New Year's Eve and Day 2011/2012

We had a wonderful New Year's Eve this year although it was much different then any we have known before. We were not going to be able to visit the Zen Buddhist Temple this year which we have the last 3 years or so - nor were we able to ring in the new year with our pals Mike and Nadyne at their house with all the Scouting  group, which as been our tradition for the last 5-6 years or so. This year we were outside quiet a bit. Soon after the sun was in the sky, we loaded the dogs and a cooler full of lunch goodies into the car and headed off to Deb's cabin for a mid-day mushing adventure.


The dogs are getting used to the idea that going for a car ride means that they are going to get to run. So it is less of a challenge to get them loaded through the big back door. On New Year's Eve, both Smiley and Cookie jumped into the car on their own- usually we would have to pick them up to get them into the car


It was a cold morning. But we decided to go anyhow. As always, getting out was well worth the chilly bums and fingers.

After we got the fire stoked in the cabin and got our tin foil-wrapped potatoes into the wood stove to cook while we were out on the trails, we hooked up a team of 6 dogs and got out into the everyday winter wonderland that is the Yukon. Colin was the passenger on the way out and snapped these photos, while trying to keep his fingers warm.

We headed home afterwards, and waxed the skis for a trip over to a neighbour's home for a New Year's dinner/skiing extravaganza. It's about a 30 min trip to her place (on a gentle downwards slope). We had grayling soup and roasted chestnuts, then geared up again for a 50 min ski back to our home. Colin had prepared pizza dough in the afternoon, and the rest of the night was spent cooking pizzas and hanging out. One of the tastiest pizzas we came up with had caramelized onions, goat cheese with cranberries, arugula and prosciutto. It was a great day and a fun night, and the new year has started off well. Happy new year to you!

Love Lauren and Colin