Join Us Snowshoeing in the Sangre De Cristo Mountains

Happy New Year to All.   Now that it is January 1, 2009 (I know it seems the years go by so quickly anymore!), all of us at the Ranch hope you are having a wonderful first day of the new year.   At the Ranch, we are busy planning all of our 2009 activities….this is going to be a great year.   I’m not a financial advisor, but I do have a few investments in the stock market and for me, as for many of you, 2008 was not a good year…it became easier to ignore those financial reports rather than watch the slow decline of the stock values.   However, I can already see the market turning around….2009 is a year of change as defined by many voters in our 2008 national election and it will be a year of change in the stock market.   Sure, there will still be some volatility, but soon the market will settle down, the wild swings and negative numbers of the Dow will become history as our nation revamps, revises and comes out of this depression stronger than ever.  Probably a good time to invest in land rather than stocks, though.   

So what are you doing on New Year’s Day 2009 to celebrate the Year of Change?   I’m spending the morning snowshoeing in our fabulous Sangre De Cristo mountains and then I’m rushing home (actually, nothing is done in a rush in our beautiful Valley) to watch Penn State play in the Rose Bowl.   I’m a Penn State football fan having watched Joe Paterno grow old with me over the 40+ years of his coaching career at Penn State.   Great coach!   Go Lions!   Happy New Year…Change is in the Air.

Jake Tests the Venison for Doneness

A beautiful wood fire crackled in the Cookhouse fireplace and Christmas carols played in the background.  It was a Christmas setting right out of a Dickens novel with the Ranch family and friends gathered for an evening of good food, conversation and fun. Everyone snacked on appetizers while waiting for the meat to be done.  The anticipation was high as many in the group had never sampled venison before.  In addition to the venison, Jake, our master chef had also prepared a white chili.   

It was finally announced that the venison was ready.  At the perfect temperature, Jake removed the meat from the oven and carefully sliced it into beautiful steaks.  The line started to form at the buffet island even before he had placed the first platter of meat on the buffet.   With the chili and salads, mashed potatoes, and a medley of vegetables, the guests filled their plates with the venison steaks and a wonderful assortment of side dishes.   The venison steaks were the highlight of the meal.   Prepared to everyone’s liking, with the meat ranging from medium rare to well-done, one could not have found better venison in any restaurant in the country.   So, on the eve of the Winter Solstice, we sit down to a beautiful meal in the Ranch Cookhouse.  As we share a glass of wine and a wonderful dinner, the entire Ranch family hopes all of you are as warm as we are and enjoying a meal with friends and family during this holiday season.  As the meal ends, everyone mingles enjoying the warmth of the fire on this clear, cold December evening.   With the Winter Solstice upon us, we start looking forward to the lengthening of the daylight hours.  Although the Spring season is still many months away, one cannot help anticipating the extra warmth the sunlight will bring.  As the evening meal is completed and the plates are cleared from the table, many help in the kitchen to clean up after the dinner.   Finally, the chef has a chance to relax and is captured enjoying his after-dinner cup of coffee.  We all wish to thank Jake for his tremendous effort in preparing this meal.   His hunting skills combined with his mastery of cooking venison, created an evening to be enjoyed and remembered by all his friends at the Ranch.       

Winter Serenity at the Ranch

It is December 9th and the first snow of the season has fallen at the Ranch.  The snow provides a peaceful serenity to all of our Ranch activities….including feeding of the cattle herd.  When the snow blankets the pastures, the Ranch Managers bundle in warm layers and take to the fields…spreading hay for all the cattle.   The sound of the engine and the hay being thrown from the wagon tells all the cattle it is feeding time.   Everywhere there are other animals also looking for food.  The snow-covered buck, below, searches among the trees for green stems and other treats.