Sunday, August 25, 2013

Back in the Saddle

At home on the range we are back in the saddle. After a long, long, long blogging hiatus, we are back!!!

First day of vet school orientation
Things are about to get crazy around the Kirchhoff household....the official start of my veterinary school career is less than 24 hours away, weaning time is almost here, and fall harvest is creeping closer and closer. Looks like a lot of late nights and early mornings are in our future and we couldn't be more excited....on second thought, those early morning might be a bit rough for some of us....

My first semester of grad school went off without a hitch. Classes were very interesting and it was nice to delve deeper into different areas of reproductive physiology. Colin enjoyed the spring at River Creek Farms and was able to make it down to Wichita to help celebrate Christian's high school graduation and keep us company through the tornado that sent us all  to the equipment closet halfway through the ceremony.

Congratulations Christian! Good luck at KSU!
We have been so lucky to have had such a wonderful, busy summer. We started off June with our honeymoon trip to Montana. We visited Colin's extended family in Billings, stayed at Earth Reins in Pray, ate our way through various cuts of elk, bison, and beef, toured Yellowstone and Glacier, and stayed in a hotel made famous by Owen Wister's western, The Virginian. We can't wait to go back...even if it takes us 50 years!

Our cabin at Earth Reins in Pray, Mt
Colin in Glacier National Park 
The beautiful lobby of the Occidental Hotel in Buffalo, Wy
Looking out on the streets of Buffalo
Before we headed out to Chico Hot Springs
Ranch house of our dreams at the Grant-Khors Ranch in Deer Lodge, Mt
After our honeymoon wrapped up, we returned to Manhattan to resume with summer classes and work. As Colin stayed busy haying and working around the farm, I continued work on my masters. We took some nice breaks here and there to celebrate the 4th of July with a front porch picnic and the largest firework display in Kansas.

Happy 4th of July!!!! 

Family at the Wamego Fireworks 
As summer wrapped up we took one last weekend trip to Arkansas, with a detour to Southeast KS, to visit some of our friends. We don't get to see them much now that everyone has graduated and moved away from Manhattan so we pack lots into the little time we get to spend with them.

Ty and Colin....such enthusiasm
Dani and I....you should really live closer :(
And of course, it wouldn't be much of a summer without some quality cow time... The last few months of hardly any rain (in a very localized area) have been tough on our girls, and Colin's family too, but they have done well for us. We couldn't be happier with our calf crop! They are some fine looking calves!

They are a lot bigger now, thanks to good grass and late rain!

Happy first day of class at Kansas State University from Colin and I at home on the range! 


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