Summertime At The Ranch

Summertime at the ranch is always fun. We all need a little ranch therapy occasionally. Recently Kristen, Zachary & Jack spend most of a week at the ranch. The pictures they took take me back to summer memories of a simpler time in my life. Awe, a fresh breath of simple. (click on the pictures for a larger view)


Looking across an empty stack lot (hay lot) towards the ranch house.
With all the rain this year the wild flowers have been beautiful.
There are a few interesting calves at the ranch this year.
I guess it is because there are a few interesting cows at the ranch.
Some cows have character. Some have personality. Some have both.

The ranch house has natural insulation in the summer. The vine completely covers the north and east side of the house.
Its kind of like living in a tree house. No need for curtains in the windows because the leaves cover them.
Several people have had a hand in selecting the kind of flowers and plants at the ranch house. Some of these would have been planted by my grand parents.
This would be some of Uncle Kevin's work.

This looks like some of Moms work.

The trees at the ranch house make it an oasis on the vast open prairie.

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Kristen took all of these pictures.

Florida Cattlemens Association - Marco Island

Travels this week took me to Florida Cattlemen's Association convention on Marco Island on the west coast of Florida.
Walking down the boardwalk from the hotel to the beach. The different shades of blue are beautiful.
The beach is made up of sand and seashells (mostly crushed up). This time of year the gulf water is very warm.
An area of the beach where seashells have washed up. Remember you can click on the pictures for a larger view.
About mid morning the umbrellas become popular.

Looking north
I think parasaling would be a blast.
Everyone enjoys the sun.

As sunset approaches people start to gather at the beach to watch.

The colors are beautiful.

Photo opportunities at sun set.

A lonely sail boat silhouetted on the horizon.

A great way to end a day.

Tom & Andree' Wilhelm - Birthday / Fathers Day Party

Camera time.............Patsy Hudson, Bev's sister, humors me by playing dueling cameras. Looks like I won.
(click on the pictures for a larger view)
Sandy (Pat Wilhelm's wife) and Bev's brother Roger Wilhelm scouting something in the distance.

Lindsey Wilhelm (our niece)
The Odom's - Neal, Bev, Kristen, Zachary & Jack (Nick was at work)
Wilhelm parties are always fun. Everyone is such a good person.
The kids - Bev, Roger, Shannon, Dennis, Denice, Pat & Patsy.
The kids with Tom & Andree'.

Bev - Yep, I married way above my head. (Luck for me!)

The Kids with spouses and friends. Lisa & Roger Wilhelm, Bev & Neal Odom, Shannon Standley & John, Denice & Greg Adams, Sandy & Pat Wilhelm, Dennis Wilhelm, Patsy & Roger Hudson.
The grand kids - (l-r) Jack, Branston, Zachary, Matt, Lindsey, Ashley, Kristen, Tanner, Rachel, Patrick, Neely, Chandler, Jillian, Blake & Berkley
Andree', Tom & Helen (Tom's sister)
Birthday time!

Craig Odom - Baseball Guy

Craig Odom, our nephew, did a wonderful job playing 3rd base. He plays on the Yankees team at Happy Texas. This is the same ball field that his dad Kyle and I played on when we were kids.

(click on the pictures for a larger view)

Great hit on the first pitch. Notice the bat still in the air.

On first waiting on the next hit.

Rounding second on the way to third.

Fort Scott Kansas

Traveling back from central Missouri I came through Fort Scott Kansas. They have done a wonderful job refurbishing the buildings. Pictured here (foreground to background) the well, flag pole, powder storage bunker, hospital and downtown Fort Scott.
Officer quarters. Two families shared each of these duplexes.
Enlisted men's barracks on the left. Horse barn on the right.
Looking across the parade ground.

Bev was my travel buddy on this trip.

Portland Maine - The Downtown Area

Portland is the largest city in Maine with a population of 64,249 citizens as of 2000. Portland, Maine was originally called Machigonne (Great Neck) by the Native Americans who first lived there. It was settled by the British in 1632 as a fishing and trading settlement and renamed Casco. In 1658 its name was changed again, this time to Falmouth.
(click on the pictures for a larger view)
The New England style architecture is beautiful. Its amazing how old many of these buildings are. This picture is taken looking down towards the port area.


This is the sculpture in front of our hotel.
Note the cobblestone streets.
The main street down by the wharf. Yes, the sea food is very very good!



Casco Bay is the inlet from the Gulf of Maine

Portland has the largest number of restaurants per capita of any town in the U.S. Yes, they are very good. No weight lost on this trip. Darn!
This is the hotel we stayed in. It was built in 1890.