Brown Ranch - Beeville, Texas

We spent yesterday at the Brown Ranch. It was a lot of fun and we met family that we had heard about for years but had not met. The family connections are vague but Savanna and I are hoping to pick Grandaddy's brain today and get it straight in our heads. But, from what we figured out Austin Brown 1 was Grandaddy's dad's brother. Then there was Edwin - who wasn't named Austin (obviously - haha) who was a wildlife photographer and was also in World War II's Germany towards the end of the war and took some incredible pictures during that time as well. Then Edwin had a son named Austin 2 (who we met and is now the "patriarch" - although Edwin's wife, Penney, is still alive and we did meet her as well). The youngest family on the ranch is Austin 3's family, his wife Jodie and their two children, Austin 4 (better known as Cuatro) and Addie. Those were two of the sweetest most well-mannered children I think I have ever met. They were a joy to be around and so personable and polite. Cuatro and Addie are homeschooled there on the ranch so Jodie (Austin 3's wife) and I had a lot in common. I think it was encouraging for them to meet three kids who were homeschooled pretty much the entire time and they certainly seem normal - or at least they are able to put on a normal front. HAHA Austin 3 and Jodie, of course, have been bombarded by the usual "oh but what about their socialization?" You know, the usual stuff from "well-meaning" strangers who think they know better what their children need. They all live there on the ranch but in different homes that are scattered throughout. The ranch is 4000 acres which is pretty mind boggling. Right now Texas is going through the third worst drought in recorded history so they are really struggling with taking care of the animals. There are pictures that tell a better story than my blathering on my facebook. Same link as the link in the previous post. Ben and Leah arrived at the lake last night and I hear Shepherd awake - gotta go!