The Ranch Life...ahhhh

Come sit a spell....I saved you a seat.  We just got back from the most fantastic weekend in Lawrence, Kansas.  Our grandson graduated from The University of Kansas (those photos will be up in the next couple of days) and we stayed outside the town at a beautiful piece of this world, the Circle S Ranch and Country Inn.
 
The Circle S is a working ranch, with a herd of buffalo, horses, and long horn cattle (although I didn't see the long horns).  The setting is peaceful and the grounds are immaculately kept with little surprises tucked here and there as you walk around.

 

The front of the inn.  Right by the sign is a patio area with tables and chairs so you can sit out and relax with a beverage of choice or play a game of cards.  We stayed mainly to the left of the sign on the fantastic porch with rocking chairs and again table and chairs to sit around. 
The back of the inn.  Although I didn't indulge due to having a hole in the knee of my bathing suit, the younger generation took advantage of the hot tub situated in the silo looking addition.

DISCLAIMER:  As I walked around the grounds I stopped and snapped pictures at random as something caught my eye.  I didn't try to frame them, find the best lighting, find the best angle, or try different camera settings.  I put it on auto and I enjoyed the beauty of the place.  So look past the fuzzies, the weird angles, and the overblown or under lighted, but I hope you enjoy my view of the Circle S Ranch.

You will more than likely be greeted by Lucy, who has another job besides hostess, she is the official vacuum cleaner of crumbs and spills.  She does both jobs equally well.

Random shots around the ranch

 

Down around the barnyard where the ponies and donkey live along with a little lamb that was squalling its little head off in the barn.  Surely it has laryngitis by now. Poor little thing. 

There were flower beds everywhere around the inn, and beautiful  scenery from every place you stood or sat.  We didn't have time to take the trails but I'm sure they are equally as beautiful.

 

 These are just a few of the flowers that are scattered in big beds, small beds, in old farm equipment, or in a rock wall.  Nothing overpowering, but little surprises as you walk along.

Daybreak; the firepit; the front yard leading to the creek; another flower bed; and the old piece of farm equipment that held the pansies in the picture above.

Other littl surpises awaited you too, my favorite old trucks were there, birdhouses, swings, arbors and other fun objects to check out.

One of my early morning walk thrills was seeing the buffalo close to the fence line.  Respecting them and not wanting to disturb them, I stayed back and shot from about 25 feet from the fence line.  When I got into the main great room and had coffee with my daughter she told me that they often jumped the 6-8 foot fence and wandered around the grounds, and they could run 40 mph.  Sure glad I didn't disturb them!!!

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam

Where the deer and the antelope play

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

And the skies are not cloudy all day

Home, home on the range

Where the deer and the antelope play

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

And the skies are not cloudy all day

There were a couple of babies that did get through the fence and came down towards the inn the next morning, but panicked and ran for mommy before I could get a good picture of them.  When I was walking they were way up on the hill laying down.

All the photos from the Circle S Ranch are here...

Thanks Kansas, it was fun!