Browsing Tag

goble ranch

The things we don’t know

Not far from the Goble Ranch, a couple hundred feet down the side of a steep hill surrounded by oak trees, sits the ruins of what is probably a 1940 Ford. Not much is left – just the body and frame. The serial numbers and license plates are long gone, as is the engine.

Nobody knows how or when it got there. But it’s been at least 50-years because that was when I first found it. It was an old wrecked junker even then.

We’ve made up stories about the car for years. It was used by bootleggers, or it …

Family, Random Thoughts,

Advent and Angry Bulls

It’s April so you probably aren’t expecting a post about Advent. But in recent months I’ve begun brainstorming about a daily Advent devotional for later this year. And it began with a story about an angry bull.

Last year I found out that July 12 is National Cow Appreciation Day. And no, I don’t really know what that means either. Do we shout, “Hey, thanks for the milk in my cereal this morning!” when we see cows in a pasture?

Whatever, National Cow Appreciation Day reminded me of a story. The memory made me laugh. It seemed like others would …

D'Oliva Olive Oil,

Olive Harvest Diary

It was dark and quiet when I arrived at the Goble Ranch on Sunday morning. Not yet even a glimpse of the coming sunrise, only the owls in the eucalyptus grove calling “hoo hoo” as they wrapped up a night of hunting. It was eerie in some ways, beautiful in others.

I opened the D’Oliva shed doors, flipped on a few lights, and started setting up for the days olive harvest. Yellow lugs were placed at the end of each row, a cooler of drinks set out, the ATV gassed and ready. Soon the crew began arriving, a parade of …