Tag Archives: Catskill Pumi Kennel

Announcing Catskill Pumi C-Litter, May 2015

April 3, 2015

We are announcing our upcoming Catskill Pumi C-litter in May, 2015.

Dam: Kaffogo Agyag, Hungarian Junior Champion, CM, PT, JHD, FCI Herding Certificate,       Junior World Cup Winner of  Hungarian Breeds, Budapest Hungary, 2013)

(D.O.B.03.08.2012),

Color Fawn (Maszkos Fako)

Health Tests: Elbows 0/0, Hips “GOOD” (OFA), PLL Clear (OFA), DM Clear (OFA)                         Health test certificates are available upon request

Kaffogo Agyag, HPJ, CM, PT, JHD (AHBA), FCI herding Certificate,

Kaffogo Agyag, HPJ, CM, PT, JHD (AHBA), FCI herding Certificate,

Sire: Pustan Helmen Karhunsammal “Daco” Finnish Champion, Estonian Champion                                                       (D.O.B. 05.01.2011)

Color Black,

Health Tests: Elbows 0/0, Hips B/B, PLL Clear (OFA), DM Clear (OFA)                                             Health test certificates are available upon request

Pustan Helmen Karhunsammal "Daco"

Pustan Helmen Karhunsammal “Daco”

Home Again…

March 31, 2015

they scanned me, and called Laszlo in New York that I will be home again soon...

they scanned me, and called Laszlo in New York that I will be home again soon…

Home Again… we said a heartfelt  good by with Marja-Leeena and then we checked in with the airline.  I could not be happier with the news that Agyag’s fee was only 75 Euro(!) .  So I showed Agyag’s receipt from New York. I got a big apology and an even bigger refund for the gross over charge at JFK on the way here.   I just love Finnair, I think, they just got a committed new customer.  Before boarding, I kept asking one of the flight attendants wether the dog was on the plane yet.  She was not too enthusiastic about my persistent inquiry, but finally she called the ground crew.  She also asked me what kind of a dog I had.  The magic word, “PUMI” finally brought a smile on her face and she told me that one of her colleagues also has a Pumi.  “You mean Helena Matilla?” I asked… She said, “yes.”  What a small planet to fly the friendly skies…

"Are you ready?"  I asked, "are you ready?" she asked.

“Are you ready?” I asked her, “are you ready?” she asked me…

 

 Agyag plans to sign up with FinnAir as a sniff sniff dog (we might fly free next year...?)

Agyag plans to sign up with FinAir as a sniff sniff dog (we might fly free next year…?)

Photo Mar 30, 8 22 02 AM

The plane could not leave for an additional forty minutes.  So while we were sitting on the ground, I decoded the airplane charmers’ hand signals on the tarmac watching them through the window.

the airplane charmers code to move those big mechanical beasts on the ground.  It is all brain power and focus...

the airplane charmers code to move those big mechanical beasts on the ground. It is all brain power and focus…

The flight was smooth and dry. It  reminded me somewhat the prohibition era.  (It took lots of button pushing to get a few glasses of wine out of the flight attendants. )

the airplane charmers' hand signals to move those giant beasts on the ground...

the airplane charmers’ hand signals to move those giant beasts on the ground…

Finally we landed, and we were home again.  While I was enjoying the NYC sunshine in the traffic jam trying to get out of the City en route upstate, the furious periodic mini snow storms in the Catskills made me question the existence of Spring.

New Draconian measures in NYC to collect unpaid traffic tickects. Vialators are  burried up to their head in the medians to inhale  exhaust fumes so reduce pullution. Look at the heads, it rturns out that blond types do not pay their traffic tickets more often than others...

New Draconian measures in NYC to collect unpaid traffic tickects. Vialators are burried up to their head in the medians to inhale exhaust fumes so reduce pullution. Look at the heads, it turns out that blond types do not pay their traffic tickets more often than others…

snow flurries March 30, 2015 What is going on Mr Weather Man?

snow flurries March 30, 2015 What is going on Mr. Weather Man?

I hope it will come in the next few days. I am ready…

City Hopping in Helsinki

March 27, 2015

The Central Railway Station of Helsinki

The Central Railway Station of Helsinki

We’ve decided that we had enough of the dogs and went to see Helsinki yesterday.  Strolled through part of Kluuvi, the commercial center of the City. It has a shopping center, the University of Helsinki, Movie theaters, museums and the Helsinki Central Railway Station among many other things. One interesting fact that I learned that the Square has two entrances, one for the public and a second one for the President of Finland…

Civic center  a euphenism for a place where you smell th

“City center” a euphemism for shop until you drop dead…

The first Finnish brewery, an integral part of our city "hopping"

The indoor city market

 

vintage beer tanks. During WWI and WWII they justinstalled wheels and tracks  and they had war tanks...

During our city “hopping” we bumped into these vintage beer tanks. During WWI and WWII they probably just installed wheels and tracks on them and they had war tanks  They must have been useful during seize fires (they could brew beer until the fights picked up again…)

 

 

 

beer/war tanks I guess they nevermade it to the front line they were pulled over for drunk driving

beer/war tanks I would not be surprised if they had never made it to the front line the drivers probably were pulled over for drunk driving

 

buy buy baby who can resist in a narrow alley?

buy buy baby who can resist  the great aromas of gourmet food and spices  floating in the narrow alley of the city market?

 

Fresh fish

Fresh fish

 

and the canned goods I bet I could find fermented shark fin if I looked more carefully...

and the canned goods I bet I could find fermented shark fin if I looked more carefully…

Photo Mar 26, 12 46 55 PM

Kapelli

We also checked out the exhibitions at the contemporary Art center, “Kiasma.”  After the culture rush,  we escaped to some fine shopping places and checked into some great food stores.  It was such a breath of fresh air to spend some time in cafe houses, fine restaurants and (only…) browsing  ( this is for Laszlo in case he reads this entry) in some high end department store after our local convenient stores and Walmart upstate NY.

our appropriations of one of the installations at the Kiasma:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7bOLNMGI9Q<—Click here

a very interesting drink that I learned from Marja-Leena if you want to know it contact me privately

a very interesting drink that I learned from Marja-Leena if you want to know it contact me privately

yum yum pastries

 

 

the famous historic Kapelli cafe, bar, restaurant where the bohemians and artists, of Helsinki gathered the the past 150 years or so including Sibelius, the composer.

the famous historic Kapelli cafe, bar, restaurant where the bohemians and artists, of Helsinki gathered the past 150 years or so including Sibelius, the composer.

 

 

 

 

Scandinavian cafe

Scandinavia cafe

 

Photo Mar 26, 1 23 05 PM (1)

the contemporary art center “Kiasma”

 

 

Photo Mar 26, 1 29 22 PM

one might think twice wondering in these hallways with a hangover

Photo Mar 26, 2 49 33 PM

Tom of Finland

Photo Mar 26, 1 41 11 PM Photo Mar 26, 1 41 36 PM Photo Mar 26, 1 42 34 PM (1) Photo Mar 26, 1 50 00 PM (1) Photo Mar 26, 2 49 13 PM Photo Mar 26, 2 32 25 PM Photo Mar 26, 2 03 04 PM

 

At the end of the day I felt like a tired farm girl who got lost in the city.

 

Dear Abby…

March 26, 2015

Dear Abby,

I am a concerned doggy parent who have always believed and put emphasis on training, education, good manners and behavior.  I have provided a strict Catholic training to my doggy kids because I always wanted to be a good shepherd who gives correct directions to her doggies. Photo Mar 25, 4 44 19 PM

However, currently I am facing a crisis. It appears that all my hard work (and those damn expensive cookies) went down the drain. I’ve been traveling with one of my girlies. When we woke up yesterday in the morning, I asked her that what she wanted to do.  I was mortified when she answered in front of our host,  “mom, I think I want to have sex with Daco…” About half an hour later the boy came over (the second time this week…) I feel paralized, I have anxiety attacks, I do not know what to do.Photo Mar 25, 4 44 17 PM

Dear Abby please advise!

A concerned doggie mom…

WARNING! The video below contains sexually explicit material that might be disturbing to some people. viewer discretion is advised. (hide your kids!) 

https://youtu.be/wXOhuUl7Tig   <—-click link

Photo Mar 25, 4 44 21 PM Photo Mar 25, 4 44 22 PM Photo Mar 25, 4 44 45 PM Photo Mar 25, 4 44 48 PM Photo Mar 25, 4 44 49 PM Photo Mar 25, 4 44 53 PM Photo Mar 25, 4 44 54 PM Photo Mar 25, 4 44 55 PM Photo Mar 25, 4 45 18 PM Photo Mar 25, 4 45 21 PM Photo Mar 25, 4 45 26 PM Photo Mar 25, 4 44 02 PM

Finnish Kale (Do Not Look For It At Your Local Grocer…)

March 25, 2015

Photo Mar 25, 6 02 04 PM

Larry David playing Larry David the obnoxious, misanthropic selfabsorbed character in “Curb Your Enthusiasm

Earlier this month I was listening to a “Fresh Air” episode on NPR.  They were interviewing Larry David, the co-creator of “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” about David’s new hit on Broadway, “Fish in the Dark.” During the interview they played a funny clip from “Curb Your Enthusiasm” where the obnoxious main character of the show, Larry David (played by Larry David) meets a friend, Mardy Funkhauser, a guy about 60 some years old. David complains to Funkhauser that he did not return his condolence telephone message (Funkhauser’s mother just died). In his own defense, Funkhauser responds that David should be more sensitive because he, (Funkhauser) just became an orphant. (he lost his father earlier that year and now his mother too.) David in his rude style makes fun of him and says that it is too late to be an be an orphan at age sixty. “Little orphan Funkhauser.” I had such a good laugh…

Yesterday, I had the occasion to think about this clip. Take it apart and look behind it. In a way I  am orphan too, (lost both of my parents) just like Funkhauser, however, I am and has been an orphan in other ways too since my birth.  Born into a German ethnic family (Eberwein x Hundenmeier) growing up as an official ethnic Hungarian (Repasi) minority in Transylvania, Romania. (Romanians had the perfect term for Transylvanian Hungarians, although derogatory in nature; “bozgor,” which means  a person without a homeland and ethnic identity.) Then when I moved from Romania to Hungary, ironically I was simply called a Romanian.  In Austria I was under the  umbrella term “Auslander,” or foreigner and in the U.S. I have become a naturalized U.S. citizen, and so a Hungarian American (my choice).  Always and everywhere “in,” however, always on the periphery.  My social position helps me to observe, listen, notice details, interpret and process from an angle that is impossible to do from the center. Like I, people with similar backgrounds often hear meaningful sentences in certain remarks that for others in the center are only “harmless” white noise. Usually, I do not think about these things, it has always been “that” part of my life.

I tell you this, because I got nostalgic yesterday. On our way home with Marja-Leena in the afternoon, we ran into a small group of well dressed gypsies or Romani.  Their presence captured me… I asked their permission to photograph them. Unfortunately, I only had my phone to take a picture so I missed many details.

The gypsy or Romani diasporas are probably the perfect definition of “orphans.”  Even though, many of them living in urban environments, symbolically they have always remained nomadic, always moving, or ready to move.  Always on the periphery, rarely accepted, seldom assimilated.  They have always been demonized and persecuted in every corner of the world throughout their existence.  However, somehow they have never perished, always survived and thrived with an incredible resilience. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSjaOM7Bewk  click link

I was curious, so after I went to bed, I looked up the Finnish Romani or Finnish Kale (Kaale in Suomi.) The Roma first arrived from England and Scotland to Sweden in the fifteen hundreds. THey were mostly craftsmen and journeymen. While the Protestant Church proactively pressured the erosion of the Romani’s relatively stable position on the social hierarchy, Swedish authorities deported the Kale to the Eastern part of the kingdom (which is Finland today.)  In the first part of the 17th century they were declared outlaws and could be hanged without trial.  For a long time, children frequently have been taken away from their families in an effort to assimilate the group.  After  four hundred years of severe discrimination, in 1917, the Roma has gotten full citizenship in Finland and human rights conditions have gradually improved. The 1995 amendment to the Finnish Constitution granted the Roma to preserve its language, the Kale, as a “non territorial minority language.” The Roma in Finland, just like everywhere else, facing high unemployment frequently due to relatively low education.  They experience significant exclusion from mainstream society and  face specifically severe discrimination in the private housing market.   Sources,  http://www.minorityrights.org/1537/finland/roma.html     http://www.prezi.com/f639kuzyb7jj/romanifinnish-kale/

While reading this minority rights report, I came up with the idea for an interactive comprehensive geography, history, ethnography etc. game for children to learn about history and the world. The name of the game could be “Cut and Paste” For instance, cut Finland from and paste Australia in to an official human or civil rights document, than cut the Finnish Kale out and paste Aboriginal into the same document. Than cut Australia and paste U.S. than cut Aboriginal and paste Chinese and so on… after every cut and past a map would come up with the respective countries and photos of their oppressed ethnic groups, their artifacts and their brief miserable history… Or we can just let the kids watch “Wheel of Fortune…”

An Arranged Marriage, Dip in the Lake, American Ingenuity (sequel two part two)

March 24, 2015

The meditation house at the lake near by...

The meditation house at the lake near by…

 

while I am meditating, Agyag is dreaming about Daco

while I am meditating, Agyag is dreaming about Daco

After we packed into the car at the airport and was driving to Maria-Leena’s house, I had to break the news to Agyag. I told her the truth that we did not really come back to Helsinki to buy more of those delicious smoked fish treats that she got last summer. We flew across half way the world to select a nice dog for her to start a family.  As soon as the “arranged” word came up in the context of marriage, she gave me that angry feminist canine real bitch look (pun intended) and started scratching the expensive leather seat in the car. (gosh I hate smart female dogs… when we return home the library room will be off limit for the Pumis the baby gate will go back up.)  Since I did not expect her negative reaction, I had no clue what to tell her.  I wanted to avoid a ridiculous feminist debate with Agyag in front of Marja-Leena (I wanted to avoid embarrassment, Agyag is a dog after all…)

the church boat house.

the church boat house. Marja-Leena with the dogs

the meditation house from a different angle...

the meditation house from a different angle…

Because of lack of a better answer, I stole a  quote from a Jarod Kintz book. So I told her, “I had an arranged marriage.  If I didn’t, how would anybody know when and where to show up…?”

After a long uncomfortable silence we got to Marja-Leena’s home. Fortunately, Agyag’s melodrama was short lived when Pustan Helmen Karhunsammal, “Daco,” the dashing male Pumi appeared in the doorway…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9LfCcUaN1o click link…

After things calmed down and “Daco” left, we went for a hike so the dogs could stretch and run.  The weather was nice as we walked through the empty  skanzen of the park with its  restored original buildings hiding the sins and joys of  history past.

The Skanzen with its ghostly emptiness...

The Skanzen with its ghostly emptiness…

Then we arrived to the lake. Half of the water has been covered with a continuos ice sheet. Suddenly I did not see Marja-Leena.  Before I could panic, she reappeared.  I could not believe my eyes she was in her bathing suit marching toward the lake in about 35F temperature and the next second, there she was, swimming toward the ice. She started calling me to join her  swimming in the icy lake, however, I regrettably had to decline this very inviting opportunity because I had to watch the dogs so they did not get away (as my excuse was).

I can be an unreasonable person sometimes but I do not believe that any "Sampo" or even  "Shampoo" would make me lucky or would protect me from hypothermia after a dip in the icy lake...

I can be an unreasonable person sometimes but I would not believe ever that any “Sampo” or even “Shampoo” would make me lucky or would protect me from hypothermia after a dip in the icy lake… Marja-Leena swimming in the ice cold water while I am hoping that she gets out soon and I do not need to jump in the water to rescue her. Still shivering from the idea…

 

By the way, I often wondered what makes Finnish people to jump into ice covered body of waters?  Could it be CIPA (congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis), an inherited national disorder, when an individual cannot feel extreme heat or cold? Or is it a simply superstition of believing in the “Sampo” the prominent national talisman from the “Kalevala” story that supposed to bring fortune and keep anyone who believes in it away from trouble? I imagine ice lake swimmers smear some “Sampo” in liquid form from a bottle on their bodies, hoping to prevent them from heart attack in the cold water…

I simply cannot resist to throw in my theory of American ingenuity in relation to the “Sampo.”  Did it ever occur to anyone that perhaps an early American venture capitalist and a shady inventor joined together, after reading the “Kalevala” on a long and boring sailing trip crossing the Ocean to the Colonies in the New World and came up with this crazy idea to sell some magic liquid that brings great fortune and success for its users and simply name it “Shampoo…?”

I've had dozens of scenarios how I could get away getting into the cold water if Marja-Leena needed to be rescued.  One idea was  that hopefully she would yell for help in Finnish because than I could have the perfect alibi. I do not speak the language...

While I was petrified on the shore watching Marja-Leena swimming, I’ve had dozens of scenarios running thru my head, how could I get away from jumping into the cold water if Marja-Leena needed to be rescued. One idea was that hopefully she would yell for help in Finnish because than I could have the perfect alibi. I do not speak the language…

The Return (sequel two, part one)

March 22, 2015

 

I am pretty concerned about apossible Icelandic Culinary Month celebrated by Finnair.  I am not sure if I am ready for a fermented shark fin and pickled herring mousse with sour sheep milk.

I am pretty concerned about a possible Icelandic Culinary Month celebrated by Finnair. I am not sure if I am ready for a fermented shark fin and pickled herring mousse with sour sheep milk.

Men plan, nature executes…  Based on Kaffogo Agyag’s reproductive cycle in the past two years

, we had a perfect plan until last week. Than everything turned into chaos and upside down as the four bitches have brought into heat each other, including Agyag.  Bitches…

I had to contact Marja-Leena Puranen to double check wether the male dog is available and wether Marja-Leena was ready for us.  Once we had the green light, I had to break the news to Laszlo while we had only a few days left for a massive rescheduling of all plans for the next two weeks and of course to buy a new airplane ticket to Helsinki.

Since we left late from home (as usual), we had a nail biting four-hour drive to the airport in an insane weekend traffic jam.  At check-in, our saga has continued with customer service.  They had no idea about “live animal traveling fee rates” and I ended up paying double ($400!!!)one way – for Agyag.  (What is wrong with weekend customer service…? Once I am back in the States, I have to recoup the money.)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LxaTT8uCV8. <——–Click here

according to

according to the yellow label, Agyag is in the  121lbs category that cost $400 (twice the standard price) each way to transport.  Is it a slightly over weight Pumi or a traveling crate carved of stone?

I waited until Agyag’s crate was conveyed into the belly of the plane then I finally boarded too.  When the plane took off and we were ascending, after all the stress, I could only hope that this was not an Icelandic Culinary Month for all Scandinavian airlines when they serve fermented shark fin, pickled herring mousse and sour sheep milk while someone is out-loud reciting from the Kalevala in Finnish.

My anxiety disappeared in an instance when we reached cruising altitude and  I heard the captain in the loudspeaker, “ladies, gentlemen, it is time to start your cocktails….”

Marja-Leena was waiting for us at the Helsinki Airport.  It was so good to see her again.

Marja-Leena was waiting for us at the Helsinki Airport. It was so good to see her again.

If you had one too many of the cocktails on the plane, you might freak out that you ended up on planet El-Adrel from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and bumped into a Tamarian when encountering Kim Simmonnsonn's ceramic sculpture in the Art Port at the Helsinki Airport near Gate 37  (Curtesy of Finavia Corporation).

If you had one too many of the cocktails on the plane, you might freak out that you ended up on planet El-Adrel from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and bumped into a Tamarian when encountering Kim Simmonnsonn’s ceramic sculpture in the Art Port at the Helsinki Airport near Gate 37 (Curtesy of Finavia Corporation).

The Countdown Begins

March 21, 2015

Tomorrow we are going to JFK to fly across the big pond again.  I packed all the essentials…

Passport,  check...

Passport, check…

 

 

Ticket, check...

Ticket, check…

 

poop bags, check...

poop bags, check…

 

tanning lotion, check (because it must be warmer and sunnier everywhere than upstate NY)

tanning lotion, check (because it must be warmer and sunnier everywhere  than here upstate NY…)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumi, Catskill Apacatancos Anka, Best of Breed, at the Eukanuba National Championship, 2014

December 20, 2014

Catskill Apacatancos Anka, CM, PT, AHBA Junion Herding Dog of Catskill Pumi Kennel, has won the Best of Breed title among the Pumis at the Eukanuba National Championship 2014 Show in Orlando, Florida.

http://youtu.be/oRpUR-TC8TI <——-Click here to see Anka…

 

 

Roadside Drunks, Stray Horses, Crazy Pulis And Pumis – Destination Orlando Florida

December 7, 2014

Goofy is ready for the big annual dog show...

Goofy is ready for the big show…

 

Today I woke up the sun. He slept in it was Sunday...

Today I woke up the sun. He overslept , I gave him a break it was Sunday…

It is that time of the year again, Eukanuba National 2014 in Orlando, Florida.  I packed the truck last night, washed the dogs and went to bed early. The alarm woke me at 2:30AM and we were rolling down the icy drive way in the cold and dark by 3:30AM.  I am always anxious to drive on Rt-28 in the dark.  Deers crossing, drunken pedestrians walking along the dark road and sometimes abandoned vehicles can create unexpected road hazards late in the nights and early mornings.

And yes indeed, just like any other early Sunday morning in the Catskills, I passed two heavily gesticulating drunken men and further down the road three horses trotting on the center line of the dark road in their nice cozy horse blankets. I guess, someone somewhere left the gate open… Perhaps the two drunks whom I saw earlier?

Agyag and Anka are blocking the door "no more stuff in the car..."

Agyag and Anka are giving some dirty looks while blocking the door “no more stuff in the car…”

 

Marika just discovered some room in the car for both of us (Anka looks disappointed she hoped for a "dogs  only" road trip)

After loading the car, Marika discovered some room  for both of us (Anka looks disappointed she hoped for a “dogs only” road trip)

 

I arrived to Marika’s house in New Jersey before 7AM. We loaded all the dogs and my stuff in her car and we were on our way to Maryland.

We arrived to Cherie and Charlie Green-Johnson’s home at  11:00 for a short visit and to groom Fitz, one of our B-litter Pumis.  We were happy to meet again and I was grateful to see what a loving home Fitz has and how happy he has been with his two Puli friends.

While grooming Fitz, our Pumis and Cherie’s two Pulis , Winston and Sophie reorganized the house.

Although, the lunch invitation was tempting, we had to say goodbye and hit the road to be able to finish the planned first leg of the road.  We had eleven more hours ahead of us to get to Charleston, SC.

Stupid Quiz #1 (while driving to Florida)

Question: what do Catskill Pumis and George Washington have in Common?

Answer: They all crossed the Delaware…

Then...George Washington Crossing the Delaware

Then…George Washington Crossing the Delaware

Contemporary Crossing  of the Delaware...

Now… Pumis Crossing the Delaware…

Marika at the wheel
Marika at the wheel

 

zipping under Baltimore Harbor.  Feels like time travel.

zipping under Baltimore Harbor. Feels like time travel.