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, April 30, 2018

BrownStone April Pup-update

I made it. A pup-update before a new month.
A wonderful memory of ever tolerant BrownStone Lupin.
 BrownStone CHK Century Mt. Wash (Remy) with his still curious ear set on 4/18
BrownStone CHK Century Kate MT (Tika) and Desert Sol Kima
Before...
 after helping with yard work.
 Breakfast served in a not-so-fast slow bowl.
 What fun - Tika timed her first season along with Kima.
 BrownStone Cascade Mt. Trask's daughter Amber and son Bo are one year old,
 BrownStone CHK Century Wind (Ullr)
Helping with Easter baskets 
 Helping with homework
 Enjoying the last of the season's snow.
Enjoying the first of the spring meadow.
CH, "PR" Moonsong Cedar River Touchdown, TT, CGC, WSD (Cedar); "PR" Iditarod Koyuk, TT, CGC. CGCA. CHCU. WSD, RN (Koyuk) and "PR" BrownStone Cascade Mt. Trask, CGC, TT (Trask): Rescue Kitty Ping-pong (Jake)
On the home front, the BrownStone pack has been busy with the drive construction and taking advantage of the rapidly changing seasons experienced during April.
Like other related Chinooks, the BrownStone pack loves to get muddy. April shower provided several opportunities to frolic and roll in the mud.
Trask came in the house quite proud of himself.
 Cedar doesn't kook that muddy but lighting can be deceiving.
 Jake doing his best to help clean Trask.
Koyuk with her guilty look.
"ah, mom,do I really need another bath?"
Days like this I feel so blessed to have a mud room with a drain in the cement floor and a large stash of "dog towels".
All clean and happy with his treat. Jake actually removes TP tubes out of the bathroom garbage and brings them to Trask.
What better time for a nap than being without power.
People often ask if Chinooks get along with cats. Jake is our third cat since we got our first Chinook. Like our previous cats, he would much rather snuggle up to the dogs than humans. Koyuk is is favorite since she routinely give him baths.
Visiting dogs can be another issue. Trask, Koyuk and Cedar giving Ullr an intimidating welcome. They had not seen him in months. After a few minutes, all was chase and play.
This month: April showers.
Next month: Chinooks and flowers.

Saturday, April 28, 2018

Not Just a Ramp...(4)

A Drive
March 13 The drive was not quite cured but I got the OK for the maiden drive up the new cement so I could take Dave to the doctor.
Driving up, parking and getting Dave into the van was a cinch...
my backing skills needed a lot of work. Both the side panels on the van and the cement have permanent patina from my up-turn-back, repeat until a very frustrated passenger Dave was on the road. I love the permanent tire squiggles on the cement - the scratches on the van not so much.
March 17 the weather cleared and it was time to put in the last boulder. We had been saving this one for a special place but we weren't quite sure which surface would look best where so we brought in Matt to run the excavator while Wayne and I tried out all sorts of looks.
"No, try again with the other side up"
 "No, try again with another side up"
 "No, this side should go to the back."
 "Na, the other side needs to be forward."
 At last we were satisfied.
March 20 after a trip to the Home and Garden Show for a large assortment of herbs, the planting of the rock gardens began.
Trask checking out the reject boulders just in case lizards or snakes were hiding.
 My project helpers.
 March 23 winter arrived again to test my herb starts and backing skills.
My backing skills were not the only ones tested. A friend came by to take Dave on an outing. First they got to negotiate the slick ramp and drive...
then he got to attempt the not-as-easy-as-it-looks back out.
March 24 brought even more snow. The drive proved to be a perfect place for a Trask snow angel.
 Such a handsome boy.
 Such a beautiful morning.
March 30 The excess boulders are back on the bone pile for future projects and the rock gardens are almost finished.
The extra space will make a beautiful setting for patio leisure time.
 Chinook approved.
I "painted" the retaining wall boulders with moss. Soon they should look as if they have always been there.
The inner rock garden was taken apart and re-stoned several times until I decided that it should be a sundial and include multiple plants. When it grows in, each of the "hour" stones will be surrounded by creeping thyme. Other low growing herbs, succulents and moss will fill in between other stones.  I still have the capital to put on the sentinel stone and some work decorating the hour stones...
and to figure out how to keep the lizard seeking dogs from dislodging the "hours".
 The inner rock garden from above.
 The drive complete with tire patina and plantings.
April 2 Ullr came by for a visit.
He too was curious about what might be hiding in the rock garden and smells of the newly planted herbs.
But mostly he was into playing with his bigger 1/2 brother Trask.
April 12 Snow.
April 28 The hour stones are decorated. Once it quits raining, I can glue the capital and stones on.
What started as a ramp to aid getting Dave out of the house, turned into a work of art to be enjoyed for years to come. Dave already sits outside on the patio whenever the warming sun beckons. I can finally back the van with confident ease opening the world for us to travel and enjoy.