HomeChicken Takes a Road Trip

This is so stupid. Is it over yet??

Breezy, my sweet little red HomeChicken, took a trip to the dog show over the weekend. We went to Vermillion, South Dakota. Travelling with us were Hawk and Darby from the Hurrikane homestead, and Michelle and her Cardigan Skyla. Bree is such a homebody, she loves going for a ride in the van, and she loves visiting some of her friends' houses and her dog buddies, but she's NOT the dog who loves to go new places. So I made her travel hundreds of miles and go to a dog show anyway!!! She has a classic pout with sad eyes and ears straight out to the side.

I had no idea how Breezy would do with Skyla. Skyla and Darby and Hawk are absolute BFFs, and Bree and Darby are inseparable at home. I wasn't sure if Bree would make everyone miserable or not. But she did really great, was able to walk on a leash right alongside Skyla, and the two girls were even up on one of the beds at the hotel together for a short time.

At the dog show, Breezy told me that she still holds the opinion that smash-faced little dogs like Pugs and Frenchies are alien life forms that should be erradicated from the earth, but she showed very well in the Cardigan ring and earned Reserve to a major both days this weekend. Not bad for the HomeChicken on her first trip to a show. In her 2 1/2 years, she's shown exactly twice before this weekend. One day at 6 months and 1 day old, and then again one day last month in Gardner. Here's Bree and Skyla, watching Border Collies show on Sunday from a cool spot in the shade.

Breezy was VERY vocal in telling all of us that she has absolutely NO use for wiggling, jumping, bouncing tri-color Cardigan puppy boys named Justice, though. If you've never heard Breezy's combination whine/growl that she can sustain without taking a breath, it's quite a treat. When Justice showed up at our room to play with Skyla, Darby, and Hawk, Breezy was definitely not amused. I'm not sure she ever stopped to take a breath from her whining.

Scenes from Butte, MT

Our Lady of the Rockies on the Continental Divide.

I dunno what it is, but I loved the shadow with the sunset approaching. I'm sure it's something mining related! *** UPDATE*** I asked at the hospital this morning, and this rig is called a "head frame." There used to be pulley cables from the top down to the right, and the solid part on the left was an elevator down into the mine. I learned something new today.

Seeing Montana in person leaves little doubt as to why it's called Big Sky Country. I think this week is the first week they have not had some kind of snow.

Photos of the Berkley Pit, the biggest copper (?) mine in the state (or the country, I should have paid better attention).

I just loved the brick design on this building and the amazing purple flowering vine creeping over the walls.