May 26, 2010

The Ranch - 2010

I spent hours - hours I tell you - going through pictures and editing last night. It was so much fun.
But I only made it about half way through the pictures from The Ranch. I haven't even gotten to the pictures of me shooting a rifle.

Yeah, that's right.
The Ranch will forever have a special place in my heart. Every single memory, down to the last detail, brings me joy and warms my heart. Do you have any memories like that? It's kind of hard to describe the fondness I feel.

It may not look like much, but this ranch house is the most wonderful place on earth. Green shag carpets included. I was "warned" about the green shag carpets, as if it were a disclaimer for how "old and primitive" the ranch house is. I think everyone was a little worried that this here city girl would turn up her nose at such things.
But they were wrong. I loved the green shag carpets. I might even get my own green shag carpets some day.
It's retro-chic.

I had no idea what to expect from our little weekend trip. I'd heard about The Ranch since I was but a wee lass, but I'd never been. And once Daniel and I finally committed to going, I started hearing a lot of, "Don't set your expectations too high!" "The Ranch isn't fancy." "The Ranch is just the basics."
The Ranch was just the basics (think 10 people sharing one bathroom basic), and it wasn't fancy. But honestly, I couldn't have set my expectations high enough. That is what made it so wonderful. Sometimes in life it is necessary to step away from being busy and constantly connected, and spend some time sitting on a quiet, breezy porch with old friends. The only sounds that surround you are swinging screen doors and the occasional cow-bellow.
 

It was like stepping into another time, long ago.
I fell in love with this little white church, sitting up on a hill about 3 miles down the road from The Ranch. It looked so quaint and peaceful, I had to take a picture.


Have I mentioned the food? Good, solid, cowboy food. Meat, potatoes, beans, apple pie, coleslaw, homemade ice cream, s'mores (and the occasional salad). It was heavenly.
And to top it all off, I was with my love. He has been working crazy 12 - 15 hour days lately, and the time together without even the possibility of work interrupting (no cell phone reception!) made the vacation feel like a true oasis from the daily grind. But my goodness, does that man love his work. And that makes me happy.


We're so in love.
As a side note, girls, cute bangs don't really work on the windy plain. Not at all. They just like to split right down the middle and look really attractive.

And it was fun to see Daniel wrestle cattle. More on that later.



If you want to see more pictures so far from The Ranch, go here.

3 comments:

  1. Aww this sounds like such a sweet, relaxing place!
    And what pretty pictures, with that crazy blue sky!

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  2. What a fun weekend, Karen! Your pictures are full of joy... and, personally I like your bangs, blowing in the wind or not.

    Where is "The Ranch" located?

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  3. Hey Karen, Really enjoyed having you and Ol' Danel at the ranch. Really a treat to get to know him and to know you better as an adult! I think Patty may have to rethink getting rid of the green carpet after your comments about it. Hope we get to do it again soon.

    Will be praying for your parents safe arrival in the States this week.

    Love, Ed

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