Another name gets added to our Checkpoint Sponsor map for the 2013 Iditarod! Please join me in welcoming Carol and Don to the team. Don and Carol have followed the Iditarod for more than ten years online. In that time Carol ran across story about how the ladies of Takotna spend weeks preparing homemade pies for the mushers and volunteers. She writes, “I was just fascinated by the village and its people, and when we finally went to Alaska for the race this past March, our visit to Takotna was one of the highlights for me. I got to see the pie ladies in action, and we even sampled the pies!”
The pies and hospitality in Takotna are legendary for a reason! Carol and Don were fortunate enough to travel there and experience it first hand. But if that does not fit into your future plans, you can still get a sense of the checkpoint in action with this excellent slide show that has race photos and interviews. Or read more about the Takotna Checkpoint at Zuma’s Paw Prints. (Zuma is the canine reporter for Iditarod, and is a great resource for young fans and teachers.)
Thank You to Team Dew Claw - 2013 Checkpoint Sponsors
And now as promised: PUPPIES!
Sweet Pea and the Rascals
Dear sweet Sweet Pea gave birth to a record litter for Dew Claw, 10 adorable healthy puppies!!!
*Side note: the largest litter (per Guinness Book) is a mastiff named Tia who had a litter or 24!!
Labor lasted some time, as you might imagine. Although it began on the 17th, a majority of the Little Rascals were born in the early morning on the 18th. Sweet Pea had her hands… er ah Paws full, but is being a really great mom. With 10 puppies feeding time resembles something from a piranha based horror movie. (seriously; look I took a video)
The squirming mass all sucking and wiggling in one large puppy pile. As their bellies fill they sort of roll of and settle into little sub-piles of smaller groups to sleep. It is always the 2 little runts left at the teat, taking advantage of the lesser demand, I image, to get every last drop of milk they can suck. As I watched this morning one actually fed until it fell asleep still attached to mom. It would occasionally jerk, wake slightly, start sucking like a vacuum, until she would dose off again in the same position.
Supper Time!
And then there is one who is going to be an opera singer, I swear. A Diva Soprano at that! She has this little trill puppy noise she makes, and it sounds like a singer going through scales to warm up. At the rate she is practicing she will be ready for the Met by the time she is weaned. They are growing so fast, eyes will be open soon, more characters will emerge. I am guessing they will outgrow the living room fast, and be tearing up the front yard before we know it.
