Bella off to check a Live Oak tree The magnificent Live Oak trees in the Texas Hill Country are unique and beloved by residents and visitors alike. They vary in several ways from the clustered, closed-canopy, taller Oak trees found in the eastern part of the U.S.A. Just like many other aspects of Texas, our Live Oak Trees really are different. Unusual shapes caused by severe weather, injury, and sun seeking (phototrophism) To start with the form of our Live Oaks is broader and shorter than Oak Trees found elsewhere in the country. The thin, rocky soil of the Texas Hill Country along with f ..read more

Having a Paint Horse, the typical Indian pony, on Medicine Spirit Ranch seems highly appropriate. Native Americans believed that Paint Horses would protect them from death or injury during a conflict. Paints were deemed to have magical properties especially those with “medicine hat” markings. Meet Fancy– Fancy, our filly Paint horse We bought Fancy, our Paint Horse, from a riding stable where my granddaughter Ramsey had learned to ride. Fancy was a gentle riding horse that Ramsey loved so that when the opportunity arose, we purchased her for our ranch. Fancy like other Paint horses is gentle ..read more

This is the fourth blog piece in a series that features our first Border collie, Bandit, and is taken from an unpublished book titled The Bandit’s Gift. I wrote this manuscript which I suppose could be considered my practice book, shortly after retiring from my Neurology practice in Lubbock and moving to our ranch outside of Fredericksburg, Texas. The title of the book hints at our Bandit dog’s substantial role in bringing about our early retirement. Trudy and I feel indebted to Bandit for his efforts in hastening our move from a frenetic life in the city to the beauty and peacefulness of the ..read more

Thank you for continuing to follow the Bandit story. He proved to be my dog of a lifetime and as subsequent stories will show- changed our lives in meaningful ways. Evening Trips to the Park Neighborhood children frequently shadowed us during our trips to the local park. Neighbors often appeared at windows, observing Bandit’s effortless saunter along the sidewalk, pursued by his increasingly haggard looking owner.  Several, gave sympathetic words of encouragement to me as  might have  been offered to the final straggling runners in the Boston marathon. Ignoring the local leash o ..read more

With Andy and Katie’s departures for college, it dawned on Trudy and me that we were in deep trouble. We immediately missed our college age children who had spent time walking the dog, taking Bandit on car rides, and teaching him tricks. After the kids’ departures, changes in our busy schedules became necessary. Weather permitting on work days Trudy and I would leave Bandit in the fenced backyard. Evidence suggested that Bandit would scamper among the bushes leaving behind broken branches, chase about the patio knocking over furniture, swim in the fountain, topple the water plants, and amuse h ..read more

I have written several blog pieces lately about our new puppy, Beau. Writing about Beau and his antics reminds me of our experiences with our first  Border collie, Bandit. Bandit played such a meaningful role in our lives and had much to do with relocating Trudy and me from a frantic urban existence to the peacefulness and solitude of Medicine Spirit Ranch. If lucky, once in a lifetime your perfect dog comes along. Bandit was that dog for me. Bandit below as a puppy. Beau reminds me of Bandit in so many ways including his looks, enthusiasm, and intelligence. Our initial unexpected encoun ..read more

Trudy and I brought a new Border collie into our lives despite the incredulity expressed by our grown children. “At your age?” and “Surely you must know what you’re getting into?” were a few of the kinder backhand comments we heard regarding our surprising decision. “But what happens if the dog outlives you?” The latter question was met with our steely stares and firm resolve, “As the inheritance goes, so goes Beau!” Baby Beau below in his toy box after having laboriously emptied it of all its contents. Indeed, after having previously raised four Borders, we recognized how busy and challengin ..read more

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