Best Dog Ever

I've known I was going to have to write this blog post for almost 2 months, but I wasn't looking forward to it. We've noticed her steady deterioration - especially since the first of the year. The Vet confirmed it. She didn't have long left. Our precious Chocolate Lab is gone. After 3870 days on earth, Cocoa expired Monday morning - a beautiful late winter day in the Keweenaw - 32° - bright sunshine - not a cloud in the gorgeous blue sky.

10-1/2 years doesn't seem like enough. We were hoping for at least 2 more years, but we're so happy she was able to spend her last year (shy 11 days) out here in the Keweenaw woods on Eagle Harbor Road. She loved it. You could see it. She was one contented pup.

Did I ever tell you about something she had been doing since Steve put up her new doghouse last fall? When it was "time for bed" (around 11 or 11:30 p.m.) and she was going into her doghouse for the final time at night, she would pause outside her doghouse and bark twice. It was like "Bark Bark" ("Good Night"). So cute. We're gonna miss that. We're going to miss a lot of things about her.

No more pooch tracks on the snow - no more nose prints on the window next to the front door - no more happy trips to the beach with her - no more peaceful walks in the woods with her leading the way - no more squirrel "hunting" - no more alarm bark to tell us when someone comes down our driveway - no more chasing away bears or deer - no more canine companion to walk beside us on the way to the mailbox - no more "help" when picking thimbleberries - no more friend excitedly running to greet us when we return from errands or from church - no more loyal buddy to follow Steve everywhere - no more chocolate nose to nudge our hands trying to get another pat on the head - no more paws to shake - no more velvety ears to stroke or tummy to rub - no more dark brown lump soaking in the sun on the front porch - no more loving brown eyes staring into ours - no more dog food or treats to buy - no more need for her insulated doghouse. The sign I made with her name on her doghouse will become her grave marker after all the snow melts.

Cocoa will be our last dog. After 40 years of dog ownership, Steve says this is enough. This was his best dog - my best dog - and she was our dog. We loved her - more than either of us had ever loved any other dog. We "reserved" Cocoa just before we got married and we picked her up when we returned from our honeymoon. She was sweet, obedient, gentle, good-natured, devoted, personable and people-friendly. Our Cocoa Puff was so stinkin' smart and chock-full of unconditional loyalty and love. We bid you farewell, Old Girl. 

Things will never be quite the same around here, but. . .

All is still well in the Keweenaw.

Makin' Tracks

That morning when your dog discovers the fluffy lake effect snow has finally compacted enough to enable her to walk on top of it:

#MakingAfternoonRounds

#MissingALeg

#BackOnAllFour

#WatchingMeWatchingHer

#FinishingTheTrip

#BackDownIntoTheTrenches

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Buddies

Well, we're getting snow! We're above 5 feet at the time I'm writing this, so you'll notice that I'm updating the snow chart (in the left column) more frequently lately. Remember, we don't plow snow in the U.P. We push it or move it. 

Yooper 1:  "Whatcha been doin' lately?"
Yooper 2:  (after long pause) "Pushin' snow, dontchaknow."
Yooper 1:  (after another long pause) "Oh, ya. We all been movin' snow."

Steve was outside on Saturday pushin' our snow off the driveway. I was inside and the phone rang. It was Steve asking me to look out by the LP tank. Here's what I saw.

These aren't the best photographs as I was shooting through the window. Can you see what I saw in the front seat?

Yep, that's Cocoa! It seems that she was quite excited when Steve was moving snow that day, so she kept getting in the way. She was moving out of the way of the truck, but Steve was afraid he was going to clip her with the edge of the plow, so he invited her into the truck with him.

He's such an old softie! Steve said it was actually pretty comical. When he's using the plow truck, there's a lot of forward and reverse, forward and reverse, forward and reverse. He said Cocoa learned how to brace herself for the changes so she didn't slide off the seat. Pretty smart dog, dontchaknow!


All is well (and snowy) in the Keweenaw. 

The Doghouse

Since Cocoa moved from Calumet out to the property in April, she has had a half-finished doghouse with no roof. Her half-finished doghouse has been sitting inside our garage. She sleeps in that doghouse every night, but we've left the side garage door open in case she needed to go outside during the night. We couldn't continue that for the winter, as Steve really didn't want snow blowing inside the garage through that open door. He spent some time working on her doghouse recently, so he could get her and the doghouse moved outside. Remember, she has spent every winter of her life outside. Her coat grows super thick, and she's used to it. Her old doghouse was insulated, but this new doghouse is super insulated. Steve even saved extra shingles and siding from our house, so he could make the doghouse look similar to our house. He has it shingled and moved outside, but the siding isn't a priority right now. He has a lot of other outside jobs to do before winter sets in. The siding is basically just decorative anyway.

Anyway, in honor of her new doghouse, I figured she deserved to have her name on it. I printed her name on a sheet of paper with my printer, rubbed chalk on the back of the paper, put the paper on a board (chalk-side down) and traced the letters with a pen. That transferred the chalk outline of the letters onto the board. Next, I filled them in with white paint.

I thought the letters needed a little more definition, so I traced around them with a brown paint marker.

After that, Steve brushed on a coat of Cabot's - the same stuff we used on the front porch and on the exterior of the doghouse. That gives the wood more protection from the elements. 

If he finds himself with extra time this fall, he'll attach the siding, but I doubt he'll be able to get to it this year. Cocoa doesn't care anyway!

By the way, that gray canister you see attached to our house in the last photo is for our Verizon internet. That's what keeps me connected to you - and to the world.

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Special Sunday Reflections

Cocoa in Leaves - 2012

We're so happy that she's able to live out the rest of her life on this beautiful property. She loves it out here!

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Celebrating the 4th (Thank you for your Support!)

This is Part 4 in my series of posts about our July 4th experiences in Copper Harbor.

All good things must come to an end. It's always a little sad to leave da harbor the morning after the fireworks, as we know we won't be staying there again until next year. Would we want to live IN Copper Harbor? Not really. We love that little town, but it would be another 15 miles further than we already are to drive to church and to shop for groceries, etc. Plus, we don't really want that many neighbors (or any neighbors!). We prefer the total peace and quiet where we are now.

We awoke bright and early the morning of the 5th. It was a Sunday, and we were having our church picnic that afternoon, so we wanted to get back to our house to get ready for church. Of course, I had to snap a few photos from our motel deck before we left.

I love how the sun was shining on the water.

One last shot of the motel office. . .

and 2 shots of the main intersection in town before we left. This is the junction of Hwy. 26 and Hwy. 41. Pretty quiet, huh?

We took the shorter route home and headed up Hwy. 41. I love how the town puts up all these signs thanking everyone for their support of the fireworks.

Thank you for your support.

Thank you for your support. Thank you for your support.

And. . . Thank you for your support!

We were soon whizzing past Lake Medora. . .

and down the covered road.

We turned right onto our road. . .

and drove the 1/2 mile to our property.

We stopped to check the mail, so I snapped a shot of the thimbleberries in bloom on the side of our driveway.

The sun was shining through the trees along the driveway. . .

and we were greeted by a very happy dog - moving so fast I couldn't get a clear photo.

For some reason, she often feels the need to grab her food bucket when we arrive home from anywhere. If that isn't handy, she'll grab a stick or anything else around to put in her mouth. Crazy dog.

I guess it's nice to be missed.

That concludes our July 4th experiences in Copper Harbor - until next year!

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Coming in for a Landing!

Look what I captured today!

If you click on the first one, you can see the photos larger in sequence. The little hummer was eating before the wings stopped flapping.

The cement guys were here Thursday and yesterday - pouring a slab in front of the garage, a short sidewalk to the side door of the garage and another slab that the outdoor wood furnace will sit on. Thus, Cocoa had to be locked up in the barn for the last 2 days. Steve said he doesn't want dog prints across his new cement (but deer, bear or wolf prints would be acceptable). Anyway, Cocoa has been such a good sport about the whole thing that we rewarded her with a trip to the beach in Eagle River last evening. 

She loved every minute of it. The cement should be hard enough by this afternoon that her nails shouldn't mark it up. You'll be out of lockup soon, Girl!

All is well in the Keweenaw.