Seriously - we know what we are doing

The excitement in the middle of February in the Hero Islands is to walk on water. Frozen water that is. When we get up to Vt we always score a Seven Days which is the social calendar for the Burlington area. While browsing through it yesterday morning Murg noticed Great Ice

Yes, this is what we do for excitement in the great white north. We did not attend the christmas tree bonfire but I sense a yearly tradition coming. Bonfires are like a pilgrimage in my family, but I digress as usual . . .

We discussed footwear before we left the house and I chose my trainers/aka sneakers since my merrills don't have the arch support and snow shoes are clunky and there was not quite enough snow for them. I borrowed x-country skiis last time we were up here and will buy some soon but don't have them yet. Perfect choice BTW.

Qammi, charged onto the ice and easily ran 2 to 3 times longer than we walked. The walk was 2 miles out to Knight Island State Park. When we got 1/2 there, and I guess she could not see either bit of land, she started to run diagonally toward the closest piece of land. Unless we had called her back I am pretty sure she would have kept going. We arrived on Knight Island and we think she thought we were done with the walk. Due to running so much, both her back legs were shaking. Enough for her. The funniest though was when we started back. She looked at us with the same look when we start a fire in the wood stove. "YOU HUMANS ARE STARTING A FIRE INSIDE"!!! My instincts say this is a BAD thing" The first time she would not come into the house and to this day whenever we start a fire she keeps an evil eye on us and will not come very close.

She kept running back toward Knight Island, since she was sure that was the destination, and she was tired. Eventually we put on the leash and coaxed her along with the words "Really, Qamm, we know what we are doing, this time!" At the halfway mark, we took off the leash, but it was not until she could see the shore that she started running toward the North Hero side.

Granted, it was pretty confusing. People on skis, skates, sleds, walking and snowmobiles, were going in both directions.

Our dog has great instincts, she barks sometimes at strangers, knows that fire should not be inside the house, and knows when she is tired she should look for the shortest distance home. I would not count on her as a guard dog or guide in the wilderness.

It was a really fun event, and I can see a big party next year at Coniston to walk on water and go on a pilgrimage to a bonfire. We come by it honestly. Daddy loved fires and probably walked on water in his day.