Tag Archives: Catskills

What A Wonderful World…

June 5, 2015

Pink Girl with open eyes

Pink Girl with open eyes

I do not know how exhausting must be to raise new born human babies, but trust me it is pretty crazy here with these seven puppies.

Our C-litter will be two weeks old tomorrow and their care has been intensifying as they grow every day and approach the end of their neo-natal period (1-14 days). Changing clean sheets, getting up twice in the middle of the night to make it sure that Agyag feeds them.   The daily Dr. Bataglia exercise is in its eleventh day tomorrow.  Daily body weight measurements, checking room temperature and turning heat lamp on and off as Agyag moves in and out of the whelping box because the new borns still cannot regulate their body temperature.

Cuddling with White Boy

Cuddling with White Boy

Yellow Boy is ready for action

Yellow Boy is ready for action

The major milestones to report about are that they have started opening their eyes and as of today, every single pup has become member of the “Twenty-Ounce Club.” Tuesday they  were still crawling and this morning some of them marched to Agyag to nurse as one walks into a Starbucks for a cup of coffee. In no time they will be outside on the fresh green grass to enjoy the great (limited) outdoor.  It is pretty fascinating to see the effect of their opening eyes. Each dog has become much more active and inquisitive of their surroundings. They start discovering our wonderful world.

Miss Red is saluting to the newly discovered world

Miss Red is saluting to the newly discovered world

In the same time, Mama Agyag is doing well.  She has been eating three times a day and she is pretty demanding when her bowl gets empty.  Her energy level is up and has been out to   herd twice a day.

Agyag at dusk time...

Agyag at dusk time…

"Blue Angel" if Marlene Dietrich was a Pumi

“Blue Angel” if Marlene Dietrich was a Pumi

I’ll be leaving for a week on Monday, therefore,  I will miss the pups’ third week.  While I am gone Laszlo, Marika and Martha will take care of them.

Green Devil Boy who will blink first...

Green Devil Boy…the question is,  who will blink first…

Girl of the Purple Order

Girl of the Purple Order

After all, it takes a whole village to raise seven Pumi pups…

 

Yes, She is Ready to be a Mom…

May 15, 2015

Did Snow White eat the seven dwarves...? we've found six... Agyag's belly on the x-ray image

Did Snow White eat the seven dwarves…? we’ve found six… Agyag’s belly on the x-ray image

Day 54 from the first breeding.  We went to x-ray Agyag’s belly to find out how many pups we can expect.  The image has shown six heads, but it can be more pups, because these images are not precise. Well, I guess, we will find out the exact numbers in less than a week.

"The Bagpipe Band"  with the six baor more(?) band members inside the bag. It reminds me  "The Turk," the hoax chess playing machine that actually did hide a chess master inside the machine.

“The Bagpipe Band” with the six or more(?) band members hiding inside the “bag.” It reminds me “The Turk,” the hoax chess playing machine from the late 1800’s that actually did hide a chess master inside the machine.

 

 

 

 

 

"The Turk, " Wolfgang of Kempelen fake chess machine with a chess master hidden inside...

“The Turk, ” Wolfgang von Kempelen’s fake chess machine with a chess master hidden inside…

http://youtu.be/8oO2v-6TZkM<—-Click on link

After a few days of feeding frenzy, she seems to loss her appetite again. I am back to my canine culinary juggle to please her pregnant palate.   Otherwise she is in a good spirit. I have to keep her on leash because she is ready to herd when we are outside during the day and she wants to make a nest outside after dark.  Before I leashed her, she really scared me the other night when she started squeezing herself into a culvert pipe.

I looked up the the antonym of "bareback" on the internet.  For my surprise, most entries brought up this photo.  I guess the news is out...

I looked up the the antonym of “bareback” on the internet. For my surprise, most entries brought up this photo. I guess the news is out…

 

We have less than a week to go…

The Burdens of Pregnancy

May 4, 2015

Nibbling on cat foot. Catskill Anka waiting for some kibbles to drop in the background...

Nibbling on cat foot. Catskill Anka waiting for some kibbles to drop in the background…

Less than three weeks to go. Agyag is in a good shape and excellent spirit most of the time, however, when it comes to food she becomes so capricious.  One day she doesn’t eat at all, then the next day she eats a few bits here and there, and when it is the least expected, she gables in  of beef liver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjGSStCXo_Y <—–Click on link

I buy a wide variety of food for her trying to please her. Of course the kibbles, and canned food for ideal nutritional balance ( she cares the least about these).  I bought her chicken. It scares me because of the raging chicken flu in the midwest. Chicken is suspiciously cheap these days.  I dehydrate the meat. I also try raw gizzards and chicken liver. I got beef liver, fish, of course we give our lamb and goat meat. Sometimes she craves for lamb kidneys and raw tongue. I also caught her several times crunching on dry cat food kibbles. The other day we also located  green tripes.

In short, she drives me nuts.

part of the food selection

part of the food selection

 

 

The Preparations Begin

May 2, 2015

Agyag's belly looks like an intercome call button panel. You press anipple and can talk to one of the pups.

Agyag’s belly looks like an intercome call button panel. You press anipple and can talk to one of the pups.

We are lining up for landing.  Kaffogo Agyag has approximately three more weeks to go until whelping. Her belly is swelling, and her nipples are protruding.  She just rolled over and comfortably stayed on her back while I was shaving her tummy.  What a girl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXSwE18fTWo  <—-Click here…

I am getting so excited.

Quiet please, I am taking a large pizza order

Quiet please, I am taking a large pizza order

 

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”

I Think We Are Ready To Go Home

it cannot get better than this picture

it cannot get better than this picture

March 30, 2015

One week. It went so fast and in the same time it also went so slow.

My favorite team today.  This dog was such an animated trooper

My favorite team today. This dog was such an animated trooper

Photo Mar 29, 1 19 22 PM Photo Mar 29, 1 19 26 PM Photo Mar 29, 1 19 30 PM Photo Mar 29, 1 19 52 PM

Photo Mar 29, 2 26 23 PM

sniff sniff… bear bear…

I woke up without my last night’s cold and was ready for action.  This morning we checked out an agility competition and then took the dogs for a last long hike. Just between you and me, by the middle of the week I just called it the “Trail of Tears…”  I have to confess that even though, we take our dogs for daily hikes in the woods on our property upstate NY,  Marja-Leena elevated hiking with her dogs to a different level. Photo Mar 29, 2 03 50 PM

Agyag on the Trail of Tears (she trailed I teared)

Agyag on the Trail of Tears (she trailed I teared)

 

I also talked to my sister on the phone, it was such a delight to be in the same time zone with her. We already started making plans for our upcoming fall trip to Hungary and Romania.

I start getting inpatient and somewhat uneasy about tomorrow’s flight for the dog.  All should be just fine… Packed up my stuff and ready to go to bed.  Tomorrow this time I’ll be back home in NY.

it is mine...

it is mine…

It is easy like one, two, three…

Photo Mar 26, 12 52 52 PM

one,

Photo Mar 26, 12 53 17 PM (1)

two,

Photo Mar 26, 12 53 45 PM (1)

three…

 

 

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).