My last entry.....

This will be my last post to a Colorado Summer because I am headed back to Ohio tomorrow. My family is experiencing many health problems right now and it is best if I am there to help out in anyway I can. This has been an amazing experience. I have loved waking up to the mountains everyday with the Sand Dunes practically in my back yard. I have loved walking along and coming face to face with deer, antelope, bison, and even a bear! I have learned a lot from the people here about what it means to care for the land and have been given great advice about how to succeed in the future. I feel like I forged a few lifelong friendships and that this has been a valuable 8 weeks for me in terms of career skills and personal growth. Thanks for everyone who logged on to this blog and showed interest in what I was doing this summer or left comments. Thanks to everyone who took the ride with me! I have come, I have killed weeds, and eventually, after I have done what I can for the family, I will be off to conquer something new in California. Colorado Summer signing off......

A fantastic week with Brian (Part 2)

So after we spent a few days enjoying ranch life we headed into Boulder. We saw fireworks and live music at Folsom Field for the Fourth of July. Boulder is such a great pedestrian city. We spent most of Wednesday just walking around and window shopping. Then we headed to Denver, checked into a 5 star hotel, and went to see Counting Crows and Goo Goo Dolls at the most amazing venue for a concert ever- Red Rocks Amphitheatre! The picture above does not really do it justice. The Denver skyline glowed in the background and all around were walls of red rock sandstone. It was truly an amazing night and hopefully a good birthday present for Brian, who officially entered his 30's on July 12th (that is what he says although he is really 31 and living in denial!)

The next day we went to the Denver zoo. The babies were plentiful and all the animals charming. I hadn't been to the zoo in ages and I forgot how fun it can be to see young people become educated and enchanted with the wildlife. I have mixed emotions about the idea of caging wild animals, but the zoo is providing education to the public and breeding to endangered animals. Then we went to a local pub for really good food and a funny waitress. Finally we hopped on a plane and headed east to visit my family and attend my brother, Richard's 24th birthday party. He is shirtless in the pic above because it was on the lake and he spent most of the day on a waverunner!

It was definitely a whirlwind week, but worth it!

2 Great Roommates!

These are my two ranch roomies. Blake is a ranch hand and jack of all trades here on the ranch. They work him pretty hard! He was the weed intern here last summer (my current position) and they asked him to stay on. He is quiet but friendly, and a really good cook. He also beat me and Brian at horseshoes!
Carl is the craziest cat. He loves to cuddle up on your lap during the day but at night he goes outside and preys on the wildlife. Every morning we awake to dead carcass presents at our front door. One morning his cache of gifts included an adult bunny he had decapitated, 2 pack rats, and a small mole. No kidding. Doesn't look like a killing machine, does he?

A fantastic week with Brian (Part 1)

Brian flew in for a week (Thank you Daddy!) and we had a great time. We went hiking up to the top peak of the Sand Dunes. We got caught in the rain on mile 2 of an 8 mile hike and finished it out in the rain, cold but happy! We played horseshoes (still need a tie breaker game to determine the champ!) and we marveled at the history behind a 300 year old skeleton found here on the ranch! Then we headed to Boulder and Denver........