Happy Birthday Karen! This is a pic of my mother and uncle in the mid fifties. I just love this pic. They don't make bikes like they used too. my uncle said that was red rock pop that he is holding.

Yes Glenda, all race dogs are required to wear booties during the Iditarod (and other major races as well). The mushers carry between 1,500 and 2,500 booties for the race and at a cost of about $1 each, that really adds up. The booties are held in place with velcro and are meant to keep the snow and ice from cutting into the paws. They're also used to keep the medicated and soothing ointments the mushers put on the paws each day, stay on and work better. Booties are easily lost on the trail and in fact a much coveted "souvenir" at the race is a thrown booty. The one I have was lost about 200 feet after the start of the race. I brought back booties for everyone in my graphics team. Fortunately for them they were all brand new, given to me by a musher I know. Used ones really stink! LOL Jodi-

WOW, fantastic pictures...This is one of the 1st places I check every day.....Love, love the photos.....

The tree guys said that that beetle wasn't responsible for the tree dying, a different (and much smaller ) beetle, a pine borer was at fault. In July you could stand in front of the house and hear the bugs munching away on the tree behind the house. The other bug, the green and brown spiky caterpillar, one of the tree guys found with his elbow. As in he bumped the leaf it was on, and felt a strong stinging/burning sensation. I knew what it was because I had researched stinging caterpillars a couple of weeks ago when I found one with the back of my neck. Although the one I found was a different species that looked nothing like this one which is called a Saddleback Caterpillar.