Happy Halloween

Fall Light

Rain was predicted for today but Ma Nature treated us to a morning of brilliant fall light. Life is Good - breakfast on the patio with a camera at ready. The patio cushions were off in anticipation of rain. They made a nice backdrop for the dogs. I snapped these while finishing my coffee.

Koyuk almost always has her paws crossed when resting. Chinook himself was known to do the same thing. 

 Cedar

Trask not happy about looking into the sun or posing for a picture.

 With his thick winter coat, he was happier lying in the shade on the cool cement.

Even though we still have summer weather, the trees are turning and dropping their leaves. 

 Koy Koyuk

 Regal Koyuk

 Trask still squinting in the sun

 "Please, can we end this now?"

 Koyuk

 Cedar

 Team Nookies just before they split to play Chinook tag in the leaves.

Turkey Trot

The forest fire restrictions were finally lifted.  Time to get the logs I had bucked up in the spring. I had not been up in the woods since the loggers completed the thinning. What once was a wheel-rut of a road was now wide enough for passing log trucks. Several new skid roads had been put in. The dogs and I had all sorts of new places to check out.

Thanks to the clear-cut next door and our thinning. we now have a clear view of Spenser's Butte. This old Madrone is the only live tree left in the middle of the clear-cut.

Trask and Koyuk disappeared from a corner of the property we had not been to before.  Cedar stuck with me during our long search for the wayward dogs.  This summer the loggers spotted a bear at a spring. They turned it into a pond for him. It also proved to be a refreshing pool for hot and thirsty Cedar to get a drink and swim in. 

We finally spotted Trask with his usual something being carried in his mouth.

Trask and Koyuk had caught and killed a turkey.  Trask was quite pleased with himself and only relinquished the bird to wash feathers out of his mouth and take a quick swim in the new spring pool.

Trask, Koyuk and I had quite a three-way, tug-of-war with the turkey. After being pulled onto my butt and down the hill, I was able to lasso the bird's legs. I then tied my rope to the quad. Trask hung on until a wing parted from the carcass.

While the dogs were occupied with the wing, I grabbed what was left of the bird and dashed away to a cliff where I tossed it off into a thicket of blackberry bushes. When I returned, little was left of the wing and the dogs were ready to head home.

Last of the Flowers

Ma Nature has decided to bless us with an endless summer.  Flowers that should be dormant, like my rhodys and crocus, have re-bloomed in our unseasonable 80 degree weather. Morning sun, flowers and Chinooks - time to grab the camera and a huge pocket full of treats. Sitting for a picture was not the desired activity for the beautiful morning.

 Already too hot to just sit for the camera.

 Always beautiful Cedar.

 The best three-dog pose I could orchestrate.

 Handsome boy.

 At least she didn't lay down on them.

"OK. Now where is my treat?"

Party Time

This blog is about BrownStone Chinooks but I would be remiss to not include other big events in our lives. Dave, my remarkable husband, retired and had a birthday on the same day.  What better excuse for a party?!  All summer I planned a party with tables dispersed under the fruit trees ending with a spectacular Harvest Moon rising over the pond. We had not had any rain since April. I had to mow at sunrise because of the fire hazard level. I hand-watered daily to keep the gardens fresh. My efforts paid off. The yard and orchard were beautiful. Then, Ma Nature decided that maybe we could use an end to our drought. While we were desperate for rain, it could have been any other day.  I did a last minute, mad scramble to turn the carport and garage into party central.  Several friends came early to help decorate and set up. 
Dave knew I was throwing a party but was totally surprised when over 150 people showed up. He shouldn't have been.  He is so well loved and has done so much as a volunteer for the Yacht Club, Ski Patrol and community.

 Without the boat, truck and motor home, the carport provided cozy shelter.

My sister Linda and her husband really came through for me.  Totally unlike me, they love to clean house and spent the day before and day of the party cleaning everywhere from windows to inside the garage refrigerator.  During the party, Lind took charge of the kitchen.  We had so much food, that everyone went home with baggies of leftovers which she prepared and handed out.
My nieces, Natalie and Emily made this picture collage: Lind mascaraing as Dave; the singing of "Happy Birthday"; decoration; and Natalie (who came down from Portland), Lind (who I didn't know stopped long enough for a picture) and Emily, (who came down from Seattle).

 Some of our wonderful friends.

The Chinooks spent the day in their kennel with huge, meaty bones.  Three dogs underfoot, in close quarters with an abundance of food...I think not.

Up on the Roof

In anticipation of the end of summer, one morning last month, I put away the patio furniture. The dogs assisted by crowding the stairs as I went up and down to the garage attic. To ease my hazardous trips, I opened the door to the roof so the dogs could supervise my work rather than escort. I happened to glance up as I gathered another load of cushions. I threw down my load and grabbed the camera. The dogs were proud of themselves and the light was perfect.

Koyuk

Grandma Cedar and Grandson Trask

 Cedar

 Mom Koyuk and son Trask

Who would have guessed that we would still be having sun with temps in the 80's in the middle of October. All of the patio furniture has been replaced and continues to be enjoyed on the back patio. 

BrownStone Cascade Mt Karuk - Luca's First Two Years

Luca's forever family was kind enough to not only send pictures of their beautiful "purple" girl, they also sent a narrative. I on the other hand have been lax with the blog giving fall chores, harvest and food preservation occupy my time. 

Luca had her two year health exams. She has normal hips and eyes. Her next great adventure may be finding the perfect stud and puppies.

Luca’s first two years:

Luca’s second year of life was filled with fun, new experiences and becoming a teenager.  Here are some of the highlights:

Luca has a mellow temperament and great personality.  She is sweet, calm, very smart and extremely affectionate.  We have used only positive reinforcement training methods and the only correction we use is “leave it”.  She does not recognize the word “no”. She responds very well to a positive tone and encouraging words and will immediately shut down if she is spoken to in a harsh manner.  If anyone lets out an expletive Luca feels it is her job to make everything okay and she will come from anywhere in the house wiggling and wagging until you assure her that everything’s ok. Anger or frustration is simply not allowed in Luca’s world.

Luca is game to try almost anything we ask her to do, and she learns very quickly.  

 A few months ago, she showed an interest in riding on the flatbed cart we use to transport our trash cans to the road, and we invited her to get up onto it for a ride.  She jumped right up and let us pull her around the driveway. Now she thinks the cart is hers. She recently started bikejoring and has learned some mushing terms.   

She still enjoys walking on the treadmill and playing with any dog we invite over.  She is not fearful of any of the usual dog triggers such as the vacuum cleaner, thunder, fireworks, or even the tornado warning siren that sounds off a few times each summer.  She actually howls along.  I think we owe her calm confidence to Brownstone socializing at an early age which we observed and tried to duplicate by continually exposing her to unusual experiences. She loves water, but doesn’t yet know how to swim. She fully cooperates with toenail trims, although she really doesn’t like them, and actually enjoys her daily teeth brushing and occasional baths.

Luca is very connected to her people, loves dogs, and spends a good deal of time hanging out with our cat and flock of chickens.  Her interest in other dogs makes obedience classes and dog shows very hard work for her, and us. We also have to be very aware when bikejoring around the nearby lake on the bike path.  On the bike paths, she is getting better with other dogs around and generally ignores humans unless they show interest in her first, but the sight of a squirrel or rabbit sends us careening into a hot pursuit.  Despite her small size, she has some serious power, and when inspired can launch us well off-trail in an instant.

Luca sleeps on her back and welcomes tummy rubs whenever anyone feels inclined to give her one.  

She throws her head back while lying down and waits for someone to give her kisses on her neck.  If we say, “do you want a back rub”, she comes up and sits very still, facing us with her head hanging out of the way to receive a neck massage.  She flips her food bowl over every time it’s empty, apparently just to let us know, and waits for us to come and see. Sometimes she even wants more food.   

When we are eating, she quietly lies nearby and throws her head back, rolls onto her back, and does whatever else she can think of hoping we will notice her and give her some of what we’re having (we do notice, but we have never rewarded this behavior).  She’s a 52-lb. lap dog who never misses an opportunity to cuddle and snuggle (and lick).

She loves all her toys, but especially her section of nylon climbing rope.  After her walks, her reward is to have a game of tug-of-war with her “special” rope. Just saying the word “rope” in casual conversation sends her to the door with rope in mouth expecting to play. 

Her true love is Otter, given to her by her first human mom, Kay Lee.  She would love him to death if we allowed her to.  Otter is kept in a safe place and only brought out for special occasions like birthday blog photo sessions.  Luca will occasionally lie down by the closet Otter lives in and cry for him until you distract her.  She is very persistent when she wants something.

When it’s time to play, she carefully selects a toy from her overstocked toy bin, which by the end of the day is always emptied. Luca must take the right toy with her to greet anyone that has been away, wagging her entire body and making all sorts of guttural noises while she holds the special gift in her mouth.   

She has a way of immediately curing even the toughest of days. In short, Luca is a constant source of joy in our lives. She is our perfect companion.