From Galveston to the Ranch!

 I'm so happy to say that Louis Dean and I got our act together and were packed, loaded, and out of our hotel by 11:00! He woke up first this time and had already stupored long enough to get awake, make coffee and even go downstairs to get the brown bag 'Grab and Go' continental breakfast the hotel offers by the time I woke up.
Not that we ate any of it! No, we packed it up in our 'coffee bag' of essentials to enjoy the next day.

We had already planned on eating breakfast at The Sunflower Cafe before we got on the road.

Summer recommended this place and we love it!

Louis Dean got the Big Breakfast!

I was tempted to get the Little Breakfast......

but decided to eat healthy!

However, I did have a mimosa.....and I may have helped Louis Dean get his Clean Plate award!

I love everything about this cafe!

The food and the art that hangs on the walls and is available to purchase - if you have enough $$ - as well as the food and the service.

And the sunflowers!!

They are everywhere - including the bathroom.

We talked to Sherry on Thursday evening and she told us the roads had dried out quite a bit from the two extremely windy days they've had. Good news!

 We decided to go to the ranch for a few days before we go home. 

We drove straight to Groesbeck, Texas making only a couple of stops for bathroom breaks.

There we shopped Woodson Lumber and Hardware and Brookshires Grocery before heading to the ranch. Louis Dean wanted to buy some seeds to get started for the spring gardens and I picked up some milk and bread, a rotisserie chicken, salad fixings, a bah of potatoes, and cheese and eggs.

It was around 5:00 when we pulled through the gate!

This is always a special moment!

 I thank the Lord for allowing us to be here and for Dean and Sherry's gracious hospitality!

It was wonderful to open up the camper/cabin, turn on all the little lights, light the candles,  and settle down to a nice relaxing evening.

Before we left last time (December 8th), Louis Dean had laid the wood and paper for a campfire.

What a perfect way to celebrate our first night here at the ranch this year!

Dean grilled up some steaks and Sherry made her famous Gouda creamed potatoes, roasted cabbage and brought it all down for dinner Friday night! It was like a party!

Sherry even had a special cocktail for the occasion. 

Trader Vic's Macadamia Nut liqueur with a splash of La Croix Coconut water.

Delicious!

Guess what we did after dinner!!!

Sherry and I each shot off a big  Roman candle thing - it had 6 or 7 rockets that shoot out one at a time.

I get so excited and scream every time one shoots off!

It was a perfect way to end the day.

We were in bed by 9:00.

We slept like babies last night and it was 11:00 before I even woke up!

Louis Dean had the coffee ready and we drank it in the front room and watched it rain.

Then all of a sudden, the sun came out, the clouds disappeared and the sky was blue!

It's been a perfect country day.

Louis Dean has puttered around doing this and that.

 Fixing odds and ends and organizing his shop room a bit.

Dean and Sherry came down in the middle of the afternoon.

Dean and his dad visited while Sherry and I did a bee supply order from Mann Lake.

We aren't buying new hives this year as Sherry is planning on us splitting two of the three we have.

We ordered a kit called Ross Rounds:

Here's the kit you need to get started producing America's most popular comb honey! The Ross Rounds® super makes 32 beautiful, all-natural round sections of honey. Simply add the Ross Rounds® super to your hive and let the bees fill in the round rings with honey. Once they are capped, remove the sections, add the covers and a label. Kit comes fully assembled.

It's a hands free way to have virgin honeycomb in 8 oz. circles....with no contact whatsoever.

As organic and virginal as it gets.

We plan to open an Etsy shop so we can harvest and then sell these this summer.

No heavy jars to up the shipping price.

We are in this honeybee keeping adventure for the long haul and slowly but surely, we will get the hang of how to sell it.

We have been missing our kitties and Amber keeps us posted with pics and videos.

Tabitha loves to hang out!

WAY up there on a ledge in their foyer.

Pretty Samantha!

Always curious Tabitha.

They do love staying at the Bells!

Bandit is the only male in the group and he is older and set in his ways, but is remarkable tolerant of these youngsters who have come to be a part of his life.

Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum!

The Bells took their tree down and all four cats climbed in it!

Amber sent a video that shows Old Man Bandit batting at Ginger for even thinking he might want to climb on in and join them!

They all have lots of fun together!

It's nearly 11:00 and Louis Dean says it's 'wine time.'

He sits in the green chair and I in the other one out in the front room.

It's where we start our days here with coffee and end them with a glass of wine.