.

He said, hello my little one,
I’ll always love you until we are done.
She had no idea what he meant,
but she felt his love inside that tent.

Zia grew into her new life,
a world of danger and strife.
But through it all Nate never failed,
his love for her never paled.

For ten years she led that sled,
at night she rested in his bed.
She could sense his love at night,
snuggling under those Northern lights.

And then he fell through the ice,
he cut the line, a final sacrifice.
Hand reaching out as he sank,
A tribute to… and maybe thanks.

Heartbroken she watched him go,
and then it started to snow.
She led the team across that ice,
twelve dogs as quiet as mice.

Maybe it was never meant to be,
Nate and her running free.
For ten years she’d loved that man,
and given him everything she can.

Many adventures they had shared,
her and that man she’d been paired.
For all those years of his love,
she howled her pain to the stars above.

Nothing ventured and nothing gained,
Zia thought as she chewed those reins.
Her kin were free to make their way,
together across that frozen bay.

He’d loved her, and they would meet,
someday again at God’s feet.
But now everything was at stake,
they had to survive at Fire lake.

TJ

Immigrant Song:

I offer you two photos to consider. They are in fact worlds apart to those who do not see. What in the world does a stack of wood, and a team of sleddogs have in common?

Beauty can be found in many places, a clear blue mountain stream, or a sunset that takes your breath away. So many things that most people realize as beautiful. But there is much more to behold if you look.

I ask you to look beyond the obvious, and find the beauty of life that surrounds us.

This stack of wood was hand carried by a crew I hired to take down a huge oak tree before the hurricane hit. It was leaning and probably would hit my house if the winds pushed it. They were Mexican workers, men with families, with hopes and dreams for a better life.

They took down this tree and they carried each of those huge heavy blocks of oak on their backs, and stacked it nicely for me to split. They did this for $250 dollars each for a day’s work. They were polite, and respectful regardless of the huge job they undertook.

$250 dollars in Virginia will not take you far, but to them it was life. They worked hard to please me for that money, because they needed it to help them survive.

I find beauty in many things and this was one of them, because I applaud excellence, hard work, and giving the best you can, no matter what that task is before you. There is beauty in the struggle of life, and there is beauty in anything that anyone does to the best of their ability.

You have to appreciate talent, no matter if its stacking wood or singing a song. Everyone has their own talents and that is what makes this country great. A combination of different skills that together becomes greater than the sum of the individuals.

This is exemplified in the dogs that run races all over the world. The Iditarod is the best known, but in many places, the dogs’ and people that race are unknown. It doesn’t matter because they strive for excellence and they do their best. Just like these men that cut down my tree and stacked my wood.

I don’t want criminals to invade this country but I would welcome hardworking souls of any race who struggle to make their lives better. I appreciate hard work and I’ve done my own share of it to know that it matters…a lot. Freeloaders and crooks…not so much.

There is beauty in teamwork like the dogs pulling a sled. They work hard and they work as a team to accomplish what they set out to do. The “why” they do it is not as important as the journey and the struggle. They accomplish something or they don’t, but trying is what makes the world a better place.

Look around you in your daily life and you may find a lot more beauty than you thought possible. It’s all around us in everyday life…the struggle, the triumphs and failures that makes up our own lives.

General George S. Patton said, “If a man gives his all…what else is there?”

If we all give our all no matter what we do, the team will succeed and maybe fail, but the fact is we did it together and there is a greater chance of success when we all work together.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and there is a lot to see if you look past the obvious.

TJ

As I sit and wait for the Hurricane to invade the east coast I’m keeping busy with
preparations to defend the home front. Now that those are done, I’ve started to work on a book cover. It probably won’t end up like this at all, but all good things have to start somewhere.

I’m pretty excited about this book! I think many are going to really appreciate what version II has to offer. I’ve been quiet lately because I’ve put a lot of time into this new project. I’m working with Doug to flush out and include many things that never appeared in the first version.