2020 in the Rearview Mirror!

I would be remiss if I stated that 2020 was a terrible horrible year. In fact, Covid-19 was a blessing to our little farm. Yes, we got the virus. Yes, we (well, me actually) got sick and suffered with flu-like symptoms for awhile. (Ted was the lucky one, only a little fatigue). And yes, I am still feeling the effects several months later, especially if I am doing physical labor. But even with all that, we still believe that 2020 was a GREAT year for D'Ranch.

Let's get a little perspective on what I am talking about.

June 2020 was supposed to welcome the arrival of 30 of my family members here for a reunion. So for the past two years, Ted and I have been methodically improving our property and our home to accommodate that many people all at once. We finished our lower level with 3 bedrooms, utilizing locally harvested cedar as the focal points of all the common spaces. We created a theater room, a gaming area, and a bar. There are two bathrooms, a kitchenette and even a workout area. We then set three cabins near the lake with the idea of finishing them just in time for the family to enjoy.

Then it happened. The reunion was cancelled.

Here we are with this perfect, beautiful space and no one to enjoy it with us. Now what? Well, in passing conversation we joked about just turning it into a B&B. Then the joke became a little more serious and we both agreed...Why not? So I created an account with Airbnb online, and 10 minutes later had our first reservation. WHAT?! SERIOUSLY?! Then another, then another. Soon, we were entertaining people from as far away as India (studying in the U.S.) and as close as Kansas City, and they all had one thing in common...getting away from the lockdowns and getting some fresh air. We knew we had something special here, but now we were able to share it with others; perfect strangers who leave as friends and still keep in touch.

Ted and I know that people have a choice of dozens of places to stay in this area, many that are right in the heart of the never-ending activity on the Lake of the Ozarks. We offer something different. Something quiet. Something fresh. The people who stay here, choose to stay here because of what we offer, and never mind that we are 15 miles from the nearest town. That just means more picnics and grill-outs with family. more time walking and exploring the farm, and more time to enjoy the birdsongs as they paddle across the bay in a kayak. It means waking to a rooster crowing instead of traffic noise. It also means reconnecting with the things that makes us human...hot pancakes and cold juice around a dining table together, playing badminton in the sunshine, dipping toes in the cool water of the creek, and laughter. Lots and lots of laughter.

So although 2020 is in the rearview mirror, I must admit I will watch it fade away with a fond farewell of what part of it brought to our little farm on the lake. The rest of it, well, I will just fondly tell it where it can go.