All grown up

As much as I didn't want to leave UNC and Germany, one perk of being back in Cincinnati is that I get to visit Red Wolf Sanctuary. The wolf puppies I helped raise last summer are still puppies, just in much bigger bodies. Sioux and Kiowa got into a fairly serious fight earlier in the year, however, so the trio had to be separated. Kiowa and Croix are in one enclosure, Sioux in another. To prevent Sioux from becoming lonely, Red Wolf Sanctuary obtained three more wolf puppies and plans to put one of the them in with Sioux to keep her company. The other two will occupy a third enclosure. But for the time being, Sioux needs as much social time as can be given, so we were more than happy to go spend some time with her. On the way to see Sioux, Kiowa and Croix came down to the bottom of their enclosure to show off for us a bit. They were being complete goofballs, Kiowa more so than Croix.

Croix (gray) and Sioux (black) playing

Croix (gray) and Sioux (black)

Croix

Croix (gray) and Sioux (black) playing

Photo by Ginny LT, not me 

Croix

Croix (gray) and Sioux (black)

Kiowa

Sioux

Sioux and I

Sioux

Sioux holding my hand (/arm)

Of course, we couldn't leave without saying hello to the wolf puppies:

The puppies eat approximately EVERY 2 SECONDS

Still has his puppy blue eyes

Couldn't figure out how to get un-stuck

Female pup

We didn't just see wolves while we were there. We visited Akima, who kept vacillating between really wanting to see us and wanting to hide. Rosie wouldn't come out to see me today, so Akima was the star fox of the day:

Last, but certainly not least, two new Irish Wolfhound pups have been added to the crew at Red Wolf Sanctuary. Their names are Paddington (Paddy) and Guinness. Paddy is a boy, and at 8 months old he is already larger than the adult wolves at the sanctuary. Actually, Paddy would probably make a good miniature horse. Guinness, the female, looks small compared to her brother but is probably just as large as the yearling wolves. But both are very friendly and don't realize that they are not lap dogs.

Paddy!

I didn't die, sorry for the long hiatus

Hey everyone,

If you still read this blog, I commend you for your dedication. Thanks for sticking with me, even though I don't think I posted once throughout my final year of undergrad at UNC. It was a pretty crazy year, between squeezing in some science classes I hadn't planned on and applying to veterinary school and trying to make the most of Chapel Hill before I had to leave it. So I'll just try to give the most abbreviated version possible:

1) THE Ohio State Veterinary school decided to let me in to their program. I'm not sure I'm ready for another 4 years of intense study...but come August I'll be moving to Columbus to start another (academic) adventure.

Guinness scrutinizing the OSU CVM program guidebook

2) I went on this super rad trip to the USVI for a coral reef ecology class over spring break. We camped in semi-permanent tents and spent the days at the beach snorkeling. It was by far my favorite undergrad experience, even though it technically wasn't on UNC CH's campus. I've never been much into fish but by the end of the trip I was getting pretty good at identifying my gilled friends. Big surprise, the coolest thing I saw was a huge Barracuda. Like it was as long as me, and I'm nearly 6 feet tall. The green sea turtles were also pretty amazing - they'd let you swim right next to them. Also our camp site was basically two steps away from the beach, so being able to go to the beach at night with incredibly bright stars and water so clear it was dumbfounding was beyond describable. I probably could have stayed there for several months, even though the showers were freezing and barely got above an enthusiastic drip.

Sunset over Cruz Bay

There was a population of free-roaming donkeys left over from the sugar plantation days

A group of us hiked clear across the island and back - a total of 11 miles

The water was unbelievably blue

3) My graduation present was to visit my friend Jenni in Germany. I haven't seen her since I hosted her as an exchange student in high school 5 years ago. We traveled around Germany a bit and also went to Amsterdam to run a Nike 10km. I don't speak any German, so I was clearly the American tourist. Luckily Jenni was there to guide the hapless 'murican around, so I had a great time. The trip lasted a total of 10 days, and went by WAY too quickly!

Nike 10km in Amsterdam

Jenni (left) and I (right) before the 10 km - Steffan is the creeper in the background

Amsterdam

Jenni and I enjoy some Bitburgers in Aachen, Germany 

Dragonstone Castle, Germany

Dragonstone Castle, Germany

View from the top of the tower at Drielandenspunt - where Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands meet

Hiking through the Eifel Forest

Eifel Forest 

Cologne! 

Botanical gardens at Amsterdam

We QUITE enjoyed the wine festival in Cologne

Kolner Dom + Bridge 

Kolner Dom

Monschau in der Eifel - a picturesque fairy tale town nestled in the Eifel Forest

Monschau

Monschau

A view of Germany from the plane

Now I'm back in Cincinnati, working and going out to Red Wolf Sanctuary. I went out to the sanctuary on Sunday, but that will be a separate blog post because this one is already too long. Stay tuned for pics of last year's wolf pups all grown up, as well as some pics of the new wolf pups!