stemple creek ranch

this is my dear friend lisa and her sweet baby julianna.  we have been friends since high school and have the kind of connection that doesn't weaken no matter how long it's been since you last saw each other.  you know the ones where you pick up right where you left off?  i love that.

when we went to visit my dad and family last month, we were able to take a trip out to her family's cattle ranch in marin county. it is called stemple creek ranch named after the creek that runs through it in the beautiful rolling hills of tomales.

her husband loren grew up here.  his grandfather came from italy and got a job on this very land before purchasing some for himself to start his own dairy farm.  

do you think these trees reminded him of home?

here comes loren with ezra and avery, their 4 year old precocious daughter.

the land is epic.  it's all sprawling hills of grassy greens with cypress trees and eucalyptus groves stamping the pale blue horizon.  it was exhilerating to just be there breathing in the fresh air and taking in the expansive views.

ezra and avery strolled along making fast friends.  they've met before as younger versions of themselves.  this was the first time they carried on in childish conversation.  lisa and i shared this moment as a dream come true.  

i will always remember this day and the special moments we shared.  

ezra rode on his first real four wheeler.  

loren took him for a few rides up and down the driveway a little faster each time 

and ezra came back beaming with excitement.  

we all piled in lisa's car and loren drove us up one of the hills to see some of the mamas and their calves.  it's calving season at the ranch - we came at a very special time.

they were everywhere and there were so many pictures to be taken - all from the backseat where i was squashed with indy on my lap in the ergo - super fun guerrilla style camera action.

after the nursery tour, we went across the way to the land that lisa and loren have bought for themselves.  one day they will build a house here in hopes of probably settling here full time.  

they're business of selling organic grass fed beef is booming.  did i mention they're cattle ranchers?  they haven't quit their day jobs yet, but loren is out here every week and weekend and i'm pretty sure i heard him say that it doesn't feel like work - that's not to say he isn't working very hard at what he's accomplishing - just that he loves what he's doing.  it's wonderful to see their success in action.

they showed us this little house on the property,

with its original redwood planks.

they're going to preserve the historical architecture 

while renovating this into their first home away from home.

ezra and avery liked it.  it was fun to stand inside and imagine what will unfold.

after that we headed over the cattle grate to check out the rest of the land.

there is an old barn 

where soon to be newlyweds like these can host their wedding at.  they thought it was a fabulous idea!  aren't they the cutest couple?

it was an enchanting experience in a magical place with one of my dearest friends from my girlhood.   

before heading back to their home in novato, we went to petaluma to pick up some food for dinner and passed a bright colorful carnival.  it was a perfect symbol to the end of a spectacular day.  i love seeing my friends' dreams come true.