Our family cattle ranch is located in one of the windiest places in the world!! Anyone who's been there can attest to this fact. The wind blows and blows. I often worry about someone losing a hand or foot in a door that closes too quickly. The trees grow funny, the dirt comes in through every door and window, and no one leaves without some serious chapped lips. At times it's almost unbearable. (I tend to be dramatic--but this really is true.) I have seriously worried that one of the children would be thrown down to the ground from a gust. Don't you just want to head out there and join us?
We really do love the place. It's my children and husband's favorite place on Earth. They don't seem to care about a little wind. The cowboys don't mind as much as they should. I guess they're just a whole lot tougher than I am. There have been some cattle drives in winds up to sixty miles per hour or greater. Ugh. These are the days where I am more than happy to stay inside doing dishes or making another pitcher full of tea. I know my limitations. Plus, my hair gets tangled. And, someone needs to be there handing out the Q-Tips, eyewash, and
ChapStick when they return. I'm useful. Really.
The man who sold the family the ranch over eight years ago had a parting shot after all the papers were signed. "Enjoy the wind!" Harsh.
Guess what, Mister? I think we are about to start enjoying that wind a whole lot more. Turns out there are some people mighty interested in it. There have been several wind energy companies vying for our precious commodity.
These guys pictured with Max are from one such company. From left to right we have Scott Rowland, Max, Dave
Cowan, James Kelly, and Bryon
Paez. They have been meeting with Jerry and Tom, Max's dad and brother for quite some time trying to work things out. Because we were going to be out at the ranch on Wednesday while they were in town, Max agreed to show them around.
Do you know when you get to the doctor to show him how bad you've been coughing, and you can't cough? Or when you take your car to the mechanic to let them listen to that terrible noise, it's gone? Well, when the "wind guys" came out to the ranch to see for themselves, the wind didn't disappoint. 
I'm sure while showing the guys the map Max was saying, "There's wind here, and here, and here, and all over here."
If all goes as planned with this company, they will put up several test towers to verify that the wind does indeed blow. Max kept telling them as they drove around, "In my expert opinion, the wind blows!" Although amused, they let Max know their investors needed something a little more scientific. If they insist. But, we have eye witnesses. We know the truth.
Once the towers prove the cold hard facts, they will put up wind turbines to harvest the energy created by the wind. They will then send that energy to places like Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. I wish I could wrap my simple little mind around how any of that works. I guess it just does.
I am told these wind turbines stand 420 feet high. To put that in terms that might make sense, that's approximately a football field and a half high. They're big--really, really big.
Whoever thought all that annoying wind could be used in such a positive way? We'll see what happens. The talks continue on. I guess the place is plenty big enough for cattle ranching and wind ranching. And just think, the wind doesn't need to be branded!
If you want to know more about this whole concept, you can check it out here.
We'll keep you posted.
