A Little Background

We moved to our 5 acres of heaven in Parker County, Texas in the Spring of 1995. Our hilltop has a perfect view of downtown Fort Worth, starry nights and most of all a quiet refuge from traffic, noise, dirt and crime. Those of us that built first in the neighborhood remember no fences and dogs playing together as all the families got to know each other and it was common practice that everyone waved to each other as we moved about the neighborhood. We chalked it up to everyone had enough privacy due to the large lots and it was easier to be friendly to your neighbors, unlike in the city where no one has enough privacy. The ranch behind our neighborhood is an old homestead ranch that has been around since the late 1800's. On occasion, we would see the rancher driving along the fence line, checking his fence. I have no doubt that he saw our neighborhood as an intrusion; his entire life, he had looked over his fence at another ranch and we changed that forever.

We had our children, put up fences, saw a few neighbors come and go, but basically built a sanctuary from the hectic everyday life. And it was always so, so quiet. At night it was so dark.
So we were able to have chickens, guinea hens, rabbits, dogs, horses and give our children a life that most kids could only dream of. They have been able to gather eggs, see a newborn foal, raise puppies into dogs, chicks into hens and roosters, catch grasshoppers for the chickens to eat, chase lizards, experience snakes and tarantulas, hummingbirds, mice and wild bunnies. Every evening we listen to our 4 dogs sing back to the howling coyotes, a beautiful, soulful song. Every so often we see a few deer and dove; hear the ducks fly overhead. Once the dogs flushed a bush and it exploded with butterflies. The kids have been able to work a vegetable garden, shell peas, put up peach jelly and peach butter, plant flowers and drive a lawn mower. We even fly kites when the wind is not blowing too hard. On 4th of July, we sit on the front porch and watch fireworks in every direction, with no crowds! It is a rich, full life not trapped behind a computer game or a TV set. Who needs to leave home, when we have it all right here?