GATES PENOBSCOT RANCH STORIES: LETTERS

GATES PENOBSCOT RANCH STORIES: LETTERS: "A letter from Tara West 1991 Penobscot Ranch: At Penobscot Ranch I had TONS and Loads of fun !!! Although milking a cow was a first experie..."

LETTERS

A letter from Tara West 1991 Penobscot Ranch:

At Penobscot Ranch I had TONS and Loads of fun !!! Although milking a cow was a first experience for me. I didn't like it that much!!! Round up, (the dog) helped me in many ways. He reminded me of my dog, Tasha, and even though I missed Tasha, Roundup made it so I had a dog around and really, really, really, I love dogs (especially my dog)
It was and wasn't like home. We had sodas, food, dogs, cats, fish, hot dogs, spiders, and Grandmas & Grandpas, like home, but we had, horses, cows, goats, harness shop, llamas, coyotes, outhouse, and spinning wool at the Penobscot Ranch. Even though I missed my family I still had all my friends and the teacher there. Jaime Hunt my best, best, best,  friend and she was there for me at Penobscot when I needed her, (as usual). I liked Penobscot ranch and I hope to go again. Tara West

FOLSOM SCHOOL 1991

We have abook sent to us by one of our favorite teachers Leslie. It has many pictures and drawings from the school children it was the fifth grade class of 1991 and they came at the begining of the school year. If yuo know of any one in that class we would appreciate it if they would contact us. Jack (Grandpa) Gates at j_jgates@hughes.net

other blog

If you read this one try granfolks.blogspot.com as well that is our daily blog and local happenings. We also post prayers for the Roadhouse Community Church which is up country in Chiquita.

When Acorns Fall

When August arrives with a slight chill in the air, and the acorns started falling you knew that summer was about to end and the Penobscot  camp would be coming to a close.  You would   have the feeling that every one at the ranch was trying to savor each moment by cramming the days full of swimming, horse riding fishing & just clinging to all the wonderful stories that the staff share.  The bunk houses are looking like they could use a good cleaning and face lift, the cook I know, is probably so tired of Monday spaghetti Tue gummy rice etc etc. but he always has great smile on his face & greets each child with a wink  as if they were  his very own.  We must not forget the horses, 57 of them of all kinds of breeds.  The requirement to be a Penobscot camp horse was to be gentle.  Some came without love & by the end of the summer they knew just what to do. Stand to be saddled , knew the trail better than the trail master, and oh yes stand for that well deserved bath.
What a sight to see the children trekking down the hill to the barn with a bucket of half eaten breakfast, to feed the chickens, heaven help the dogs if they try and eat out of the bucket, "that's garbage"  they would say, as if once it was out of their plates it was not good for anything else except the chickens.  This was such a learning experience for all of them.  A new concept.  Parents would just be amazed at the change in their children.  So many memories for all of us at the ranch.
When the last group had left I would go to the camp ground and experience such a strange, lonely almost homesick feeling. The horses would show up looking for the children, the ponies were ready for their grooming, this was such a rewarding time. Memories were made, seeds were sown.  I would walk under the large oak trees and know that winter was on its way as the acorns were a plenty.

FOLSOM SCHOOL OVERNIGHT TOUR

I have the 1991 Folsom School overnight tour book written by the fifth grade class and assembled by the teacher Leslie. She was one of our favorite teachers we loved her and she must have liked the Penobscot as she kept coming back with a new class each year.

Penobscot Ranch History

We lived on the Penobscot Ranch in Cool CA for more than 30 years and it is the only town with that name in the entire world. One structure remains even to this day (2010) of the original town, that being a portion of the Cool General Store, originally built in 1883. The back of the building is still a residence and has a false front so to see the house it must be viewed from the rear. The post office was established in 1885 and the first postmaster was Henrietta Lewis.