Back on the Ranch and More About the Letters.....

A 'window of opportunity' opened up for us to come down to the ranch and Louis Dean and I jumped on it!! We could NOT get out of town fast enough! This was actually HIS idea!

We left Saturday morning and stopped at HEB in Waco on our way here.

As soon as we unloaded and put things up - we took naps!

As the sun began to go down, we came outside and put our feet up and just sat.

I read a little and we chatted a bit but mostly we just SAT!

It wasn't long before Louis Dean was napping ......again!

That's okay because that's why we are HERE!!

To rest and recuperate!!

It was good to see the goats come around - even though they were NOT supposed to be up here!

They eat things they SHOULDN'T!

We were last here in May when everything was lush and green with all the RAIN we had back then!

Now the flowers are not as profuse but you can still find lots of pretty blooms around the place!

We brought our bikes and that makes good exercise for us.

Louis Dean's knee has been hurting a good bit lately - more so than just after his surgery - so the bike riding has been really good for him.

 Our camper is not a fancy one but we love it!

We brought our Bible basket of reading and devotional books and prayer journal with us.

Our meals are simple with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

We have coffee in the mornings, tea in the afternoon, and wine in the evening.

I found my very favorite wine at HEB! It's an Italian white table wine but I don't always find it so when I do, I buy several bottles.

I like seeing all the old farm equipment!

This evening I put my feet up and read a little while the steaks were cooking on the ceramic grill.

I am NOT a master griller but they DID turn out pretty tasty!

My photos are a bit out of order.

I didn't get my mouse in the computer bag and I am not all that savvy with it and even less so without it!

THIS pic of Louis Dean was earlier in the afternoon - just as he got the awning down and we had some shade in front of the camper.

It was a happy Sunday afternoon!!!

His son came down and mowed around the place,

Tomorrow night we will have a fire out there!

This is the wine I was talking about.

My wine light was made from the very first bottle of L'Epayrie I bought!

The camper is like a tin can during the heat of the day.

Louis Dean covered the window by the sofa with cardboard and I put a board over the girl bunk window. The A/C works well but you still have to keep as much heat out as you can.

Louis Dean rode his bicycle down to the bath house.

It's good to see him feeling a little better every day!

THIS is what the ground looks like in places!

NO MUD on this trip!!!

While Louis Dean was biking, I was watching the sky to catch the sunset!

It amazes me how fast the light changes!!

We had grilled T-bone steaks, mashed potatoes, green peas and a garden salad for our Sunday Supper! 

I am finding the letters I have been sharing to be even MORE interesting now that I am learning about some of the people in the letters!

Thanks to my friend, Donna, for sending me this photo of 7336 Ethel Avenue in St. Louis, MO.

THIS is the house Willis and Polly lived in.

I have discovered that Willis N. Downs was a railroad clerk for the Missouri Pacific Lines.

Willis was born in 1869 in California. It turns out that he was married to a lady named Ola and was widowed at 61  with one one daughter - named Bertha! He married Polly ( whose real name was Lucy Crawford and she and Leila were sisters) when he was 70 years old and Polly was 55.

The Sunshine Special was one of the very first railroad cars to be air conditioned!

I am finding all this so very fascinating!!

I loved finding this schedule on line and it was just as Polly told Kathryn!!

I only brought a few of the letters with me to the ranch but will share another one tomorrow evening and perhaps I will have found some more information on them.

I feel like I am getting to KNOW these people!!

However, this day is all but done and Louis Dean is waiting for me outside underneath the stars!!

I love that we have such a comfy camper to get to spend a few days in!

It really does feel like we stopped the world and got off - for a little while!!