Eulogy for Fancy

Fancy was dumped outside of Kosciusko, MS, and was about to be taken to the animal shelter before I rescued her in spring of 2006.  When I first saw her she was caked in mud, had chewed off much of her own fur because of the ticks and fleas and was skin and bones.

A few months later and her fur/hair had grown back.  And she had put on a few pounds.  I think she was one happy puppy.  The vet estimated she was at least 2 years old, maybe as much as 4.

She got to travel around the country.  She probably got to see more of this country than most people.  And she loved the traveling.  It was always a new place to sniff and smell and explore.

Quietly curled up in her bed

When I went to Costa Rica, my parents took care of her and when I returned they asked if she could stay with them.  So for the next year, she lived with my parents.  

My father loved this dog.  The hospital even let me bring her up to visit him when he was sick.  Fancy gave my parents so much joy in the last year of their lives.

But I did get her back after they could no longer take care of her.  So once again, she was a traveler.

The last couple of years she even got to kayak with me

She loved beaches.  Here she is trying to figure out what a horseshoe crab is

But her passion was chasing squirrels.  This past spring she got free reign to chase all the squirrels she wanted while down in Lousiana.

Hiking with us

Usually she was pulling me up the trails and I couldn't keep us with her

Watching out the window of the RV

But I will remember her best as she sat in the window of the motorhome in the sun, looking out over her domain.  

While at Lexington, KY, this past summer, she became ill.  The vet said she was having kidney failure.  She had lost a lot of weight and couldn't hardly move.  I lost her in June 2015.  I will miss my little traveling buddy.  Goodbye Fancy.

Lexington, KY

Back in June, I was still following the Ohio River north, but strayed a little in Kentucky while doing the Bourbon Trail.  Lexington Horse Park is a convenient location while checking out things in the surrounding area.

I think Max makes a good hillbilly

Whether I make a good hillbilly or not, I enjoyed playing the park for a weekend festival

Adkins and Laudermilk

 For three days, you could hear bluegrass music from 11am until midnight.  And if you wanted to wander around the horse park, you could listen to the jamming until 2-3 am.  (No, I never made it up that late)

Barefoot Movement

Holler Blend

Bluebelles

New Town

Wildwood Valley

I hope I can attend again some day.

We didn't spend all our time at the festival, we had time to check out several distilleries in the area.

Buffalo Trace is one of my favorite distilleries, mainly because they have Creamed Bourbon, Yum.  And this year I bought several bottles since you usually can't find it anywhere else.  Notice Buffalo Trace uses brick warehouses.

Town Branch Distillery is more a small time craft distillery and they still use the old style copper kettles.

Just barreled and ready to head to the warehouse for aging

Wild Turkey has my favorite, American Honey.  Here is a scaled version of their distillery

This barrel is one of the select, single barrel bourbons, left to age to perfection

Just one of the many warehouses for Wild Turkey

Home of T.B. Ripy, founder of Wild Turkey

In nearby Lawrenceburg, KY, is the home of T.B. Ripy, founder of Wild Turkey.  Built in 1888, it was in the family until 1965.  In 2010, descendents of T.B. Ripy repurchased the house with the intent of restoring it.

When I did the Bourbon Trail in 2009, Woodford Reserve had already closed for the summer (many distilleries don't operate year round because of the heat), so all I got to see was the visitor center and I did get a taste testing.  I was here earlier this season and they hadn't closed for the summer.  But they had completely redone the visitor center.  Even though they are a larger distillery, they are more select and are not about quantity, but quality.  They also still use the old style copper kettles.

Woodford Reserve copper kettles

Barreled and in storage

Taste testing this year included a bourbon ball