Now that fall is officially here it means I can stop worrying about the veggies and the flowers and start focusing on more important things, like getting myself in shape for the upcoming winter.

I don’t know how I managed it, but I gained almost 25 extra pounds over the summer despite being pretty active and oh my word! It has to go!

I’m not the only one, though. The hubs has also gained about that much, too, so we made a pact to lose the extra pounds together. Otherwise we are going to be putting a strain on the pups when it comes time to pull us around in the sled!

At least they are in pretty good condition. We finally got to dry mush with them a few times but they mostly spent the summer running and swimming and chasing each other around, pretending to murder each other in their husky play yards…

…in between chasing the wild birds that duck and dive in and out of their pens daily while trying to steal their food and playing a deadly game of keep away from them, so I’m sure they won’t notice that we’ve gained a few extra pounds when it comes time for serious mushing.

Not the way we’ll notice them, at least! 🤨

Speaking of birds and noticing things, we had a new one show up at the feeder in the last couple of days and boy, did he know how to grab our attention!

We thought it was a young crow by the call (loud, repetitive and rather pissed off sounding). I think he was mad because he showed up just as the feeder was going empty and we weren’t refilling it quickly enough for him.

At first I couldn’t get a good look at what kind of bird it was because he kept frantically ducking in and out of the bush, dodging my attempts to take a picture of him while squawking at us to hurry the heck up and put some fresh seed out (!). So I went inside and waited patiently and finally got a glimpse of him through the bay window.

I also got a small video of his incessant complaining.

As soon as I could get a good look I ran to the computer to ask Google what it was and it turns out it’s a grey catbird. I guess they do sound like an angry cat, too. It’s been so long since we’ve had a cat that I almost forget what they sound like lol.

They are pretty cute!

Annoying, but cute. Just like cats!

And of course now he’s gone again, probably off to yell at a neighbor for not filling their feeder fast enough. 😆