What may at first glance appear to be a rare Spirit bear is actually Paczki, our 10-year old golden retriever. She's shaking off the snow after making the most beautiful snow angel. Since today is Fat Tuesday, also known as Paczki Day, we're lucky to love a Paczki all day long!

This December morning the air was still, full of moisture and frost covered the grass. Before the sun rose too high and started to melt the icy crystals would be a perfect time to let the beasts out back and play. They love the cold, and they could run with abandon and wouldn't need to have their paws wiped down when they came back in . . .

On this day, however, Paczki was giving Ginger the stare down, and those of us who have canines know what this means. Paczki's tail is at full mast, and if only Ginger would turn and lock eyes, then the fun could begin. A short time after this was captured, that's exactly what happened . . .

Lately we have a new game she loves: catching the squeaky green ball. When ready, she'll turn to trot and we'll toss the ball way up in the air away from us. When she sees the ball in her peripheral, she'll figure out where it will land and then she'll run and sometimes jump up to grab it on the first bounce (or two, depending on how good we throw it!).

. . . and one of her favorite things to do, right after a fresh snowfall, is to meander over to a spot where the snow has been untouched, paw a little of the snow away and plop down and make snow angels. After a couple of sessions of snow angels, she's up, looks around for her sisters (with maybe a stare down) and they start running and chasing each other around with the snow flying creating diamonds in the cold morning air.

When the snow is light and fluffy, ZuZu loves to play this game where she will do her Tigger dance for a bit and then quickly bury her head in the snow. Then she'll raise her head up real fast and the snow just flies everywhere. Makes us laugh everytime . . .