BrownStone Chinooks is devoted to fostering the excellent health and wonderful temperament of Chinook dogs. Hard-working Chinooks excel in many activities such as agility, obedience, back yard play, hiking, dog powered sports, search and rescue, and as service dogs. The affectionate Chinook is an excellent family dog matching its activity level to that of its companions - be it strenuous exercise or snuggling on the couch.

Monday, July 25, 2016

Happy 3rd Birthday Cascade Peaks Litter


BrownStone Cascade Mt. Trask, CGC

Trask was the first born and was all ready to explore his world before any siblings arrives.
Newborn Trask with his Buck
 Three year old Trask with his Buck
 I couldn't get enough of photographing my handsome boy.
Trask has become the Chinook I always dreamed of. Perhaps that should be restated. When Trask gets a bit more impulse control, he will become the Chinook I dreamed of. But then at 3, he is still a pup in Chinook years. And I do also adore and love his mom Koyuk and grandmom Cedar.

BrownStone Cascade Mt Loowit 

(Tule Loowit)

Hi KayLee!

Tule, as you know, is the light of our life!  We just love her so much. She goes most places with us, although she really likes her house too. She is very independent and is fine by herself at home. She has traveled quite a bit - many trips to California, occasionally to Canada, and often to Ashland where her best friend the smooth haired collie Wyatt lives.  She loves car rides to anywhere and is perfect even on very long rides. 

Here she near Yosemite
Here she is with Wyatt on a car trip:


















Here she is after a good bone session that tired her out:
You cannot get her to climb in bed with people in it, but if they leave...it's fair game!
 At the beach!
We just love our Tule and cannot imagine life without her!
Sarah and Greg

BrownStone Cascade Mt. Koma (Laika)

I can tell you that Laika is not happy when I am out of the compound.  She constantly looks for me and waits at the gate (like “Lassie”) for my return.  Laika visits her friends at our local dog park at least twice a day and loves to go for a long walk with me at night.
At Mammoth Lakes earlier this year I began training her to “skijor”, that is pull me on cross country skis (see photo attached).  We have all the gear, but we still need to work on technique.  Next winter we are resolved to master this sport.
 In summary, Laika is the joy of our lives and a constant topic of conversation in our house.

Thank you so much for giving us Laika!

Jim

 BrownStone Cascade Mt. Shasta (Alaka'i)

 Cascade Peak Mt. Mazama (Bramble)


Bramble's family has been very busy baking thousands of cookies for a humungus charity bake sale put on by their son. This year they added Dog Cookies, tested and approved by BrownStone Muku and Bramble.

BrownStone Cascade Mt. Pahto (Kyrik) 

with his Owl.
Still to come: Luca
This entire litter has been outstanding. Happy Birthday to all.

Friday, July 22, 2016

Summer Bounty

The landscaping is turning into summer-tan-blah. Fortunately, the porch baskets and vegetable garden are coming into their own.
Today I harvested tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, onions, an unexpected asparagus bounty, blueberries and strawberries. The dogs made sure I didn't mistakenly put the berries within reach. Chinooks LOVE their fruit. Trask is trying to take advantage of my harvest photo-op.
Berries safely out of snout range, time to check out the vegies.
How can you resist Chinook eyes and smile? Honestly, I don't know if this is Cedar or Trask. 
"Awe-mom, this basket is not nearly as inviting as the berry basket."  
 This is definitely Trask. If he isn't into eating vegitables, he is seriously into posing with them.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Early July at BrownStone Chinooks

The dog's kennel contains a large Jasmine plant wafting heavenly. The early morning light was back-lighting the Jasmine. I couldn't resist grabbing my camera for the shot.
As soon as they realized my pocket was full of treats the dogs joined me for a photo op.
I encourage swallows. Even with all the water around here, swallows keep the mosquitoes at bay. This year we added 9 more nesting boxes. One persistent pair still chose the light in the garage, over the back door, to nest. They successfully raised 6 chicks and made a phenomenal mess of the back stoop and our cars. I caught this picture the day they all flew away.
The topiaries on the back patio were seriously root bound. I could not keep up with the sculpted plants in the entry way. Those got pruned and moved. The cypress now take their place. I turned from taking this picture to see...
the dogs in the morning light.
Cedar
 Trask
 Koyuk
 Another of the handsome boy.
I just let the dogs know that they would be cat food if they dug up the new transplants.
My office is upstairs. The coffee pot is downstairs. Each morning I have to step over the gauntlet of dogs to get from the coffee pot to my computer.
Koyuk on the stairs.
 Trask and Cedar in the office.
If I move to another room for a period of time, they position themselves in the exit path. Chinooks always want to know what you are doing and don't want to miss anything if you move.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Sailing Days of Summer

The Eugene Yacht Club only has one downfall. They don't allow animals. But all is not lost. When I am there, the dogs are home gnawing on fresh marrow bones.
The week long sail school started this year with a spectacular sunset ("red skies at night, sailors delight"). The full moon came up through a break in the clouds but by the time I got my camera and then ran back to to the trailer to get the right lens, I missed the moon. Not to despair, there were plenty of other opportunities to get a nice shot.
Looking south-east over the lake.
 As the light darkened, I turned around and spotted the western show.
I got to teach my favorite class: the beginning Laser. The Laser is an Olympic class boat and was designed for men 6'+ and 190+lbs.  Most of my students weighed under 110 soaking wet and were truly beginner sailors. None were over 140 lbs and some had never sailed.  Lasers are very fast boats with a powerful sail. With 12 of them zooming across the lake, the class can often present 12 simultaneous challenges. The red skies did bode well for a few days and the weather held with reasonable winds for the first 4 days.  Then chaos struck. North-South on Fern Ridge lake is the longer length. The club is at the north end. The winds we encountered came gusting in from the south, fetching large waves, as it roared north. The waves were so large, cockpits were awash. The gusts were so strong the big boat class didn't even go out. My students didn't stand a chance. The brunt of the storm hit after we were all launched and onto the lake. Fortunately I had three high school assistants for the day. (This was my day to stay dry so I added one.)  With my three guys already occupied rescuing students and righting boats, it became my turn to jump in the water. Before we all made it back to shore, I had dealt with four turtled boats - two of my own. Getting this old body out of the water, onto a boat, righting it and then managing to get my bulk back on board without it tipping over again is a chore on the best of days. This picture was taken after I stepped from a rescue motorboat onto a student's turtled boat. The rest of my saves came from in the water. The rescue boats picked up and ferried the cold kids to shore while we swam to their boat, righted it, and sailed it in. I was soaked and exhausted by the time I got my last boat to shore.
I do love wind like that but passed on the opportunity to take my boat out for a ride. The final day was almost windless. The kids again reveled in flipping and righting their boats while drifting in the 90 degree sun. No fear. Back on the bicycle.
EYC is a great big family where everyone is your friend. Every year July 4th is celebrated with all the joy and fellowship the holiday is intended. Of course, what is a 4th without a parade?
This year commodores past, present and future were honored. Dave wasn't really excited about putting on his Order of the Blue Gavel tie but in the end did agree to ride in the parade with his peers.
 The neighboring farmer joined in with a hay ride float full of kids.
 The commodores with honor guard.
 I draped our trailer for the occasion.
 The parade route circled the grounds.
 
 Dave out of his obligatory duds and into his pyro garb
After the parade, there was a dunk tank, family games, sailing and a pot luck happy hour followed by the group BBQ. 
This was the 48th year Dave has been in charge of large fireworks. Come early afternoon and he is all serious concentration.


While these guys set off the show, the rest of us enjoyed hot chocolate with marshmallows, whip cream and RWB sprinkles. Adults had our own special version to sip and enjoy.

We are so lucky to be part of this community - now only if they would allow dogs.