When my parents decided they were ready to sell a part of the Brush Ranch property a few years back and they decided to keep the 12 acres they ended up on for the last 7 or 8 years, I initially thought they were crazy. At the time, in my mind, it would have made much more sense to keep the north end of the property which was much more secluded and wooded, aside from the large meadow at Timberland. Or even the south end of the property with all the cabins, though I did realize that would be quite a bit to keep up. The thought never crossed my mind that the 12 acres in the center were what they would want to keep.
This particular 12 acres went from the back of cabin #1 on the south end of the property, to the north side of the barn. It also included a giant riding arena and the horse “pasture.” (Not a pasture at all, just a place where horses had been feeding and pooping for 30 or 40 years. Yum) There was a classroom building that was built in 1994 that was nothing spectacular, and a giant warehouse type building that was used for recreation (think elementary school gym). The Pecos river was the west border of the property and to the east the property backed up to the national forest.
Again, when my parents told me that was the bit of the property they were keeping, I thought they were crazy. Well, most of me thought they were crazy, except a tiny part of me that had some spectacular memories from that part of the property. I’m not talking about the horseback riding or even the river wading, I’m talking about the cargo net. Yes, the cargo net. This particular part of the forest near the river was especially overgrown and sheltered by giant cottonwoods that cast dappled sunlight throughout the day on the underbrush far below. The wild roses grew thick and tall and hanging from the tree branches was a giant army cargo net, it was the perfect get away, almost too hidden to find sometimes.
I have no idea where it came from or how long it hung there, I don’t remember when it was taken down. What I do remember is loving each time I found the path leading off of the larger, more used path by the river, that cut into the trees and led to the rope ladder that hung down from the giant spider web hammock. I don’t remember the views being particularly good, or it even being all that comfortable, I just remember it being somewhat of a secret and loving the way the sunlight danced through the trees. I don’t have any specific memories in the cargo net, or even anything particularly interesting to share, just that I loved that spot, and when mom and dad said they were keeping that 12 acres and I thought about it for a while, I was thrilled.
They transformed the 12 acres into an amazing and special place. They removed most of the wild rose bushes, creating a grassy meadow beneath the cottonwoods, removed the riding arena and pasture, and remodeled the classroom and barn into amazing places to live (the classroom) and have parties (the barn)…and work some too.
My favorite place on that property is still the spot near where the cargo net hung, though it was gone long, long before Brush Ranch closed. My brother and I were both lucky enough to get married in almost the exact spot where it hung (not to each other…obviously, that would be weird), and I will forever cherish that little spot of heaven and remember it most fondly. I am so lucky to have been able to create such amazing memories there, and I don’t think I will ever drive by that property without a little tear in my eye.
That space became a special place for all of us in a very short amount of time. I’ll miss it.
I was at my happiest when I was at Brush Ranch.