The winter of 2021/2022 in Minnesota

Our current group of puppies love the snow. From left, Rose (Rufus Del Fuego x Northwoods Valencia, 2021) and littermates Mac and Van (Northwoods Sir Gordon x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2021) soak up the sun on top of a dog house in the exercise pen.

This winter of 2021/2022 is the first Jerry and I have spent at our home base in Minnesota in 15 years. Stints in Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee preceded Thomasville, Georgia, a place we called home for nine winters.

It’s been “interesting,” as we say in Minnesota. Seemingly endless shoveling of kennel runs and clearing of driveways and sidewalks is losing its charm. The adult dogs seem bored. Playing in a fenced-in area—no matter how big—doesn’t compare to hunting wild bobwhites.

But our three puppies from late fall litters are tigers in the cold weather…and 15” of snow doesn’t faze them at all. They run around on paths Jerry has cleared, climb up on snowbanks and play tug-of-war with ropes.

It’s now March and we can sense the downhill slide of winter. The angle of the sun—much higher in the sky—is starting to generate real warmth. Too, we’ve gained more than two hours of daylight since the winter solstice.

On sunny days now, snow drips off roofs and driveways reappear. In the woods, chickadees begin their spring “fee bee” song. And for dogs and humans alike, enticing scents arise from the previously frozen landscape.

The dog houses in the exercise pens look like igloos.

Mac (Northwoods Sir Gordon x Houston’s Nelly Bly, 2021) aces his training of the Up command. Other commands Jerry is teaching our three puppies include Place, Sit, Kennel and Down.

Native Americans named the full moons to help track the passing of time. Different tribes had different names but one for February seems especially suitable: The Snow Moon.

In the evenings, we stoke up the wood stove, pour an adult beverage or two and hang around with bird dogs.