Breezy

Her name is Breezy. Her mother is an Alaskan husky and her father is a Karelian. She was born in a litter of 8 and was the remaining female when we retrieved her for our daughter Carlisle. She won us over, as most puppies will, the moment we cuddled her. She’s now 11 weeks old and full of wiggles and energy. She spends her days playing, eating and sleeping.  

            Breezy has the dot of tan in her forehead.

We reached out to our friend and vet tech Anja, who helped us make our selection. She provided us with a crate, collar, leash and armed us with the confidence needed to bring Breezy home to our cabin in Talkeetna. Pika wasn’t sure if she liked her new role as teacher and nanny, but accepted it with unexpected grace. Bucky and I, also questioned our strength and energy at raising a puppy until we could deliver her to Carlisle and Luke at their lodge further north, at Chandalar Lake. I’m not sure if Breezy was an easy puppy or nanny Pika’s modeling eased the process, but Breezy accepted her new crate and spent her first night and all the following nights crated without a whimper. I also found it convenient to use the crate during the day if we had an errand to run and Pika performed her nanny duties from her spot on the couch.

                                   Better together 

Breezy was at ease on car rides, in fact quickly fell asleep and slept most of the five hour drive in the motorhome to Luke and Lisle’s home in Fairbanks. 

We spent several days in Fairbanks running errands and emptying food from our motorhome before the final leg of our trip by plane to Chandalar Lake, north of the Arctic Circle. Luke and Carlisle were anxious for Breezy’s arrival. Breezy was active in the office of Wright Air as we waited for our flight.

The hour and a half flight went quickly with Breezy sleeping on my lap. Dogs are required to be kenneled, but our flight was chartered by Luke and Lisle’s lodge, Tyrrell’s Trails, so Breezy was able to be loose.

                                Finally together!

Breezy quickly made herself at home among the many hunters, guides and packers. It was hard for most to ignore her wiggles and velvet soft fur. However,  her dagger sharp teeth were avoided by all!

Lisle and I chose an unusually calm day to cross the lake and pick blueberries. The berries weren’t plentiful, but the scenery was superb. 

We’ve been at Chandalar for a little over a week. Several hunters have been successful harvesting Dall sheep. At least one wolf has been killed and numerous caribou. Luke, Lisle and Rick, Luke’s dad, spend much of each day flying hunters in and out of the field as well as bringing trophies and meat back for processing. The camp is always busy with tents to clean, beds to make, meat to cut and meals to prepare. Bucky and I sleep in Luke and Lisle’s cabin which provides an escape when lodge life becomes too hectic. This is Bucky and my third summer at Tyrrell’s Trails and I’ve found areas where I can be helpful and others where it’s best to just step aside. It’s amazing when all the moving pieces come together and a hunter enjoys “the trip of a lifetime”. The lodge clientele is as varied as the animals they hunt. They are from all walks of life. Some hunters make return trips while others have scrimped and saved for one opportunity to hunt in Alaska.

We’re trying to teach Breezy to swim. Pika loves to swim and models this often. However, Breezy has yet to show Pika’s enthusiasm for being wet!

Sheep season will soon end with moose hunting upcoming. The tundra is changing color each day. We will probably hunt caribou within the next 10 days. Right now, the caribou aren’t where we normally hunt. We’re waiting and hoping they arrive soon.