During the week that followed Thanksgiving I considered the condition of the ranch, and it was a contemplative exercise. Compared to most of the country, the foliage in South Texas changes color late in the calendar year, if it changes much at all. That the calendar sits open to December and the Texas red oaks … Continue reading As a Child
"On the outskirts of Comfort, Texas, atop rolling limestone peaks of the Texas Hill Country, The Lost Madrone Ranch is the magical place where I walk — literally and figuratively. I visit the ranch to experience nature, seek respite, find inspiration, form ideas, renew my energy, work, create and enjoy life." With the above words, … Continue reading Where Do You Wonder?
When we turned into the driveway of the ranch house our eyes were drawn to the agave. We gasped. As always, the massive agave stood stately and bold in stature — extending a human-scaled welcome, as if from a guard on post, assuring us all was well under her protective watch. The unquestionable strength and … Continue reading Cry, Heart, But Never Break: Part 1
Grind, dose, tap, tamp, pump, extract, knock, steam, stretch, froth, thump, swirl, pour, sip — I love a perfect espresso that makes a great latte. For most of my life, I didn’t drink a drop of coffee, but over the past five years, quality fresh ground beans, golden-brown espresso with crema that lingers, and velvety … Continue reading Savor: Things, Ideas, and People
It was two o’clock on Sunday when the summer sun was high in the sky, baking the blades of grass that were already brown, thin, and parched from lack of rain. But my eyes were not on the ground as I drove through the gate and gazed across the ranch. I searched for the familiar … Continue reading Clouds on a Summer Sunday
In March, I asked readers to walk through a ranch project with me. The first part of the project followed a progression of sedums from sprout to bloom. The project concluded by transplanting sedums to a spot on the ranch — Dad’s Cactus Ridge — where no sedums grow. This post shares the transplanting story and … Continue reading Feeding Chickens
The first tomatoes and peppers of summer are ripe at the Lost Madrone Ranch. The only thing better than eating tomatoes picked from the vine is sharing them with friends. Happy Summer!
On most visits to the ranch lasting more than a day, I gather plant material — whether bare branches or full blooms — and make an arrangement to display at the house. It might be a simple zinnia or fern frond in a vase, an oversized arrangement of fall leaves and grasses, or a quickly … Continue reading Seeking Flowers, Finding Spiders, Considering the Lilies
We started to watch sedum plants at the Lost Madrone Ranch beginning March 4th. I will be honest, I did not realize it would take this many Saturdays to reach the peak blooming period for this little succulent. Thank you for watching the sedums with me! I arrived at the ranch yesterday happy with the … Continue reading Saturday Sedum Watch: The Final Week
Crunch, crunch, crunch. Anyone with unirrigated land in South Texas knows how it feels and sounds as you walk across dry parched grass. Crunch is the sound I heard as I walked to see the sedums this week. That was unexpected. Just last week at the Lost Madrone Ranch, I walked through a bright yellow … Continue reading Saturday Sedum Watch: That Was Unexpected