What better way to start a New Year than go out with a sled dog team in glorious sunshine, lots of snow and minus 16 degrees Celsius! New Year was spent with sled dog friends Bo and Susan from Kennel Ulvedalen in Särna, and our colleague/friend Bengt Liljebladh from Gothenburg, who happens to have a cottage in the same area. There was already snow when we arrived on the 30th of December, but then it continued snowing and the temperature went all the way down to -26 C in Särna town. These are the perfect conditions for me! Our puppy Jörfi hadn’t experienced so much snow and frost before, but she was super happy jumping around in deep snow and seemed pretty comfortable down to -16 C. Bo made superb dinners as always and he showed me how to bake Danish ‘tebirkes’, one of my favourites. We had a fantastic couple of days in Särna in excellent company including a visit to other sled dog friends Mette and Tom. But the highlight will still be the trip Susan and I made on the 1st of January with their 8-dog team of Siberian Huskies 🙂 a really good and experienced sled dog team. We watched the Disney movie ‘Togo’ again, which has almost become a New Year tradition – celebrating the most famous and heroic Siberian Husky of them all and ancestor of Bo and Susan’s Siberians.
Photo: Gabrielle. New Year’s eve celebrated with venison, wine and champagne by Erik, Bengt, Susan and Bo around the table, and me as the photographer.Photo: Gabrielle. Bo preparing the dough for ‘tebirkes’ and getting a lot of attention from the dogs Jörfi, Deli, and Halley.Photo: Gabrielle. And here is the result: Fantastic, crispy, and perfect ‘tebirkes’!Photo: Gabrielle. Erik and Stabyhoun Halley having a cosy time in the kitchen.Photo: Gabrielle. Halley and Susan enjoying each others company 🙂Photo: Susan Hansen. I love Susan’s sweaters! See also photo above. I definitely need to get myself one of these ‘Nanook’ sweaters of Susan’s design.Photo: Susan Hansen. Jörfi was enjoying her time in Särna tremendously. Snow is fun, deep snow even more fun. Temperatures down to -16 C are okay, but below is coooold!Photo: Susan Hansen. Trying to take some nice photos of Jörfi for her breeder Jolanda Berkelmans at kennel Mabinogion. Photo: Susan Hansen. And here a portrait of Jörfi.Photo: Gabrielle. Nothing better or cosier than a campfire after a day spent outdoor in the cold.Photo: Gabrielle. Susan, Halley and Bo in their shelter by the camp fire.Photo: Gabrielle. Our Smooth Collies Jörfi and Deli thought it a bit cold and sought protection in the shelter.Photo: Gabrielle. Bengt with Halley. This is maybe the breed for Bengt who is considering buying a dog at some point.Photo: Susan Hansen. Kennel Ulvedalen’s 8-dog team of Siberian Huskies.Photo: Susan Hansen. A really good and hard-working team of Siberians.Photo: Susan Hansen. Can’t get more beautiful or better than this. The perfect way to start a new year!Photo: Susan Hansen selfie. Me as the ‘musher’ = sled dog driver and Susan in the basket. Both of us looking pretty happy 🙂Photo: Gabrielle. A well-deserved break after 10 km.
