The finishing touch: ART makes a difference!

I went on and on about my stay out at the McMullen Ranch guest house near Whitehall... but I couldn't show you the interior of the old farmhouse where I stayed until we put the final touches on the interior... which, coincidentally happened to be my art work which covers the walls. And it looks pretty good (If I must say so myself!).

The 1900 farmhouse sits a good 150 yards off of a country road in southern Grimes County.

 

It has been completely overhauled... The exterior appears much as it did when the German farmers who lived there called it home...

 

But the inside has been freshly remodeled and beautifully decorated. Still, visitors can enjoy the old- fashioned Texas farm life, with lots of WOOD, wood floors, wood burning stove for heat in the winter, and board and batten wooden walls, just like everybody used in times past.

The spacious kitchen is well equipped, and has modern amenities such as coffee-maker and micro-wave oven.

Surrounded by quiet and the sounds of nature, the cute, intimate dining room is perfect for conversation.

The bedrooms are comfortable and yet filled with light and austere country life. There will be curtains installed here, but I enjoyed not having any, as the sun can wake you up in the morning. This bedroom sleeps three.

The east bedroom faces the rising sun, and sleeps two. One on the bed, one on the floor... just kidding. These beds are primo- very comfortable, and provide for excellent sleeping, even through a thunderstorm!

Still, my favorite part of the old place is the porch, which must have fifty foot of breezeway which wraps around three sides of the house.

Pretty cool huh? Let me know if you ever need the place, I'll try to get you a deal, my "Blogger's Discount"!

You have to just make yourself.

I needed a get-away last week and my friend Faber McMullen offered his cabin here in the boonies in Grimes County. It was just what I needed and I wanted to share my stay with you.

I rested on the porch swing, and slept, and took hikes and explored the pecan groves that wind through this working Texas ranch. Many parts of it are still pristine, seemingly untouched by human interference. Most importantly, I left behind television, Internet, even my cell phone, any source of the "tyranny of the urgent." There are no sounds there but those of nature, no neighbors but livestock and wild things. I had forgotten how much these elements, and the serenity they offer meant to me.

I got some sun and exercise, and hundreds of photographs. And eventually, the oxygen I needed. These shots can begin to tell the story...

The old farmhouse sits atop this lush hill in southern Grimes County. The good news is that it is for rent to week-enders.

 

Sunrise in Grimes County. The house has been beautifully remodelled, but its major asset is the wrap-around porch which provides 24-hour pleasure to guests. This was our ancestor's combination recreation, entertainment and stress management facility. 

 

The McMullen Ranch is home to dozens of cattle, where nature and agriculture find harmony and produce a picturesque background for guests and inhabitants. This beautiful calf exemplifies the family- friendly atmosphere, and the pride taken in managing every corner of the operation.

 

These horses are just as social as humans, and understand that although a whole herd can get on your nerves,  everybody needs someone to scratch their back...

 

As of right now, there are lots of old farm structures on the property, fairly raw, and rich with direct glimpses of the lifestyles of rural Texans, of one hundred years ago. Some folks need museums to experience the history of our ancestors... just give me a dilapidated old shack like this...

 

The spring rains have ushered in a wonderful season of prosperity. The livestock graze happily, the birds sing continuously, and each setting sun comes too soon. If you are like me, you have to make yourself take the time to come to a place like this.. and then you have to make yourself leave.