While you’re enjoying your stay here at BlissWood Bed & Breakfast, you may want to take a day to venture into town and explore what Cat Spring, Texas has to offer. Here’s a little history about this small town with a big heart—

The settling of Cat Spring, Texas

Cat Spring, Texas is one of the first German-American settlements in Texas. It was settled in 1834 by a group of German immigrants from Oldenburg and Westphalia led by Robert Kleberg and Ludwig Anton Siegmund von Roeder. According to the Texas State Historical Association, the first settlers were drawn to Texas by letters from Friedrich Ernst, an earlier Oldenburg immigrant.

The town is home to the first agricultural society in Texas founded immediately following the Civil War.

What’s in a name?

A lot of guests ask us about the origin of the name “Cat Spring” which is not surprising since it is such an unusual name for a town. Amazingly, the origins of the name are more literal than you might expect.

The history books tell us that a son of Leopold von Roeder, and early settler in the region, killed a puma near a spring on the San Bernard River close to his family’s farm—hence the name “Cat Spring.”

Modern day Cat Spring

These days, Cat Spring, Texas is home to some of the most friendly, forward-thinking people in all of Texas.

According to the 2000 census, our population is around 766 people. But don’t let our size fool you. We’ve got a lot of heart.

Visitors will find that Cat Spring and the surrounding communities of Belleville, Sealy, Columbus, New Ulm, Eagle Lake, Richmond, Rosenburg, Round Top, Warrenton, Shelby, Brenham, Chappell Hill, and Winedale have plenty of attractions that keep people coming back for more. The area offers a variety of antique shops, historical attractions, and natural beauty.

Why not take a break from your busy schedule to visit little Cat Spring, Texas? There’s no better place to relax, unwind, and escape the hustle and bustle of big city life.

Click here to learn more about Cat Spring, Texas.

Consider treating your mother to a Mother / Daughter Getaway at our Texas Guest Ranch for Mother’s Day this year.

Mothers and Daughters enjoy time together at our Texas Vacation Ranch.

Our Texas Vacation Ranch Mother / Daughter Getaway provides a wonderful opportunity for the two of you to spend time together. Enjoy a horseback ride and a picnic in the Gazebo at Enchanted Lake. Unwind with massages. Linger over a gourmet dinner at nearby Carol’s at Cat Spring Houston Area Restaurant. You can even take a thrilling, scenic balloon ride together over Central Texas. Just think what broad swaths of fields covered in wildflowers will look like from the air.

The best part of the gift will simply be spending time with you. How often do you get to appreciate each other as adults and individuals? How often do you get to spend time together, just the two of you?

Since schedules are hard to align and you may have your own children who want to see you on Mother’s Day, you need not schedule your Mother / Daughter Getaway for the weekend of May 8, 2011. Any time will do, before or after Mother’s Day. It’s the time together that’s important.

Our show barn is a lovely venue for a wedding reception.

Whether you want an intimate elopement or a reception with fifty or more of your closest friends, we have wonderful venues at our Texas vacation ranch. Say your vows in an intimate garden, in the Gazebo at Enchanted Lake, or under the capacious canopies of our ancient live oak trees. Host your reception nearby at Carol’s Cat Spring Restaurant or at the ranch in our spacious show barn (ideal during inclement weather).

Celebrate your wedding at Blisswood.

We have a lot of experience hosting weddings here at our Cat Spring guest ranch. Our wedding packages include the ceremony, minister, bouquet and boutonniere, wedding cake and champagne toast. Some wedding packages include dinner for the bride and groom; and it is always possible to arrange a catered meal by Carol’s at Cat Spring at the ranch.

Will 2011 be the year you marry? If so, please consider Blisswood Texas Guest Ranch for you wedding venue. For more specifics, please contact Carol at 713-301-3235, or email Carol@BlissWood.net.

From time to time we we hear from our guests once they’ve resumed their travels – something we always appreciate. Below is a letter we received from one of our recent guests, a Swedish lady who delved into the lifestyle of our Texas guest ranch with gusto.

Dearest Carol,

Mikaela and Dukey

I wish for you to have wonderful guests who appreciate the quality of the services you are giving, the breathtaking surroundings, your animals, activities, and the good food your chef is preparing!

Back in Sweden I have a friend who runs a tourist agency. One of the first things I will do in Sweden after Christmas is to put you in touch with each other.

The horse I rode, Dukey, has a very sensitive soul; he noticed every little change in my voice or movement. I’m grateful to him because he helped me to heel an issue from another time.

With your professional and empathetic instructions we managed to stay on the horses, and I enjoyed it very much (you heard me singing and laughing – I forgot for a while everything else around me).

Have a great week. Loving thoughts from

Mikaela

Thanks for the letter Mikaela. We enjoyed having you stay at our Texas Vacation Ranch and especially had fun on the horseback ride. Come back when you can!

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Mikaela and Dukey after the ride.

Swedish and British guests enjoy horseback riding in Texas.

Host your Texas wedding here.

October is a lovely time of year to be wed in Central Texas. Temperatures are usually warm enough for off-the shoulder wedding gowns, yet not so hot that guests won’t feel like dancing. You may host everything at our Texas guest ranch: the rehearsal dinner, bachelorette party, bachelor party, and wedding. You can even spend all or part of your honeymoon here, exploring the ranch’s 650-acres, the nearby Texas Hill Country, and each other.

Our Texas guest ranch easily accommodates 43 guests, if booked in entirety. Your friends and family won’t need to worry about traveling after celebrating your union – they’ll just walk to their own guest house. Please see our  weddings page for a list of wedding packages, or give us a call at 713-301-3235.

We’re located less than an hour from Houston, but in an entirely different world. Come see for yourself.

Own part of this beautiful, award winning B & B. Live Oaks, year-round flowing Panther Creek, and frontage on Frantz Road are just part of what you’ll find. We are offering several tracts varying in size from 16 to 70 acres.

This could be yours.

Your second home in Cat Spring – in lovely rolling Hill Country – will be enhanced by its close proximity to our Texas Guest Ranch. Many of the amenities and activities offered by Blisswood will be open to you: hike on the land, go horseback riding, or spend an afternoon trying your hand at archery. Instead of cooking at the end of the day, head out for dinner at Carol’s Restaurant.

Panther Creek.

To find out more about the current tracts available in the Blisswood Legacy Reserve, go to the listings section of Rolling Hills Land Company’s website: www.rollinghillslandcompany.com or just click here: Blisswood Legacy Preserve – Available Listings.

An aerial plan of the available land.

Please direct all inquiries and interest to listing broker, Ron Moore, owner of Rolling Hills Land Company. His contact info is: Ron Moore Rolling Hills Land Company 905 N. Falls Dr. New Ulm, TX 78950. (979)859-3874.

Fear not! Our Texas Guest Ranch will continue to welcome guests as always.

Blisswood is a great place to come if you love the feel of a working ranch, and being around animals. We are proud to be offering our guests the opportunity to learn more about horses on May 31, 2009, when The Lady Horse Whisperer comes to Cat Spring Texas to give a workshop. Delve into the dreams of horses. Learn how to truly communicate with these majestic animals. Folks with no prior riding experience are welcome, or you are invited to bring your own horse for hands-on training (coggins necessary). You will meet good people, be fed a delicious lunch, and learn something new. Come to this Texas Bed and Breakfast for a truly unique experience.

Welcome to the Oasis! This little corner of tropical paradise is the newest property addition to Blisswood. A lush, and elegant environment full of flowing water and cascading landscapes is in store for you at the Oasis.

The first house we are opening is Harriett’s House. Harriett is a two-story home with the bedroom and sitting room upstairs. Downstairs has full kitchen and living area, small dining area, dishwasher, refrigerator, TV, and WILL have internet access. The bathroom has shower/tub combo. We serve the usual Blisswood continental breakfast at the Oasis.  This special place is best for couples as it is a quiet, romantic place.

The centerpiece of the Oasis is the Conservatory. A Victorian wrought-iron greenhouse, the Conservatory will lead you to believe you have just left Texas for the South Pacific. A personal pool is in the center of the greenhouse, giving the guest the opportunity for bathing during any weather or hour of the day, in the greenery and tropical environment created in the Orchard house.

We can’t wait to indulge you with this lush paradise amongst the rolling Texas Hills! Have your cake and eat it too! It is the best of both worlds!

Look for a page on our website soon about the Oasis…