Hello, Boys and Girls!

The months of June, July, and August were a mixture of busy days and lazy days. Summer in Alaska is a beautiful time. All of the daylight hours give everyone plenty of time to be outside. When I wasn’t walking around the neighborhood, I enjoyed chewing on my favorite toys while in the shade beneath the trees in the yard. I breathed in he smells of salmon, steak, shrimp, potatoes, and other goodies being grilled in the evenings. I couldn’t resist sitting next to the table at meal time, hopeful of something delicious being handed to me beneath the table. I also enjoyed taking long afternoon snoozes and dreaming about the fun times I’ve had with my family and friends. I went camping and fishing a couple of times, too. Riding in a boat is lots of fun but I have to tell you my favorite part of camping has always been the time around the campfire watching my humans roast marshmallows. Getting that marshmallow roasted just right is such an art but my humans are pretty good at it. We had a great 4th of July holiday, too. I must admit that the sounds of firecrackers going off are too noisy for me. I covered my ears with my paws until all the noise was gone. Best of all this summer, I enjoyed spending time with all of my humans. We even took time to look at some old family pictures. We talked about the times when we were all a lot younger. All that talk about the past and our time together made this the best summer ever. You just can’t beat spending time with family and friends!  I am grateful for my loving family and will always be with them, even in my dreams.

I bet you did some of the same things I did this summer. I’m sure as many teachers do, your teachers had your write in your journal about your summer. I know that is something you probably have to do every single school year,  but writing about your experiences is a good thing.  One idea is to save your journal entry and look back at it ten or twenty years from now. What fun it will be for you to remember what you did!

No matter where you are now, September is almost over and October will be here soon. Your September and mine may look and feel different. Here in Alaska, ‘Termination Dust’ is on the mountains. Leaves have turned golden. There is a crisp feel to the evenings and mornings. I know this because as I walk through the park near my home, my paws feel the crispness in the grass. My nose breathes in the coolness and I know that winter will soon be all around me. In some places in Alaska, a tiny bit of snow has already fallen. Take a moment and look around your world and jot down some notes about what you notice in nature. What hints is Mother Nature giving you about your season? In 30 days, observe again. Take notes and compare how things have changed.

Most of you are probably back in school and working hard on your assignments. Some of you are in a year round school and have holidays and vacations at different times. I live in Alaska in the northern hemisphere, but some of you live in the southern hemisphere and are moving into spring and looking forward to summer. No matter where you are, though, it is time to start to think about the 2010 Iditarod! This will be the best race ever and you aren’t going to want to miss a bit of it!

At the June 27th Volunteer Picnic and Musher Sign up, those mushers wanting to race in the next Iditarod began to turn in their registration materials declaring that the rest of their summer and the months leading up to the race, would be filled with training their dog team for the race. As of today, 63 mushers have signed up to run the race. Take a look at the musher listing and see who has signed up. Check back often to keep up with the sign up news because I’ve heard rumors a few more mushers will sign up soon.

During the next several months, the K9 Journalists and I will be bringing you lots of interesting stories. Check in every month and get updated information. After our last K9 Journalist staff meeting, we’ve decided on some great story ideas. Get ready for great stories from Gypsy, Libby, Sanka W. Dog, and me! We can’t wait to get our paws on the key boards!  (Learn all about the K9 Journalists by clicking here!)

One special highlight at Zuma’s Paw Prints this year is your chance to meet a few authors. Ed White, Helen Frost, and Marianne Schlegelmilch are the first three authors who have agreed to share about their books. When at Zuma’s Paw Prints, click in the menu tab,” Meet Authors! Read Books!” to get started. I hope you decide to read the books by these authors. After you have, leave comments or your questions about the books by the author’s article. This is going to be so ‘mush’ fun! Get reading!

I am also proud to announce the 2nd Annual Zuma’s Community Challenge. Boys and Girls, I know one thing you’ve learned in school is that people are pretty powerful and even kids can do things to help make the world a better place. I am sure you have ideas on things kids can do in their own communities to help out. Talk to your teachers and get involved in this project. You can learn more about this challenge by reading this article.

Boys and Girls, I know that you are going to have a great school year. As you practice your skills and learn new things in school, keep checking Zuma’s Paw Prints and Iditarod’s website for interesting information about Iditarod and Alaska.

Racing season is just around the corner. We can’t wait to tell you all about it!

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma

You can learn more about me at this link.

I hope you enjoy this slide show.   The pictures will change so keep watching!