Trask Met Ms Topiary

On our way back from the ridge-run, we went by Ms Topiary. I had stopped there to try to catch pictures of the muddy dogs and their cool-off swim in the large pond. Topiary Girl is outside the fenced area thus the dogs had not formally met her.
As he turned to pose for me, Trask spotted her...

his unsure, aggressive pose upon approach was doused by Koyuk shaking off her swim.

Trask's pose is: wary of the green, shedding dog?;  flirting with Ms Topiary wearing her alluring Halloween headband? and/or...

 laughing at his mistake?

First Run of the Season

The weather is finally cool and wet enough to run the dogs.

I went in search of downed trees from recent storms. The dogs went in search of everything.

Even after a mile and a half of up and over the ridge, the dogs were still flying.

Koyuk seemed to share my happiness at seeing the land soaked with much needed water.

Unlike the sunny south side of the ridge, the north is cloaked in darkness.

Heading up to the top of the ridge on the north side.

Two weeks ago this area was brown and barren...

the rains have brought new life to the woods and wonders to explore.

Awkward Lesson

I learned something today: when plumbing, put together the new pull-out-head faucet before you try to take out the old busted one. Beside seeing how everything fits together - thus comes apart - the new faucet comes with the wrench you need to get the old one out without a lot of swearing, scraped knuckles and tired raised arms. A few hours of squeezing body and boobs in and out of a tiny, pipe filled place to figure out what and how waterlines needed to come apart then what and how to fit it all together again with of course, the able assistance of three eager, rain soaked, Chinooks, I have a new faucet.

Just imagine lying contorted, on your back, in the kitchen sink cabinet, with muddy paws on your belly and getting kisses from this face. But, I do have a new faucet replacing the one that cracked apart. 

Squash Attack

Squash not only took over a corner of the garden this summer but devoured my garden gnome.

OK, I forgot to plant pumpkins and resorted to an overabundance of squash for my porch decoration. 

Koyuk: "Get real mom!" 

Cedar: "This is just plain creepy, mom!"

Trask: "See, I'm brave mom!"

A lot of coaching and good treats later and I finally got a group pose.

 Handsome Trask

 Beautiful Cedar

 "OK, we are out of here!" 

Seasons

The fall season colors are starting to glow in the brilliant Indian Summer light...

 competing with the last of the birthday decorations.

Season squalls bring manna from above with pears falling on eager Chinooks.

 Fall morning light on the pond...

reflecting the changing leaves.

Another fall event was Koyuk in Season.

For over two weeks, Trask did not leave his mother's side.

Quiet time was rare however.

Trask worn-out after hours of howling, whining, panting, barking - hours upon hours of continual vocalizations. 

 "Get a room already" ~ grandmother Cedar.

The dogs are again focusing their attentions on the pear trees. The colors continue to change and amaze. The rains have returned bringing green and leaves to the ground. Trask's well honed howling skills celebrating the fall season can be heard nightly, joined excitedly by Cedar, Koyuk and the neighboring dogs and coyotes.

Happy 12th Birthday

The second BrownStone litter was born 12 years ago to Frontier Rain Dancer McKenzie. Since the puppies would be leaving for their forever home around Thanksgiving, this litter was named the Thanksgiving litter. I did not give names to the puppies.  They were referred to as Mr Red, Ms Green... McKenzie had a long hard labor lasting all night. By the time the vet's office opened she had what appeared to be uterine inertia and was no longer having contractions. The vets gave her a shot of pit and sent me home for a nap. I missed the fact that excited Willy had knocked the phone off the hook. By the time Dave drove home from work to find me, four of the puppies had whelped. I made it to the vet's office in time to assist with the last two births.

 Milk drunk day 3.

Under the watchful eye of McKenzie, my niece Emily unsuccessfully tried to make a pyramid of puppies.

Willy was enamored with the little ones and rarely left the whelping box.

 A crowded milkbar. I never did tire of watching puppies nurse.

Day 12 it was warm enough to take the puppies outside. Always attentive McKenzie was quite concerned about the adventure.

 A warm BrownStone photo-op before returning them to the whelping box.

 McKenzie was the best mom ever...

just as Willy was the best half-brother.

McKenzie kept her little ones spic-&-span.

By day 24, the pups had mastered the art of scaling the whelping box walls. An x-pen was set-up to prevent further escapes and poopy puppy escapades.

Supervised, the puppies were free to roam the great room. Ms White discovered Willy's bone...

 

 and was soon joined by her siblings and gentle Willy. 

Puppies get very sharp little teeth and claws early on. Most moms dissuade nursing days before this but not McKenzie. She continued to nurse until they left for their forever homes.

 Outside frolics.

 The milkbar is still open.

 Exploring the joys of the outside world.

 Willy's bone looks a bit smaller now that the pups are bigger.

 Mr Blue with my great niece Sarah.

 Crate training of sorts.

 McKenzie getting a rare chew on Willy's bone.

 Still nursing at the final vet check.

 Indoor explorations.

Emily and I decided to make Christmas cards of each of the puppies. The pictures took a lot of patience and created a lot of laughter.

 

 Ms Green, BrownStone Lolo Kuntux of Rain (Lolo), followed in McKenzie's footsteps in the show ring and went on to have two litters.

Ms Yellow, BrownStone Tillamook (Tiki) on her 12th birthday now shares her home with BrownStone Cascade Mt. Pahto (Kyrik)

Unfortunately Mr Navy, BrownStone Rodian (Rodian) tragically lost his life in a house fire. I have lost contact with the other now senior pups. I wish the happiest birthday to all the Thanksgiving litter pups and thank their forever families for caring for and loving them for all these years.