The seasons of 2007 brought us many blessings, surprises and great guests. Spring brought us the surprise of the moisture. The grass grew and grew and grew. The rain kept falling and we kept repairing water gaps in the creeks that kept washing out. Joe was able to restock some of the cows we had sold because of the drought and he took in some extra pasture cattle. This insured that our summer season would be a busy one.
Summer brought lots of great guests from all over the U.S., England, Ireland, Canada, Scotland, France, Germany and Switzerland. Many guests helped us move cattle, rope and doctor cattle in the pasture, brand calves, and fix fences. Laramie had over 200 chickens to take care of, as well as 50 broilers we bought as chicks to fatten and butcher.
We always say we learn us much from our guests as they learn from us. Here are a few memorable learning experiences we had:
- How to make fried chicken almost as well as black hands at Nicodemus can
- How to make a proper cup of English tea
- A great website for conservative news
- A great attitude makes all the difference, whether you are disabled or not
- How to make biodiesel
- Kansas Cowboy weddings are not like those in England
- Guests do not let you forget when you run out of gas (pictures prove it)
- Daylight Savings time did not change until November (yes I lost that bet)
Fall brought us a daughter, finally! Cody, our second son was married in Septmeber to Missy Duff on their ranch in Oklahoma. Joe brought the bride in on a horse-drawn buggy while the groomsmen rode their horses. It was a great day for all in the family.
Fall also brought an end to any moisture, but not to the work on the ranch. We began weaning calves, shipping out pasture cattle, vaccinating calves, shipping and weaning for neighbors. After two cattle drives in October we began preparing for hunting season. Laramie was busy for a week gathering honey out of his bee hives and extracting and bottling honey.
We are thankful for our guests. They have brought insight to our world here at the ranch. One common comment we get is that everyone feels like they are part of the family and they enjoy our hospitality and genuine experience at the ranch. It is a great compliment, but the truth is, it is very easy to be hospitable to guests who feel like long-time friends.
