Special Visitors

In 1991, Dave and I went to the Seattle area to meet Chinooks. First kiss and it was instant love of the breed but, there was a two year waiting list to get a pup. The Chinook dogs we met were everything we wanted in a dog - even tempered, intelligent, healthy and mid-sized. We left our names at Aspen Creek, Frontier and Rain Mountain kennels. A month later, just as I was heading out for a 5 day, wilderness, backpacking trip with my Camp Fire Group, I received a call that the season's pick female, co-owned by Frontier and Rain Mountain, was available. But, she came with a breed contact. As we hiked the alpine meadows and climbed the Middle Sister, I mulled over the possibility of getting this pup and becoming a breeder. The girls, of course, felt I definitely needed this puppy and by the end of the trip she was named McKenzie after the beautiful chinook (fish) ladened river.

For 8 years, Nonna and I co-led the Camp Fire group. Nonna brought culture. I brought the out-of-doors to our group. The group won the Colgate National Service Award against all youth groups (scouts, 4-H, Camp Fire, YMCA...). They saw Shakespeare plays on the Elizabethan stage at Ashland. They dug and slept in snow caves. They took watercolor portrait lessons from the renowned artist Allen Cox. Annually, they burned Guy "Socks" (Falkes) on a huge bonfire. Every meeting was full of learning and adventure. All of the girls have graduated from college and are in grad school.

One of the last adventures as a group was a sleep-over the night I brought McKenzie to her forever home. McKenzie instantly fell in love with Gwyneth and spent the night on her sleeping bag.
Gwyneth brought her family from the east coast for the holidays. McKenzie has not seen Gwyneth in 8 years. But the attachment is still there.

Gwyneth introducing her son Luther to McKenzie

McKenzie is so happy.

Gwyneth's husband Ted

Luther explored the dogs favorite resting place

Luther would have nothing to do with just sitting on laps. He wanted to play with the dogs. Cedar and Lucas played "peek-a-boo" for several minutes. Cedar would run around behind the couch as Luther speed-crawled in front of it. Upon spotting Cedar, Luther would scream in delight. Cedar and Luther would then turn tail and run/crawl the other way to peek-a-boo around the opposite couch arm.

Along with Gwyneth, Ted and Luther, Nonna brought her mother for the visit. Her mother lives in Wales. They had 5 days of storm delays and traveled through Toronto and San Francisco to get here.

Four generations

Morning Play

After breakfast, every morning, without fail, Willy and Cedar rush out the back door in anticipation of chasing a squirrel. McKenzie and I then go out the front door. She crouches down behind the rhody bushes and awaits her "it" turn in their game of Chinook tag. This morning we had about an inch of snow on top of about 1/2 inch of frozen rain. We were supposed to get 6" of snow last night but alas the fickle jet stream moved and left us with only a dusting.

Willy and Cedar rushing around the house

snowy remnants of being tagged and wrestling in the snow
Willy cooling off after his group play

no comment

We did not do the scooter mail run. The road was a sheet of ice. I don't want any more injuries this mushing season.

The Girls are Growing Up

The day Cora took Willow home.Cora trying to get Willow to jump with her.

White Christmas

Yesterday we did our annual ski patrol Christmas. Rain at the pass level had been predicted but Ma Nature treated us to cold sunshine. Pole planting on moguls proved a bit much stress on my wrist (and out of shape thighs) so the remainder of my day was spent on the groomed trails and enjoying potluck goodies with good friends.

Today I awoke to snow on the ground and snowing hard. The dogs and I took a joyful scooter run out for the Sunday paper. I have a fire going. The tree lights are on. A good book and cushy chair await.

Happy Holidays to all.

Lee-Brown Family Christmas

The Lee-Brown family flurry of activity started with my sister demonstrating her new skill - making Spanish Coffee drinks. If you look closely you can see the flames and sparks coming from the glass.

Linda was having so much fun, we all got a bit tipsy.

The dogs were enamored with the babies.

So were the humans.

Natalie and Quinn taught Luke to drink from a sippy cup. Kendra and Emily provided table side, mealtime entertainment for the babies.My dad celebrating his 94th Christmas

Dad's great-grand twins were celebrating their 1st

"Hey, everyone else got steak!"

Kendra, Emily, Natalie and Vanessa.

my kids lying patiently on their beds as we ate dinner

handsome Luke

Abby loved the colorful wrapping paper.

Vanessa and Emily

Luke out for a stroll

end of a really fun day

I need to learn more about aperture. My trial settings at the Brown family Christmas did not work with the always moving members of the Lee-Brown family. Fortunately I did let the camera decide on the best setting for some of the pictures.

Brown Sibling Christmas

The Brown sibling Christmas starts with a most wonderful tradition: Broadway Bakery chocolate eclairs. I say "starts" because Dave and I pick them up on our way to his sister's house, which means I get first grabs.

Life just goes on until you mark yours against the aging of children - and then their children.

Brown siblings and their families

DaveJohn
John's son JJ

John's granddaughter Sarah

John's grandson Andy

John's son BrianSusan

Susan's daughter MollySusan's son Danny Luke

After Sarah entertained us with her piano recital, Andy played air guitar to Micheal Jackson.

Home Office

I had been madly scurrying around getting ready for our big family Christmas dinner when I noticed that Dave had disappeared.

To stay out of my way, he-who-is-on-vacation, had moved his computer and phone to the back bedroom bathroom. He was doing tech support on a mill that was down. Gotta love the guy!

Santas

Our canine Performance Clicker Club held it's annual Holiday party this weekend. Our hosts have a collection of hundreds of Santas which are unwrapped and displayed every year. This photo is of one small table. Santas are everywhere. I get so much joy out of visiting them and taking in the wonderful sight.

Cookies!

My fondest Christmas memories have to do with making cookies. Our family always made big tins of cookies to give to everyone from the mailman, to the neighbors to our teachers, to any guests that showed up at the door. The freezer started to fill with boxes of cookies soon after Halloween.

When Dave and I moved here we took advantage of Neil's three commercial baking ovens and generous counters in his "bakery". Every year we had over 50 adults and sugar crazed kids decorating cookies by the hundreds; tromping through the woods to cut their tree; and making wreaths. Many of the adults have passed. Most of the kids have families of their own and have moved away though we did have a couple years of third generation parties.

The "bakery" was remodeled into a bedroom for Neil when he could no longer climb the stairs to his room. This summer we thinned the Christmas tree stand. Forty loads of trees were trucked to the sawmill. Finding a Christmas tree has become very difficult. I do still make wreaths but it has been a couple of years since we have had children in the house to bake cookies.

Today more memories were made. Kerstin, Anna, Klara and Lupin came over to make Christmas cookies. While 4 year old, Anna carefully sprinkled each cookie - one-at-a-time - one-color-at-a-time - carefully capping the sprinkle container after each cookie - the four dogs made sure anything hitting the floor did not last long. Then it was time to decorate the baked cookies with frosting. The task proved to be a challenge for adults and Anna alike.

Baby Klara commandeered the spatula as a teething chew as mom lent a hand at decorating.So much for the spatula, Klara really wanted the frosting tube.

Klara did pass a milestone today. She stood alone by pulling herself up the coffee table. I was too covered with flour and dough to catch a picture. I also missed getting pictures of the dogs assisting with her afternoon snack. All four have very long tongues and quick aim for any food that missed the lips.

Yes, it was a day of fun, memories and hopefully the start of a tradition.

Success

Not bad for a weird shaped, three top, Christmas tree lot reject.

Christmas Tree Saga

Dave disapproves of buying a Christmas tree so every year I go on a several hour search for a tree that will work. Our trees are grown for lumber. They grow at least 1' per year thus the branches are 1' apart. A 6' tree is over 6' wide with a trunk of less than 2". They just don't stand up in a tree stand and the widely spaced branches don't hold up to the weight of ornaments.

A couple winters ago, snow took out the top of an ornamental tree in our yard. We cut off the top and allowed the branches to grow up. None was dominant. We now have a stand of 6 awkwardly growing trees. I decided that the one leaning into the road would be my Christmas tree. I don't know what kind of tree this is but it is really bushy and grows all twisty like a tortured willow.

To make the tree stand I had to cut off the back branches and nail it to the wall. Hanging the ornaments was not easy. The branches proved to be very soft. But alas, I have my funky Christmas tree.This morning I got up and found much of the tree already turning brown even though it is taking up a lot of water.

Now I get to undecorate the tree and put up one I found for $7 on a corner lot. To be continued...