Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Canines & Wines

Rolling from September into the new month of October, dogs have been on my mind and especially one in particular, my little "Chloe-Bird." Chloe is a little white/beige Yorki-Poo who will be going on her 10-month of her little 7 lb four-legged life. You see, she has kept me up at night recently, every night since Friday. Lots of "barfies and runnies," no appetite, swollen eye lids, splotchy red marks on an ear, two trips to Doggie ER and a mortgage payment later...

Chloe is now bouncing off the walls and once again herself. All of her tests came out fine and the latest medical prediction is perhaps she may have been bit by a spider or more like - - ate one. She is now bright-eyed and bushy tailed, but I am not. I am dragging...and this morning on my way to work, after watching her exuberantly taking her first bite of kibble since Thursday night and still wanting more, it made me reflect on all of the great dogs I have owned (and grieved for) in my adult life: Valentino (aka Poopus), Rosebud Lee-Marie, Lady Mae of Green Gables, and my finest companion in the best of times and the worst of times, Lucy Baines Johnson Walker. In fact, Lucy's best friend was Salsa, the black lab from Forgeron Cellars (and sometimes Salsa can be seen hanging at Long Shadows Winery). Salsa kept Lucy company during Lucy's "golden years." After two-years of being without a dog in almost 30 years - - now enters: Chloe-Bird Cristina Barcelona.

October is definitely the month for canines and wines in the Walla Walla Valley. One of October’s observances is "Adopt a Shelter Dog" and Walla Walla wineries are in the middle of their harvest – crush. We love our pets in Walla Walla and it is only fitting that during the month of October is the Annual Fall Furr Ball, a benefit for the Blue Mountain Humane Society on October 25. It’s a waggin’ tail of a good time with dinner, auction, gaming and dancing. For more info contact: BMHS.

This coming Saturday, October 4 is the Second Annual Dog Stampede that kicks off the Grand Opening of the Walla Walla Dog Park at Fort Walla Walla Park. Check here for a complete schedule.

October 10 is Walla Walla's signature benefit dinner auction - "Entwine." I love this event! It's held at the Marcus Whitman Hotel, featuring more than 70 wineries with regional art, great escapes packages and other treasures to bid on. It is co-sponsored by ArtWalla, Walla Walla Community College Foundation, and the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance.

On behalf of the great "woofers" in Walla Walla, now is the time to celebrate with some Walla Walla wine. If you are a wine aficionado who has a "crush" on canines, you can view the many photos of the great dogs who hang out with their winemakers at the local wineries. Winery Dogs of Walla Walla is a color-filled hardback book featuring beautiful photographs of 77 winery dogs associated with 47 local wineries and over 100 photos of dogs in their winery and vineyard environment. And while you're reading you'll want to be sipping on a glass of any of the Walla Walla wines, especially those featuring a winery dog label such as: Dunham Cellar's Four Legged White or Three Legged Red. Go fetch and chase down what Lowden Hills has to offer: Merlin's Winemaker's Reserve Red or their LuLu Red, a secret blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon named after the winery's guard dog, LuLu the Yorkie.

October - it's the month to celebrate man's (or woman's) best friend and to celebrate the harvest of Walla Walla's fine wines. Sante!

(...and yes, Chloe has one blue eye and one brown eye.)

2 comments:

leandra said...

Glad to hear that Chloe is doing just fine, our pup eats spiders all the time, so I'll have to keep an eye on her! We are two wine lovers who have a rescued mini schnauzer named Riesling. Found your blog via twitter. :)

wild walla walla wine woman said...

Hi Leandra,

Thanks for writing. I like the name of your schnauzer, Riesling. Before I got Chloe I thought I would name my next dog a wine name, but Chloe knew her "original" name and I didn't want to confuse her by calling her "Chardonnay" or something similiar.

Cheers,
C~

PS - I like your website and your artwork.

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