Hayden and Hunter

March in Minnesota. High school hockey tournament snowstorm. And turkeys in our back yard.

Q - How do you make a small fortune as a dog owner?

A - Start with a large one.

Hayden and Hunter curled up on the floor nose to tail taking a nap.

Resting up for the weekend. #dogsofbluesky

Little Ava sitting nicely on the floor of the garage at her new house.

Mom and dad went to see little Ava over the weekend. She and her dad bought a house two weeks ago and she now has a big yard to play in. She continues to get taller than us. #dogsofbluesky #LittleAvaReturns

Hunter guarding the entrance of the room while Hayden naps in the background.

I am the guardian. #dogsofbluesky

The stray peanut butter is a gift from now me to future me.

Hayden in the background on the rug by the front door. In the foreground is a teaspoon with a decent sized blob of peanut butter in which are stuck 8 pills that are his post-breakfast medications.

Hayden lying on the rug in the entry and licking a spoonful of peanut butter which contains his morning medications.

My morning dose of porcupine peanut butter that helps with my arthritis and allergies. #dogsofbluesky

Hunter standing in the rug in the mudroom with Hayden sitting alongside. Both have a dusting of new fallen snow on their backs, but it is visible only on Hayden.

Back inside after frolicking in the snowstorm. #dogsofbluesky

Hunter and Hayden lying on the bed displaying postural echo, resting after a busy day at the office.

Resting after a busy day at the office. #dogsofbluesky

Little Ava sitting on her hammock.

Mom with little Ava.

This time we went to visit little Ava for the day. Doesn’t matter if she’s at our house or her house; she’s a perpetual motion machine. Mom got her to pause only for the briefest of moments. #dogsofbluesky #LittleAvaReturns

Hayden and Hunter lying on their sides on the floor facing opposite directions with their backs touching

We always have each other’s backs. Hunter has been particularly aware of my sore leg and resulting severe limping over the past week. A visit to the vet lady and resulting treatment changes has helped. I’m almost back to normal. #dogsofbluesky #arthritisSucks

Hayden’s face with snow remnants on his nose and forehead.

Hunter standing and Hayden resting at the front door after patrolling the perimeter.

We have successfully patrolled the perimeter. All potential interlopers have been repelled. Deer and rabbits scampered away from the border. The trails of small mammals were also targeted. #dogsofbluesky

Currently -3F and sunny with no wind chill.

The humans say it’s warmed up and is shorts weather today. Whatever that means.

A doe and her twin yearlings eating seed remnants from under our bird feeders mere feet from our back door.

Intruder Alert! These three are in the yard again this afternoon. This is almost a daily occurrence. #dogsofbluesky

We have pretty good sniffers and their explanation doesn’t pass the smell test.

Hunter and hayden resting on the bed.

We’re still recovering after Little Ava’s visit. It might take more than a few days. #dogsofbluesky

From the time all three of us wake until the time we go to bed in the evening, this is what we do. And it’s -10F outside. Bitey face. All day every day. #dogsofbluesky #LittleAvaReturns

There’s a difference between “law and order” and “the rule of law”. You’ll notice that they always use the first phrase and never the second.

Even us dogs can figure it out…

-17F with windchill of -31F. Welcome to January in Minnesota.

Little Ava the 7.5 month old black lab in the front seat of the car. She is intently focused on something out the windshield.

Little Ava riding shotgun with her grandpa as they run errands. Also stopped by the off-leash dog park, but it’s so cold only one other dog was there. We went to the office with mom while they boondoggled. #dogsofbluesky #LittleAvaReturns

Even though she’s now taller than us, she will always be our Little Ava.

Hayden , Hunter, and Ava looking out the front door. Ava is on the right and at 7.5 months old is already taller than us.

Standing at the front door watching Little Ava’s dad depart. Hayden (left), Hunter (center), and Ava (right). She’s only 7.5 months old and is already taller than us. We each still outweigh her by 20 or more pounds, though. #dogsofbluesky #LittleAvaReturns.

Little Ava the 7.5 month old black lab puppy-sits, looking at the camera, while her uncle Hunter the British cream golden retriever lies on the floor in the background.

Little Ava has returned. She is staying with us while her dad goes snowmobiling for a few days. #dogsofbluesky #LittleAvaReturns

Hayden lying on a snowbank licking his snow covered nose. It’s always his first stop of the morning, even before peeing - cooling his nether regions in the snow.

The 10-day forecast for Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Today is tropical with a high of 22F. The next 7 days have overnight lows we below 0F. High Friday is -9F.

As always, the first stop of the day. For all you knuckleheads being sent to Minnesota, buckle up and watch out for water balloons. #dogsofbluesky

The orange man’s bronzer spilled all over the backdrop.

Hayden and Hunter laser focused on the piece of ham and cheese that mom has for a post-game snack.

Post-game snacks are warranted. #dogsofbluesky

The boulevard of broken dreams.

Rumor has it that Little Ava is coming to visit next week. Apparently she had a bath after her hunting trip so she smells like lemons and poppyseeds rather than cornfields and pheasants. Let the chaos resume! #dogsofbluesky #LittleAvaReturns

What if we pee on them?

We’re dogs and even we can see that he’s a lying overflowing barrel of poop sacks at the exit of the dog park.