Last time, I had us just leaving a Thai restaurant in the town of Alpine, Texas. This time, I’m going to take us to a fer-reals Saddlery Shop.
Okay, I’ve already said that Emily, our daughter-in-law, is a Texas girl. Her parents, obviously, are Texas folks as well. Emily’s mother is from a Texas ranching family. Emily’s father is himself a rancher. He’s also a lawyer, but that’s a story for another day.
About the photos: First, an exterior of the Big Bend Saddlery. Then, a saddle at the Saddlery (seemed fitting), and an interior shot of the store. (That’s David in the gray sweater.) But, like I say, best to go visit the Saddlery yourself. I can describe it, but I can’t really convey the spirit of the place.
Second, just because I like the shot, Martha at breakfast this morning here in Georgetown.
Anyway, her family has a ranch. We’ve been to it a few times, usually on holidays, always when the kids are going to be there, anyway. I have some vivid memories of our grandchildren being at that ranch. There was the time, for instance, when Hazel, David, and I took a walk up away from the ranch house and into a wooded area where the cattle don’t usually go. Then, out of nowhere, an enormous wild boar tore out of the undergrowth.
Fortunately, it didn’t get too close (have you seen the tusks on those babies? Yikes!), but it was ...startling. Envision being out in the middle of nowhere, you have limited visibility because there’s shrubs and brush all over, you’ve got your granddaughter on your shoulders(!)...and...and...some weird hairy *thing* like a hot-rodded, JATO-boosted, purebreded, racing Orc on d-Meth goes rocketing past you.
Let’s just say it was not my favorite cozy little tête-à-tête with Mother Nature.
The other memory I have is actually my grandson, Miles. I wasn’t present at the incident, but I heard about it, and got pictures from my son. It was at a time when they were at the ranch and it so happened that the cowboys were driving the cattle into holding pens so that they could be vaccinated. (No easy task, I’m sure.) Apparently, David took Miles (he was only two) to watch the action.
And Miles was fascinated. Utterly fascinated. David asked him several times if he wanted to leave. No he did NOT. He wanted to watch. They stayed, I guess, for quite a while.
When I heard this story, I realized something. I realized something both good and bad, happy and sad, and which...I’m sure...comes to every grandparent, in some fashion or another, depending on the personalities involved.
In my case, it was as follows. Both my grandchildren will grow up at least partly on the ranch. They will be, at least peripherally, within the ranching culture--within cowboy/cowgirl culture. And those are worlds of which I know nothing. Which means, in turn, that there will always be a small (or not so small) level of separation between my conception of the universe and theirs. There will always be a level of misunderstanding, and a number (large or small) of shared values which are, in fact, not shared.
Well...I suppose that’s true for any relationship. It is certainly true in the case of children and parents. Why shouldn’t it be there for grandchildren and grandparents? Still, while inevitable, and probably healthy, it is also just a little sad.
But let me get back to my story. Our next port of call was Big Bend Saddlery, where Emily wanted to buy some things for her father. It was a quick drive...just a couple of miles east and north on Route 90...and then we were there.
The Big Bend Saddlery describes itself as a “small shop,” but it looked big to me. It was an amazing place--a kind of one stop shop for ranchers, cowboys, cowgirls, and those who wish they were any and all of those things. Here you can find: “Tack & Ropes, Belts, Apparel, & Accessories, Notebooks, Desk Accessories, & Stationary, Wallets, Purses, & Luggage, Home Goods, Food, & Custom Gifts, Books, Knives, Tools, & Leather Care [goods]...Outdoor Gear & Gun Accessories, [and] Gift Cards.” (1)
There is also a special section devoted to the little buckaroos in your life--i.e., there’s stuff for children, including “Kids Gator Ropes.” I have absolutely no idea what those are. In fact, I have no idea why you’d want to rope an alligator. Seems like neither one of you would enjoy it. Though, I guess, if it were consensual. But even then...(2)
Oh, and the best thing. The place smells great. All leather and scented saddle soap. Which makes sense because it is a functioning leather workshop as well as a retail outlet.
I’ll post some pictures below. But those really don’t convey the feeling of the place. So, if you’re in the area, definitely go for a visit, even if you’re not a cowboy/girl, rancher, or other equestrian. It is just too cool to miss.
We stayed there for quite a while, but, then, finally, we made our purchases, and exited. We had to head back to the AirB&B. We were on a deadline, because that night Martha was going to cook for everyone.
What we didn’t know was that Mooey (remember Mooey?) would almost be on the menu.
More to come.
Footnotes:
1.See the store’s webpage here: https://bigbendsaddlery.com/
2. Okay, I looked it up. A “gator rope” is any rope designed for very demanding applications. It has to be, according to Wikipedia, “as tough as a gator,” and hence the name. In ranching, it refers to a rope that’s strong enough to secure a bull, who may weigh over 2000 pounds (1000 kilograms), and is really, Really, REALLY pissed at you to boot.
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