*  Once again, I’ve slacked a little with blogging, and it’s now been a few months since the last one.  So I am long overdue with updates!

*  The summer litters are all now in their new homes.  Overall, it was a disappointing summer and early fall puppy-wise.  Since Luna’s litter in April, we only had 3 litters.  (Ice, Ziva, & Josie)  Many of the anticipated heat cycles were delayed longer than expected.  The good news is that we are now looking at a very active fall and winter.  As of today, we believe Aleu, Willow, and Ellie to be pregnant, and possibly Mylah.  Additionally, Phoenix, Rose, Nadia, and Iris all are waiting in the wings.  Plus, if that’s not enough to keep us busy, River and Gypsy could be wildcards at some point as well (likely late winter/spring)

*  As always, we want to thank everyone who has been patient with the whole process.  Assuming all or most of the litters come to fruition, the number of puppies should easily cover everyone currently on the waiting list and then some. 

*  The LONG awaited cement floor/drain project in the barn is slated to take place in mid-late November, weather pending.  This time of the year it gets very tricky.  If the temperature dips below freezing, wet concrete can obviously freeze, and can/will make the curing process difficult at best.  Luckily, it’s inside the barn so we can close it up and use heaters if necessary for a day or two.  I REALLY don’t want to wait until spring!

*  Meanwhile, the stall projects continue.  New stall number 5 is nearly complete, with the final 2 on the east side right around the corner.  Once the 7 on that side are completed, I will start on the west side beginning in the back corner.

*  Our annual Husky Reunion was held on Saturday, October 14th.  Everyone had a nice time, and enjoyed each other’s company.  It was great to see everyone!  This year’s turnout was less than other years, but that is mostly our own fault for being unable to email out invitations as in the past.  Thanks to all that attended, and we hope to see everyone at some future reunion!

*  Sad News:  We posted a couple months ago about the passing of Denali.  This was a sad moment for all of us, as it was very unexpected.  After a discussion with our vet, we concluded that his death was simply natural causes like a heart attack or an aneurism.   There were simply no signs of anything being wrong!  Unfortunately, there was recently another passing that we have to announce.  After a brief sickness, Akira passed away a short time ago at the age of 9.  She contracted a urinary tract infection, and by the time we knew anything was wrong, the infection had spread all over.  She was put on steroids a strong antibiotic, but it wasn’t enough.    While she was unable to ever have any litters of pups, she was a great pet with a very loving demeanor and was loved by all.  We will be greatly missed!

*  New Addition:  On a more positive note, we also announced a short time ago that we’ve added another baby girl to the pack!  Talia is her name.  She is all-white, with a light red tint.  As of this posting, she is around 9 weeks old.  After a short period of adjustment, she is fitting in well.  Right now, she is too young to put her out with the big dogs to play, so we take her out on special walks around the property.  She is stalled with Ice, since Ice always does very well with pups.  This case is no different.  The 2 are fast becoming buddies!  Talia is actually already close to the size of Ice!  Ice is small for a full grown husky, and Talia is on the large size for a puppy that age. 

*  We are looking into adding at least 1, and likely 2 additional males over the next few months.  Our 2 remaining males (Kallen, Xander) are reliable, but they definitely need some help.  Plus, Kallen is pushing 6 years old and only has a 2-3 good breeding years left.

*  After recently adding a new play set in the back yard (which the dogs love!), we decided that it was time to add a toy that they enjoyed several years ago.  A trampoline!  We found a good used one and set it up a couple weeks ago, and the dogs love it!  Sometimes they are running and jumping on it, and other times it just provides a cozy place to lay and sleep.  During the chillier days, the sun on the dark top can get warm and cozy.  During the hotter days, the shade below is a very popular spot.  It was a great investment!

*  One additional note, unrelated to Huskies…Being an amateur fan of astronomy, I am always looking for interesting tidbits in the skies above.  I like to pay attention to the full moons, and the names given them by the Native Americans many years ago.  Last post I mentioned the “The Buck Moon”, which is July’s full moon, named for the fact that the young buck deer started to grow their antlers at this time annually.  Other names for it include “The Thunder Moon” and “The Hay Moon”.  In August, we had  “The Sturgeon Moon”, named by the fishing tribes for the best time to catch sturgeon from the Great Lakes.  It is also called the “The Green Corn Moon” and “The Grain Moon”.  This year, September’s moon was “The Corn Moon”, and October moon was “The Harvest Moon”  Some years, September is the harvest moon.  It depends on when it falls.  That brings us to November’s “Beaver Moon” or “Frost Moon” Both are indicators of the upcoming winter, and the frost appears and the beavers are getting ready for the cold.  December then has “The Cold Moon”, which obviously indicates winter is officially here.

*  On the note of previous, I was glad to be able to see the solar eclipse a couple months ago!  I’ve seen partial eclipses in my lifetime, but none this close to totality.  I really enjoyed it!  I am now looking forward to 2024 which is the next one, and that one is supposed to be a total eclipse for West Central Ohio.  Woohoo!