How It Is With Us, and How It Is With Them
We become religious,
then we turn from it,
then we are in need and maybe we turn back.
We turn to making money,
then we turn to the moral life,
then we think about money again.
We meet wonderful people, but lose them
in our busyness.
We’re, as the saying goes, all over the place.
Steadfastness, it seems,
is more about dogs than about us.
One of the reasons we love them so much.
Mary Oliver, Dog Songs
Steadfast, resolute, determined— all good words to describe the dogs at the Apostle Islands Sled Dog Races this weekend. They were keyed up and ready to take off , with their musher in tow, on the trails in Bayfield County. Even with all the dog and human energy bouncing around the gravel pit, I saw moments of quiet devotion and love between the dogs and their people— a belly rub, pat on the head or a full on hug. It was a good couple of days surrounded by the gorgeous faces of the sled dog races.
Sled dogs have perfected the toothy, dog smile.
Husky symmetry.
Grit and determination.
Pure Husky joy.
It was fun to recognize teams from last year’s race (2013 pictures here) and watch the new teams take off from the starting chute.
It’s hard to stay grounded when all you want to do is go, go, go.
