Ocean Spray Cranberry Pomegranate Juice [5 stars]

One of my great finds of the last 6 months... Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry Pomegranate Juice.

Only 5 calories per serving with 100% of a day's Vitamin C. The pomegranate twist gives this a very cool, refreshing taste as opposed to traditional cranberry juice which has a tart or dry aftertaste.

I have also tried the other diet juices from Ocean Spray - take my word for it, stick with the Cranberry Pomegranate selection. The straight "diet cranberry" leaves your mouth dry, the "diet blueberry pomegranate" leaves you wondering where were the blueberries and the "diet cranberry grape" leaves you feeling like you drank super sweet koolaid. But, drink the diet cranberry pomegranate and you are refreshed and your mouth is left cool and happy.

$3.50 for a 64 oz bottle seems to be the going rate at grocery stores in my area (King Soopers and Safeway). But, it occasionally goes on sale for $2.50 - stockpile when you see this price! I have also come across Super Targets selling it for $2.54 - again, stockpile it at this price.

Farmers Market Canned Pumpkin [5 stars]

You may not be aware of this, but the U.S. has been in a great pumpkin shortage since 2009. The primary provider of canned pumpkin in the U.S. has been Libby's and, to put it bluntly, they have NO pumpkin.

This was a major issue for me, as we add canned pumpkin to our dog's natural diet as a fiber supplement. As our stash of pumpkin started dwindling and we heard of the great pumpkin shortage from Libby's, this was cause for concern. How would we maintain the fiber level our Siberian Husky's had become accustomed to ingesting?

Luckily, there is an answer... Farmer's Market Foods is not in a great pumpkin shortage. They have a readily available supply of organic canned pumpkin available on Amazon. The cost comes out to just over $2 a can and you can always get free shipping on this from Amazon.

So, all is not lost Farmer's Market Foods Organic Canned Pumpkin to the rescue. Definitely a 5 star product for those of us in need of pumpkin during the great shortage of 2009-2010.

Wellesse Joint Movement Glucosamine with Chondroitin + MSM [5 stars]

I have been using Wellesse's Joint Movement for about 2 years. As I entered my 40s, I started having increasing knee and ankle joint pain. I originally tried taking glucosamine tablets to help my joints but found the tablet forms of this supplement are huge and hard (if not impossible) to swallow without choking. I then stumbled upon this Wellesse product at a local Sam's Club. I could not be more satisfied!

The biggest plus: the supplement is in liquid form (with a nice berry flavor). Just 2 tablespoons a day and you have a glucosamine, chondroitin & MSM boost to your daily diet.

After only 2 months of this product, I noticed a reduction in my knee and ankle pain. I hike, jog and/or power walk 7 days a week and this supplement has kept my active lifestyle alive and well!

Sue Henry reading list

I read Sue Henry novels for her wonderful integration of murder mysteries with dog sledding as a background. I started with Murder on the Iditarod Trail and wanted more. I skijor and dog sled myself so the dog sledding backdrop made for a great read.

Sue Henry has written a series of novels with musher Jessie Arnold as the main character. Fortunately, most of the Jessie Arnold books held true to my expectations: a tantalizing mystery with a dog sledding backdrop. Unfortunately, I did encounter a book in the Jessie Arnold collection where neither dog sledding or sled dogs in general had much of a role in the story - this was a letdown for me, as I was reading this Sue Henry series for the murder mystery/dog sledding mix.

So, I have arrived at the following "Sue Henry must read list" for those like me: captivated by Sue Henry's writing but wanting sled dogs to play a prominent role in the story:

1. Murder on the Yukon Quest: An Alaska Mystery [5 stars]
2. Murder on the Iditarod Trail (Alaska Mysteries) [5 stars]
3. Deadfall: An Alaska Mystery (Alaska Mysteries) [4 stars]
4. Degrees of Separation: A Jessie Arnold Mystery [4 stars]

And, if the sled dogs having a prominent role is your interest, then I cannot recommend Cold Company: An Alaska Mystery even though it is part of the Jessie Arnold series.

Book Review: Winterdance [5 stars]

I recently read Winterdance by Gary Paulsen. This was, hands down, one of the best dog themed books I have ever read.

If any of the following apply to you, then this book is a must read:

1. Own (or love) Siberian Huskies or other northern breeds.
2. Own (or love) sled dogs.
3. Are interested in dog sledding or are a dog sledder.
4. Are interested in skijoring or are a skijorer.
5. Have an interest in the Iditarod.
6. Have a love for dogs and their interaction with humans in their natural environment.
7. Have an interest in positive/fun stories of the dog+man relationship.

I am a skijorer and amateur dog sledder myself and this book had me laughing out loud. Almost every "situation" the musher encountered I could relate to my own skijoring mishaps - except he had 15 dogs and I had only 2. Everything sounds like a "good idea" until you attach 2-15 sled dogs and say, "Go!" - this book is packed full of hilarious lessons in good ideas gone bad (or much different than anticipated).