The Rocking Chair Ranch

The Rocking Chair Ranch.  After having visited this 100 acre ranch in the Hill Country of Texas, I think an appropriate rename would be The Rockin' Ranch because Jack and Linda are Rock Stars!  You'll be reading how "isolated" and "beautifully rugged" the ranch is, and it is!  But that didn't slow Linda down in the kitchen at all.  She has got to be one of the best cooks ever.  I really believe (and I do believe in reincarnation) that she was a restauranteur in her former life.  At the ranch, just as on the island, she cooks as if unexpected company was going to drop it.  and by unexpected company - I mean like an enitre COMPANY from the Army.
Here's a view of The Rocking Chair Ranch House from the road leading to it.  Actually the picture below is essentially the view of the house their "next door" neighbors have.

Yes, there is a house there - look for the white spec pretty much in the center of the picture.  See it?  From where the camera is, it's only about another mile.  And for the record, it's hardly a "spec".  The house is probably about 20' by 80' (not counting the porches and was transported to its perch from Del Rio, TX (~40 miles away) in one piece. 

The last few miles that house travelled have to be experienced to fully appreciate.  Here's the vehicle Jack and Linda have at The Ranch to navigate within the larger Bobcat Hollow Fossil Creek Ranch.  I didn't get a picture of it, but Jack also has a 6 wheel drive ATV which he uses within the confines of their place. 

The Ranch is at an elevation of approximately 2100' with the tallest hills in the area at about 2700'.  I have been to some very beautifully isolated areas' and The Ranch fits that description quite well.  On the way in you pass many rocky hills such as this one - cave and all.

When I say beautifully isolated, I mean exactly that.  The picture below is one of the views from their front porch.  The "road" you see is the driveway of one of their closest neighbors.  As dusk turns to darkness, the very faint lights of Del Rio can be seen looking in this direction

Jack and Linda built a wildlife feeder in their back yard - well, actually, it's their front yard.  You can see just the corner of it in the picture above.  The feeder attracts all manner of wildlife.  In the few days Becky and I were there we watched as many as 15 deer at one time, including an enormous 8 point buck, foxes, turkey, racoons, a skunk, of course squirrels and the one species we didn't see, but were "ready for" - Ferel Hogs.  Linda sent an email to Becky with some beautiful pictures of deer at the feeding station but for whatever the reason I cannot get them to post in my blog.   So just use your imagination for goodness sakes - can you see them now?  Yes, I know - they are beautiful.

Ready for.... here's what I mean by that.  Jack keeps a 30-30 on the back porch should a wild pig happen into the crosshairs of the scope on his rifle.  I did have a great picture of Becky steadying the rifle on her shoulder for me but she must have gotten to Kodak EZ Share and deleted it before I had a chance to include it. 

Another animal which the locals consider  "varmits" are the racoons in the area.  Now it's time for you to use your imagination again but this time all you have to do is follow the bouncing... err... the footprints to see one or two of them.

The weather was absolutely fantastic while we were there and sitting on that porch was absolutely my favorite activity.  Before the sun, during the sun, after the sun just sitting there drinking coffee, water, a brew or just drinking in the absolute silence, the rugged landscape in all directions - long sentence or not - all of it is breathtaking.  The bonus was the wildlife that would wonder silently into the feeder.   

I mean... think about it!  How would you like to have a "get away" place at the end of the driveway in the picture below?   And the porch above?  Sitting on the porch reminded me of when Becky and I were in Maine, I kiddingly referred to my two part time jobs... sitting and watching to make sure the tide went out and sitting and watching to make sure the tide came back in.  And on that porch, sometimes I sat and thought, and sometimes I just sat.

Speaking of sitting around... here are "The Boys" happily lounging inside during the only fairly hot day during our visit. They are "Harley and Merlin". Harley looks as though it is time to give up and go to sleep.

On one of "road hunting" trips in the Jeep we passed a wildlife well that the ranch owners in the area had drilled.  There are a number of these wind driven pump wells in the area which are critical to the wildlife during the mostly arid times of the year.

To be a bit more clear on these Road Hunting Trips, we jump in the Jeep with our handguns (so happened Jack and I both had 357 magnums) and drive the ranch roads looking for Ferel Hogs NOT the deer in the area.  As luck would have it, although the area is overrun with hogs, not a one showed themself.  It was a great experience none the less.

Near last but certainly far from least.... whatever new location I find myself in, I always gaze at the night skies to locate Polaris.  The North Star is a welcome friend of the night sky that helps me orient myself.  And looking in that general direction I was taken back a bit by the hazy, or "milky" view of the Galaxy.   Well, not the entire Milky Way of course, but regions of it.  I don't know how many of you have actually seen the galaxy, but I am here to tell you, if it doesn't give you a sense of isolation, you need to look a little closer.  At that time of night looking Northward I was actually seeing the spiral arm that good ole Earth is in and as I scanned towards the West, the "milk" was the furthest spiral arm out from the center of the galaxy.

Becky and I have retired to a very quiet, peaceful life, filled with the United States out our windows.  We've met some really great folks along the way, before and during.  Jack and Linda are counted in the "of the very best" category.  We could never repay them for their generosity and their friendship is very special to us.  Love ya guys!