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Doggie Dash 2026

Saturday, Methow Trails once again hosted the Doggie Dash at their headquarters in Winthrop on a glorious sunny day. The Doggie Dash is a long running event that features a six-legged race with one person and one dog per team AND it’s a costume contest. Some folks want to win the race; others want to win the costume contest and take home the coveted Golden Poodle. It’s a traveling trophy which returns each year. There are three categories – adults with small dogs, kids and adults with big dogs. There were only two small dog teams. The other categories had more teams so there were two heats to determine who would go on to the finals race. The day started with a costume parade before the races and the best costume was decided at the end. This is always a favorite winter event with lots of spectators.

Sunny Day

The blonde dogs came for a sleep over yesterday and lucky us, the sun came out to celebrate! We had a week of solid gray days and nights so it was a welcome sight.

Molly, being the senior dog, is now president of the Good Girls’ Club and she presides with dignity, even when rolling in the snow. Willow is the new secretary. Winnie has yet to accept any responsibility and some say she may still be in probationary status! We are all waiting for Molly to produce an agenda and a meeting date. She says it’s so hard to get those distant dogs – Junie, Addie, Rozie and Ginger, to commit to a date they can all be here (or somewhere else) together. Gretta says she’s around most of the time but not February! Everyone is so busy these days.

Out of the Valley

Willow and I took a little drive to see something different, walk somewhere new and maybe find some birds. We had a good walk and saw a few birds, but not very many. It seems like there are fewer birds around this winter. Has anyone else noticed this? At the old cemetery with a nice view, we did hear Pygmy Nuthatches and Red Crossbills and a Red-breasted Nuthatch. Our hike in the hills through what appeared to be good winter habitat with little snow only yielded a flock of House Finches, a couple juncos and flickers. The Common Loon in basic plumage was on the big river. I did drive by a Northern Shrike and later found a Northern Saw-whet Owl. The squirrel was just cute and cooperative.

December Feeder Birds

The feeders have been busy recently. Lots of California Quail, Red-winged Blackbirds, House Finches and Dark-eyed Juncos. Today there were three Spotted Towhees which are not common in winter here. Black-capped Chickadees come by occasionally. Woodpeckers too – Hairy, Downy, Pileated and Northern Flickers. And the occasional Cooper’s Hawk. Plus the view from our house on a sunny winter morning.

The Weather is not Boring

Willow and I spent much of the first half of December walking the hills around the valley on the Methow Wildlife Area. The state closed those lands yesterday for mule deer habitat til next Spring. We never did see a deer all the time we walked out there. We only saw a few birds. We did find some beaver dams and lodges and ponds but didn’t get to see the beavers.

It’s been a mixed bag of weather, that’s for sure. We started out with snow on the ground, thinking we would soon be cross country skiing but no, it rained. It rained inches! There has been flooding in the upper valley and severe flooding in other parts of Washington. We are fortunate here and just had some erosion on our driveway. The rain melted the snow and then we had lots of fog but also a couple sunny days. One day, we got just above the top of the fog. It was beautiful.

Now the hills are closed to us and it’s pouring rain, again. ‘They’ say we will start getting snow again on Thursday. Fingers crossed.