Pickleville Philosophy

By Jim Stone, The Pickleville Philosopher

Hi you guys.  It’s hard to believe us dogs have been away from home in Alaska for zooming in on a month.

It’s been a new adventure every day. The dogs don’t want to go back home they think they’ve become famous explorers.  We have just been writing a lot as well as being open minded to new things and experiences. I went to an Orthodox Church on Sunday, can you guys believe that?  I was hoping the church was paid up on its insurance. I thought for sure when I walked in a bolt of lightning would hit the building.

It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen or done.  The building was 200 years old. Inside the building was magnificent; it was just mind blowing beautiful. In the Orthodox Church they sing their prayers as they pray to Heavenly Father.

We have had some close calls with bears. We were out picking wild berries one day and about 70 yards away a big brown bear stood up.  He meant no harm.  I’m bald as a bowling ball on top of my head but still have hair on my neck and it was standing straight up.  Us dogs very slowly backed up and went to find another berry patch.

One night I got up in the middle of the night to take a leak, when, way too close, I could hear pop pop pop noise bears make when they are upset.  They will pop their teeth and jaws at you.  I’m getting older but at that moment I moved like I was still in my twenties, pretty much diving back into the truck with the dogs. For a very sleepless night.

Us dogs have been fishing a lot and cooking some wonderful tailgate wild fish and berry dinners. I’m about half way done with a book I've been writing called The Legend of Big Boy. I’m hoping to have it finished in about a month. Then I will decide what us dogs are going to do next.

The people up here are amazing.  There is no drama or crazy stuff going on like back home.  I was sound asleep in the truck last night when a local man and his wife knocked on my truck window. They had brought a hot dinner and enough yummy snacks to last us dogs several days. Every time I turn around there are amazing people. I’m kinda thinking that if the dogs want to stay here and not go home that I’m going to agree with them on that one.

Us dogs are blessed and thankful to be you guy's friends.  We all hope you all are staying safe in way too much craziness in the world. Us dogs are sending the biggest smile we can send to all of you guys from all of us.