WHY DANCE WITH WOLVES WHEN YOU CAN ROAM WITH BUFFALO

Kevin may have danced with wolves, however I roamed with buffalo - but not in the buff - at Vermejo Park Ranch in Raton NM.  Take your boots off, pour yourself a tall one, cause this could be a long one.

Half a lifetime ago, younger and fearless, I convinced a Pennzoil Co. VP, who was then this ranch's operations officer, to allow me entrance into the multi acre enclosure so that I could pose with the buffalo.   The 12 foot or so tall fence post enclosure, which housed about 27 bison, just would not look good in my photos!

He was nervous and looking paler than pale as he unlocked the gate, but what could he do?  I was a repeat paying guest, which at that time was a paltry $150 single per night, these days more than thrice that since the media mogul current owner has had to update the retreat ranch's accomodations.  The anxious short wait ended when a thunderous sound was heard and a cloud of dust began to form miles away as far as the eye could see.   The closer they got...the louder the hoofs...the paler the VP got.   Poor guy!  

There they were, "mammoth" bison, the big bull always placing himself between me and the cows.  Like a 5' 3" female could harm them!  When it looked like my guide could have a myocardial infarction, I put him out of his misery and asked, 'okay, did you get any good pictures?'   That herd probably consisted of the great, grand sires of bison served today at a famous grill owned by a media mogul and current owner of the ranch.

VERMEJO PARK RANCH located in Northeast Colfax County, New Mexico is more than half the size of Rhode Island.  At one time it had well over 1.4 million acres made up in part of an 1840s Spanish/Mexican land grant which through marriage to the orginal grant's co-recepient's daughter, ended up in the hands of Lucien B Maxwell, thus changing the name to the Maxwell Land Grant while adding significantly to its acreage.  The original, slightly smaller acreage had been named the Miranda Beaubien Land Grant.  Marriages, wars and later interesting ownerships helped shape this magnificent ranch's history.

Lucien Maxwell's daughter Paulita was known to have "kept company" with Billy the Kid, a charming orphaned rogue fluent in Spanish, and a friend of her brother Pedro Maxwell, who in turn was not quite his "friend" and may have been the one who told Sheriff Pat Garett where to find The Kid.

When Pennzoil Co owned it and the ranch was up for sale for about $70 Million, I had the distinct pleasure of being allowed access to the Casa Grande, to take notes and pictures, knowing somehow that one day paintings and musings would result from my visits.  Since the late 1990s, the Casa Grande has been a private residence of Mr. Ted Turner when he acquired the splendid nature retreat.  Twenty years later one can only imagine how much he paid Pennzoil Co for the ranch!  Tis late, shall continue at a later time or on another blog about this ranch...

PS: I couldn't resist, please enter my imagination repository:  Don't the three bison on the left look like they are discussing, 'shall we squash her like a bug, or do think she's going to feed us?'   A straggler, 'what's going on...is the food here yet?'   While the one leaving on the right as if saying, 'move along...nothing to see here...'

Please keep in mind that there are not many bison roaming here in New England, leaving me to memory, poorly taken instamatic produced photos and quick sketches for reference.  PS, the hair reeeeally looked like that and was often mistaken for a wig!  Not a hair out of place.

That shirt is the only western shirt worn by moi and it took me more than 8 hours to finish pearl snap buttons and all, using a Vogue pattern no less!  No Simplicity pattern for this gal!

All images design concept content text are original and solely owned  by Mimi Dee and may not be reproduced in any form.  January 2013