Hot-air balloon sighting

The first time this season. On Monday morning, three of them flew by the house. They were moving with the morning air currents down the river valley, with spectacular views of the vineyards on either side. And Callie, running up and down the rows, barking madly.

Two of three balloons in the valley. You can see our back gate and part of the hedge on the right.

That's what she, and nearly every other dog I know, does when a balloon flies overhead. Callie will often hear the balloon burner's whoosh before we do. Then she's off! She doesn't go far, and always comes back, only to head down another row of vines, trying to chase off the invaders.

Callie bounds back from one of her runs to chase the balloons away.

I wonder if she thinks that her barking and running are actually working to make the balloons go away. Because they always go away. Good dog!

Two balloons float over the Cher Valley, seen from higher up in the vineyards.

The yellow and blue balloon you see is a familiar sight around our house; it's the balloon we see most often year after year. I don't remember seeing the other two around here before. And it's rare when we see multiple balloons flying over at the same time.