Grandma's Garden

Jesse and I packed up the dogs and headed to Grandma's house for the weekend. Jesse's mom (aka Grandma) has a fabulous garden in which we took bell, banana and habanero peppers, tomatoes and onions out of for homemade salsa today. Wow, my hands are pruney from the juices!

The dogs had fun scouting out the garden. They discovered a hole under the garage (as seen behind Hunter) that held their attention for awhile. Nothing in there - but it was recently disturbed.

Hunter has started herding lessons! Once he got all the piss and vinegar out of his system, he listened well and got to business. Thanks to Denise Waiting for helping me get with Lisa for lessons!

I am also SO excited about doing the Canadian shows again. I really like the fact that they are smaller shows, and they do the group judging as soon as the group is finished, rather than waiting until most of the breeds are done and doing one group at a time. And, usually, the same judge does the whole group. Therefore, the group judging goes quicker because the judge has seen all of the dogs. I know why that isn't feasible in the US (too many dogs, pro handler schedules, etc), but that is why I like showing in Canada.

My Helpers

All the kids were playing up stairs today while I cleaned and took pics. They were helping by, of course, being in the way. LE is really good at staying out of the way, usually, with the exception of the kitchen. She lays either right under the sink or by the stove which happen to be the two places I seem to be most. Bella and Hunter just go wherever I go. A bit annoying some days...

As I was making my way back up the stairs, they were all waiting for me - AND I had the camera in hand.

Hunter - 20 months old, Bella - 4 months old, LE - 4 years old

Enumclaw Show Weekend

Congrats to all the winners this weekend at Enumclaw!
I don't have the catalog with me, so I will try to do my best here...

Friday night at the B-Match, Miss Bella (Aurigan Dunes Celestine Blue) got a Group 2! Dayl said she looked like a bowl of jello running around the ring. She has A LOT of skin to grow into. I was very happy with her performance - even tho she cant hold still to save her life... ;)

Saturday Results
LE (Kennebec Dunes Limited Edition) went 2nd in Open
Phantom (Aurigan MP Primary Attraction) went 1st in 12-18mo bitch and RWB
Brecca (Rememberance Brecca) went 4th in Open
Savannah (Wofrun White Lightning) was WB/BOS for a 3pt major which finished her.
Dash (Coedwig's Cracker Jack) was 1st/WD/BOW for a 3pt major also.
Lincoln (Ch. Pawcific Signed Sealed Delivered) was BOB

Sunday Results under Judge R. Frost
Phantom went 1st in 12-18 mo and RWB
Brecca went 3rd in Open
LE was on some concoction of speed and/or caffeine and therefore was not given a ribbon. She was such a spaz! A happy, effervescent, over-the-top, adrenaline-took-over-her-body-and-mind spaz... (Just kidding about the speed or caffeine... that was a joke!)
Mirage was 1st/WB/BOW for a 3 pt major which finished her too!
Ruby was BOB
Lincoln was BOS

Hunter went for the CERF clinic and is all normal there. Another health clearance down! He did get to participate during grooming time too, since he seemed left out and bored...

Onto Wenatchee in a month. Good luck to all at Redmond next weekend.

Stuff

Lazy Sunday NappingThis little girl sleeps as hard as she plays
Oh sweet cold tile, how we love thee!
LE in her red brindle camo outfit... I cant believe she blends in with the floor and cupboards...

Upcoming Shows

I know of at least four girls in our region need a major to finish, and a whole lot more need a major or two just because... I only have LE showing right now (and maybe Hunter) but I thought that I might post my potential show schedule in case the NW wants to try to build any majors at upcoming shows (like we just tried to do for Enumclaw - not sure if we were successful or not).

Aug 15,16 - Enumclaw, WA: Judges Cathy H. Daugherty and Robert Stein
Sept 12,13 - Wenatchee, WA: Judges Dr. Ruby Hertz and Dr. Sam Burke Jr.
Sept 19,20 - Shelton, WA: Judges Linda Riedel, Terry B. Carter
Sept 26 - Richland, WA: Judge ?
Oct 10,11 - Cloverdale, BC: Judges Limoges, Haverstock, Paterson, Mincey
Oct 24,25 - Ridgefield, WA: Judges ?
Oct 29,30,31,Nov 1 - Abbotsford, BC: Judges? Herding group specialty
Nov 7,8 - Salem, OR: Judges ?

I would love to do St Helens this year, but as of right now I have another thing going on. We will most likely have majors at Richland. Dayl and I are taking 3 or 4 to Wenatchee. And yes, I know the BC shows dont count for AKC, but I LOVE showing in Canada. ;)

Home

We got in at 2am, but all of us are finally home! Bella is already bug hunting - Good dog!

Memories

A realization hit me like a ton of bricks this morning.
My mother has been gone for 10 years today.

I just felt like writing about her today, though I am not exactly sure where to start or what to say...

Some people may wonder how Dayl Phillip and I got connected. Well, my mother, Yvette, and Dayl were best friends in high school. They bonded over horses and therefore, I have known Dayl basically my whole life. I have very fond memories of my mom, Dayl and I all sitting in Dayl's computer room looking up Haflinger horse pedigrees, or riding through Dayl's cherry orchards on the horses, or driving the three hours just to see the new foals.

My dad loathed our trips to Dayls. Because we would end up bringing an animal home with us! My mom and I (and my brother for that matter) seemed to get into a lot of 'trouble' with Dayl... The last animal my mom brought home was a Cardigan puppy. Just a week or so before the car accident that took her life. Dayl had her first litter of Cardigans and I had previously said that I wanted to get out of showing horses and into showing dogs. I was so excited when my mom brought Auri home.

Auri ended up being my life preserver. My heart dog. I could go on and on about how special that girl is to me.

Dayl and I wonder out loud sometimes how many dogs my mom would have had... wonder if she would have gotten into dog showing/breeding or if she would have stuck to the horses... wonder what her 'kennel' name would have been... if she would have liked this puppy or that puppy... what stud dog she would have used with whichever bitch...

But, we know that she would have had fun. The dogs are such a large part of my life. I would have loved to share my passion for this breed with her. She loved animals. And she had a way with animals. I will always say that she was one of the most patient, kind, and generous people I have ever known.