Father’s Day at the Ranch
When people think of Texas landscapes they tend to think of cactus and an angry cowboy onto a brown horse with a tumbleweed blowing by. While there is that somewhere in Texas- it’s definitely not the normal. I love living in Texas. In Dallas- I get the best of the Metroplex with skyscrapers, art museums, and the top shops and restaurants in the country. And when I want to escape and let life (and my surroundings) get a little more rustic and simple- there’s no place in the state I’d rather go then here:
The best part is- my parents own this! A 100+ acres sitting right outside of Sherman- this plot of land is the anti-stereotype of the state. Lush rolling hills, perfectly painted wildflowers, vibrant colors and kind people- it doesn’t get much better then this.
We were able to spend some time here on Father’s Day with my family. My dad (and sister and grandfather!) kicked the day of by going fishing for catfish in one of the three ponds on the property. Rumor has it my sister caught the biggest fish…but unfortunately he escaped along with another friend of his 😉
Boomer and Bella are big fans of the water (especially Boomer) and they wasted no time jumping in and scaring away all the fish. 🙂
They wasted no time drying off- Bella decided to do it by lying in the sunlight and Boomer decided to do it by running and exploring. He had so much fun! 🙂
Over by this beautiful aluminum barn is a neat row of trees. They are the beginnings of an orchard that my mother painstakingly planned and cares for. Success- there are peaches, grapes, pears, pecans, figs and more.
And the rest of the land? Beauty. My father has worked hard weekend after weekend to clear out trees and fight vines and weeds. It looks incredible. See?
Like I mentioned above, there are three ponds on the property as well that are stocked with catfish. It was by this lake that my dad and I had a discussion about Scott and the future of our relationship. Sitting in lawn chairs, fishing poles in hand, breeze in hair- this is where I shared my love- deeply and earnestly- for my (soon to be!) husband with my father.
In fact- it was the next morning after that conversation that Scott asked my parents for permission to propose to me. 🙂 They said yes- of course!! That isn’t the only special moment Scott and I have shared at the ranch- we have quite a history here. Like I mentioned in this super sweet Valentine’s Day post- the ranch is where we had our first kiss. In fact- it was this spot right here, when we had reached the edge of the fence line underneath a brightly lit evening full of stars:
There are paths that have been worked into the land now. By tractors, by feet, by cows, by us.
There are also incredible fence posts my father made- using the trees off the land. Amazing.
The fences help keep the cows out. Yes- there are cows. They are pretty friendly- they will come within a foot or two of you and follow you around everywhere. They stare at you with their big eyes and eerily remind me of our dogs…except giant and could crush you in an instant.
While we were exploring (Scott, dad, me) Bella stayed at the house with my mom and sister but sweet Boomer decided to join along. He actually chased after our mule car for minutes until we stopped and Scott sat in the back seat to hold him. He even picked him flowers. 🙂 So sweet.
I just couldn’t get enough of the blue sky, perfect white puffy clouds, and green grass all juxtaposed perfectly against the bright wildflowers. God is so creative, and so good.
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork” – Psalm 19:1
Most importantly- we got to spend the day with my family and celebrate Father’s Day with my dad. There’s no where else I would have rather been! 🙂
We are so grateful we have this gorgeous country getaway just a few hours away from our city life. When we need even more of a getaway then our Secret Garden– this is where we go. What about you? Where do you go to unplug and recharge?
Tania Griffis is an accomplished writer, blogger, and interior designer with a Journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma. She started her popular blog, Run to Radiance, in 2011, demonstrating her design expertise through the personal remodeling of six houses to millions of readers across the globe.
Tania also owns The Creative Wheelhouse, a respected ghostwriting agency for bloggers, further showcasing her talent for creating engaging and informative content.
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