An artist finds a natural canvas in front of her cozy log cabin.

Take a few days off to enjoy the last weeks of summer. Explore the 650-acres of our Central Texas Vacation Ranch on horseback. Share a romantic picnic – complete with champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries – in our gazebo on the lake. Try your hand at archery, or simply curl up with a good book on your shaded porch.

Cook for yourself in your cabin, or wander over to Carol’s Restaurant, which features amazing Texas cuisine. Tuck into sweet potato fries, cool off with chilled watermelon gazpacho, and try a Cornish Game Hen with jalapeno cream. The atmosphere is always fun and casual, and guests of the bed and breakfast rub shoulders with locals.

Come for a romantic getaway with the person you love, or bring your whole family. Children will love exploring the ranch before heading back to school, and parents will love having the kids to themselves. Couples may find romance in a hot-air balloon ride over the lovely Texas landscape, or walking hand in hand under the oaks.

It doesn’t really matter what you do once you are here – what matters is that you come in the first place.

Katalin Axmann hosts yoga retreat at our Texas Guest Ranch

We are offering a Yoga Retreat with Katalin Axmann at our Texas bed and breakfast the weekend of September 18-19, 2010. Start each day with meditation and breathing exercises, which will help clear your mind for a day of yoga. Katalin incorporates elements of Hatha, Iyengar, and Vinyasa yoga in her practice; you’ll explore the “bandhas”, practice arm balance, and perform a wide variety of strength and stretching poses while realigning and readjusting your body.

Katalin Axmann received her hatha yoga certification from the Temple of Kriya Yoga in 2007; at that time, she became a yogini of the Kriya Lineage and a registered yoga teacher by Yoga Alliance. In 2009, she became a Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant by the AFPA of the United States of America. Katalin’s yoga practice is open to all levels – from novice to advanced. She is adept at accessing and addressing the specific needs of each practitioner. Her training in nutrition and wellness adds to her understanding of the body, and informs her yoga practice.

The Yoga Weekend Retreat with Katalin at our Texas Guest Ranch includes the following: three hour invigorating yoga workshop, two hour restorative yoga, one hour breathing practice, one hour meditation practice. For more information, please visit www.yogawithkat.com.

In addition, you will have time to explore the ranch and absorb some of the tranquility of the setting.

We were disappointed no one won the holiday at our bed and breakfast Central Texas, for it would have been fun to host the lucky victor. Maybe next time!

Watch the video below to see our guest ranch on the Wheel of Fortune.

Pictured below are Matt and Rose, two WWOOFERS from South Africa and New Zealand respectively. Matt’s father owns a competitive archery range in South Africa, and while staying here at our Texas guest ranch, Matt set up a professional archery range for us.

We happily welcome Wwoofers and Workampers here at our Houston ranch. To learn more about these programs, visit WWOOF and Workamper.

A graceful sport.

It was a glorious day for all involved. We are so happy they choose to marry at our Texas guest ranch.

Photos by Skeeter Hagler.

Models Kate Baxter and Scott Mullins of the Neal Hamil Agency photographed for the February Gloss issue at Blisswood Bed & Breakfast at Lehmann Legacy Ranch, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009, in Cat Spring. ( Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle ) Kate Baxter of the Neal Hamil Agency wears a YSL print dress, PRICE TK, and Juicy Couture booties, $475, Neiman Marcus. De Petra earrings, PRICE TK, Tootsies. Chan Luu leather strap worn as bracelet, $188, Etui, Brazlian wood ring, $150, Etui. On horse: Scott Mullins, the Neal Hamil Agency.

Shot on location at Blisswood Bed & Breakfast in Cat Spring Texas. Fashion styling: Dawn Bell. Hair and makeup: Carol Wagener.

This Photo is copyrighted by Houston Chronicle Publishing Company Division, Hearst Newspapers Partnership, L.P., or its news and feature syndicates and wire services. No materials may be directly or indirectly reprinted, published, posted to Internet and intranet distribution channels, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed in any medium. Neither these materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use.

Cap*Rock Winery wines.

Why not make a long weekend out of this event? Take off from work a little early on Thursday, get settled in one of the vacation cabins on our Texas guest ranch, and then head out to Carols Cat Spring Restaurant to enjoy fine food and wine. Relax at the ranch during the next several days; long hikes or horseback rides will work off the meal, and shady porches are perfect places to enjoy a glass of wine, a good book, and good company. You’ll return to work Monday refreshed and relaxed.

Look forward to a delicious four-course meal paired with four different Cap*Rock wines – followed by the perfect summer dessert. Read on for the menu:

Pheasant Soup: Roasted pheasant in Champagne consomme, served atop a “bottom of bowl” English pea risotto. Paired with Cap*Rock Palo Dura Canyon White

Orange Roughy: Pan seared orange roughy filets glazed with a tamari orange suace and served over Napa vegetable medley. Paired with Cap*Rock Chardonnay

Spiced Duck Daimonte: Lightly spiced fire seared duck filets served over pearberry dressing and topped with a warm apple compote. Paired with Cap*Rock Merlot

Bison Roulade: Thinly sliced filet of buffalo wrapped around warm spinach and brie stuffing, served atop butter herb squid ink fettuccine drizzled with cabernet buerre rouge. Paired with Cap*Rock Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Strawberries Romanoff: Ripe strawberries marinated in Curacao, served with Russian cream over French vanilla pastry and dark chocolate drizzle

For reservations, please call 979.865.1100

The Murphy sisters visit our Texas Guest Ranch.

“There are six Murphy girls and we all grew up in Dallas. Three of the sisters now live in Texas and three have homes outside of Texas (Washington State and Wyoming). We are very close sisters and love to get together whenever we can. Our parents, both deceased, were proud of their heritage and when we were growing up, we often heard stories of our grandparents and great-grandparents. About two years ago, we began talking about a reunion where the six of us would travel around Texas and visit places of interest to our family history. We chose to explore the history of our mother’s paternal ancestors, and set about doing some research; our reunion turned into a Pilgrimage in search of our Texas ancestory.

Our main guideline was concluding our trip in the town of Wheelock, Texas, founded by our great,great,great grandfather, Eleazar Louis Ripley Wheelock, who founded the town. (His great grandfather, Eleazar Wheelock, was the founder of Darmouth College in New Hampshire!) As children we had attended Wheelock Reunions with our grandparents. These reunions, always on the first Sunday in May, have been held on the grounds of the Wheelock Cemetery for over 100 years.

Martha took charge of planning the itinerary, and asked each sister for suggestions of where to visit. We took out the map of Texas, circled all the locations, and “connected the dots”, so to say. Starting in Dallas, we had 8 nights on the road which included travel to Tyler, Kilgore, Jacksonville, Palestine, Mexia, Austin, San Marcos, San Antonio, Seguin, Cat Spring, Brenham, College Station, and finally to the birthplace of our ancestors, Wheelock, Texas.

When we realized our visit to San Antonio was not far from Cat Spring, we knew we had to make plans for a visit to see our family friend, Skeeter Hagler. What an amazing and unforgettable experience to visit Blisswood Texas bed and breakfast! We had no idea what we were about to experience when we arrived at the entrance to Blisswood. We followed Skeeter to the picturesque gazebo, passing many, many lovingly-cared-for animals along the winding road before arriving at the White Gazebo alongside the peaceful pond with its little bridge, and abundant flowers, vines and lush foliage. We were truly awed by the setting and the beautifully prepared luncheon of luscious cheeses, colorful fruits, croissants, chilled wines and crisp, “fresh from the garden” salad greens!

Our time with Skeeter and Carol at lunch (how does she do it!) was followed by a tour and an “all too brief” good-bye as we had to depart for the next destination on our pilgrimage.”

Thanks to Martha Murphy for writing this. We always love to hear from our guests.