Ranch Nights

Our first Ranch Nights was a success! We just happened to have had some of our Colorado Rodeo family down for a visit for our opening Ranch Night. I’m really bad about taking pictures with others here and having a good time…just don’t want to spoil a festive mood. But, I’ll show you a few “before” pictures and explain what we’ve been up to.

We learned a lot from our Rodeo Families and we bring all of it to the Silver Spur Ranch. Hospitality workers at a rodeo keep the atmosphere homey and comfortable. Contestants and VIP's travel great distances to get there to perform. Hospitality tries to make their stay enjoyable as we set up tents or rodeo grounds with a ranch home feel to them. Bringing the indoors outdoors is part of that job.

We had lots of "hands on" help on Friday...so Friday night, in typical rodeo style...we had our workers spend the night with tents, campers and motorhomes and enjoyed a "prequel" or pre party! Here is some of their handy work!

First, a sitting area...Jessie fell in love with the bronco, the sconces add a little depth and evening lighting...I loved the wing backed leather chair and pillow. The antique chair leant a bit of whimsy along with the carpet.

Loved the antique doors...they are a great accent.

Of course, plenty of room to sit and eat. And yes...the table at the end is the picnic bench many of you told me about from Lowe's...we stained it with Pecan stain. Picked up the chairs from Gypsy Trunk in Burleson...they are about 50yrs. old.

Here is the famous deck made with Railroad Ties...great view of the work arena, pasture and pond beyond it with the wooded "reserve" in the background, great view from this deck...it's under a huge oak and pecan tree. There's usually a nice breeze coming through there as well.

A little diversion for the eyes...Jessie put these together.

And...a camping spot near the camp fire...there was a tent set up there as well. We have lots of space whenever y'all come out for tents and campers! You can be up close to conveniences or out in the boonies! Hey...that reminds me...may just be time for a boondoggle!

Ranch Work...

Ranch work…well, that’s a looong story! We work all the time around here and we keep making it all better for y’all to come on out! People marvel at how we are always up to some sorta work around here. Yessiree…guilty as charged!

In fact, it’s been so busy around here that I’ve not had a chance to update my blog. So, sit back and see what we’ve been up to! We had a lot of barbed wire fencing around here with rusted field fence and we replaced it with wood poles and stable fencing. Here is Babe as I'm trying to get a picture of the fencing...we'll say howdy to her first! Her ears are back because I just told her to move...she thought I was going to take a picture of her!  

Sorry, Babe...but the blog post is about fencing. I'll do more on you later...maybe with all the kids you love and teach! Btw...Babe is a papered Arabian and her papered name is Bathsheba! There ya go Babe...doing you a little justice!

Okay...so here is a nice view of the fencing...sorry Babe...without you in it! 

We found some great stain that we used on the fence posts that we really love. It gives it all a rustic look and besides, it matches the Railroad Ties and huge old poles that are probably over 50yrs. old that we decided to retain. You can see one of them right there by Babe.

As you can see, this place came with some very cheap gates that we’ve slowly been replacing them as we go. This is what happens to gates during "horse play" yes...a lot of kicking and wrangling of positions and opinions! We've taken out a good deal of barbed wire, field fence and T-posts.

 

We put in an extra big stock gate so we can fit our tractor and other equipment into the work arena and be able to start working on our full sized arena.