Happy New Year 2025
61368
post-template-default,single,single-post,postid-61368,single-format-standard,eltd-core-1.1.3,borderland-child-child-theme-ver-1.1,borderland-theme-ver-2.3,ajax_fade,page_not_loaded,smooth_scroll,paspartu_enabled,paspartu_on_bottom_fixed, vertical_menu_with_scroll,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-8.2,vc_responsive
January 3, 2025
in Celebration, Dogs, Friends, Nature

Happy New Year 2025

Hope you have all had a good start on a new year! We have been to Dalarna in Central Sweden and enjoyed the frost and snow – and sled dogs! Our friends Bo and Susan from kennel Ulvedalen still have four Siberian Huskies and although three of them are oldies, they are still more than capable of pulling a sled. Susan and I had a great trip taking them out on a 4-5 km trail. They were super enthusiastic and not very keen on taking any breaks 🙂

Photo: Susan Hansen. The hardworking 4-dog team of kennel Ulvedalen.
Photo. Susan Hansen selfie. Nothing can make you as happy as a sled dog tour 🙂
Video: Susan Hansen.
Photo: Susan Hansen. Gabrielle thanking the dogs for their good work, they did a great job!
Photo: Gabrielle. Bo Petersen and Susan Hansen with their four Siberian Huskies.

For once, we decided to drive through Norway on the way to Särna in Dalarna and that was a surprisingly fast and pleasant road trip. Really beautiful landscape on top of it. By taking this tour through Norway, Deli has now become a ‘Nordic champion’. Like our first Smooth collie Yuki, she is our second dog to have been to all five Nordic countries. Born in Finland, spending her first months in Denmark, then moving to Sweden and on to Iceland, and finally taking this trip through Norway at the age of 12 years. Presumingly, not many dogs have achieved this ‘Nordic tour de force’ considering how complicated it is bringing dogs to Iceland.

Photo: Gabrielle. Erik with Deli and Jörfi in Norway.
Photo: Gabrielle. Deli is now 12 years old and our Volvo is 20 years old, so this is really becoming a family of veterans.

While in Särna, the temperature dropped considerably to around minus 20 degrees and occasionally colder. Deli has a nice thick coat but as she is getting old and suffering from arthritis, we decided to use jackets on both collies. Jörfi for some reason hardly has any wool at all and therefore needs extra protection against the cold. Susan and I took the younger dogs on a walk towards Mickeltemplet, and on the last day, Bo also joined us on a trip to Nipfjället. Both trips were so cold that hot chocolate was desperately needed upon return home.

Photo: Gabrielle. Susan with her two Stabijhouns Halley and Mille, plus Jörfi on a freezing cold walk in minus 20 degrees.
Photo: Bo Petersen. The picturesque Städjan with a top of quartzite.
Photo: Bo Petersen. The wind chill factor on Nipfjället was high and the walk therefore short.

New Year’s eve was spent in the great company of Bo’s excellent food. It’s such an inspiration to watch him create one delicate dish after another. He even taught me how to make a proper Danish ‘flæskesteg’ :-). As tradition has it, we of course watched our new King Frederik X giving his first New Year’s speech. Thanks to Bo & Susan for keeping up this nice tradition of spending New Year with us!

Photo: Susan Hansen. New Year’s eve.
Photo: Susan Hansen. New Year’s evening starter.
Photo: Susan Hansen. New Year’s evening main dish: delicious reindeer.
Photo: Susan Hansen. New Year’s evening desert: Bo’s homemade ice cream.
Photo: Gabrielle. Kransekage a la Bo.

On the last night, we were granted the fantastic show of Northern lights. A great way to end an energising trip to Dalarna and start the new year of 2025!

Photo: Bo Petersen. Northern light’s magic light show.