Farmland Reserve Adventure: Bats, Calves and Tepee rings

It was Sunday afternoon. We were beat as we had put in some long hours trying to finish up all the projects, which continued to grow. We went upstairs to take a nap. Wes fell asleep immediately, but I couldn't sleep. I could hear this gnawing sound. "What were the dogs chewing on?" Still the sound continued and I couldn't fall asleep. I lay there, while Wes napped, and about 45 minutes later he woke and said, "Did you get some sleep?"

I explained that the sound of the gnawing kept me from it, and got up and went downstairs and opened the door to see what they were gnawing on. Strange, I thought. The dogs aren't even out here?!

I went back upstairs and reported what I hadn't seen. Wes reported that while I was downstairs the sound never stopped. He is laying on his side with his back to the window air conditioner. Suddenly, I caught motion behind him.

"A mouse-- no wait!" I stuttered. Wings! I realized. "It's a bat!" I dump my dirty clothes bag onto the floor and go to capture it. "Wait! No one is going to believe this." I say as the bat, begins climbing over Wes's glasses on the nightstand. I grab my phone, capture the creature (phone and glasses as well), and run outside and dump it all on the porch, and then retrieve my companions glasses and phone. A short time later, a bird swoops down and takes the bat (which I believe was injured in the air conditioner). Another adventure in living!

Before we left, Kinsie Parkhurst and Becka Jacobson invited us see the tepee rings on the ranch. We were excited! Below are ancient rings where tepee once stood.

It's hard to see- but you can make it out if you try

The tepee rings overlook a lush valley with water that runs through it and the wind makes it hard to stand up. Below, a single rose in the middle of a pretty dried out ridge.