Five Star Pancakes

   There has been a tradition here at Woodlane (The house where Carolyn and I make our abode), that breakfast on any Saturday morning consists of pancakes, breakfast meat and whatever else will go with that, pancakes being the prime ingredient.

   But this story begins in Nebraska, on a ranch 18 miles out from Gothenburg.

   How we happened to be here on the Saturday in question, can be explained easily.

   In making up the itinerary for our western adventure, I had booked a stay at the Buffalo Creek Valley Bunkhouse, Road 411, Gothenburg, Nebraska for a couple of nights toward the end of our first week on the road.

   Our directions gave us a turn off the main hwy north of town, onto Road 702 looking for a turn onto Road 411 leading to the ranch. WAZE (our driving App) and I messed up on our first set of directions on these dirt roads, and we drove an 8 mile square, ending up a few hundred yards from the main hwy where we had first turned in.

   After a call to our hosts, we found 411 and the ranch.

   "Is this what we booked?", we asked ourselves as we drove down the drive into the center of the homestead.

   The lock on the bunkhouse did not give us a lot of confidence.

   The main house was right across the driveway.

   And three friends awaited us as we drove in. Two did not look too good as they had gotten into some sticky weeds and still carried some of the plant life around with them.

   Our hosts, John and Mary Lou (yes, you read correctly), came down to meet us. ML's great grandfather had homesteaded this land back in the late 1800s, and they raised calves to sell besides finishing them,  so as to be able to advertise beef that was grass-fed with no hormones in their systems.

   In the course of the conversation, they asked what we planned to do for supper. We explained that we had not stopped at the store on the way out, but would find a grocery or a restaurant, and make do.

   "That might be a chore", they replied. "The nearest store is 18 miles back into town, and any eating place would be right there also, if they might still be open."

   "Uh, Oh"

   "Don't worry, we'll scare up something, just come up to the house about 6:30, and we'll eat together."

   We smiled and agreed to do just that. It was a lifesaver for two travelers who had only snacked for lunch.

   We learned about the ranch operation, and just their lives in general. They told us they were Christian and invited us to go to church with them on Sunday if our schedule permitted. We, in turn, told them of our recent marriage and about our blended families.

   Then they informed us that they could not eat breakfast with us on Saturday, as they had to get up early and take some things to market. This was in North Platte, 55 miles west of us, and they would not be home till late afternoon.

   But not to worry, Mary Lou had a solution. She gave us her fry pan, some of her ground wheat and eggs, so that Carolyn might fix pancakes for us. She had no syrup, but gave us local honey to heat and  put on them with butter. Those home ground wheat pancakes were fantastic.

   The Saturday morning tradition continues...

   After bumming around the ranch Saturday Morning, we decided to explore Gothenburg, and did so, stopping for lunch at the local place to meet and eat. It was a good day including talking to several folks in own who made us feel right at home. Also paid a visit to the store to get snacks for supper and cereal for breakfast.

   When John and ML came home from Market, they invited us to eat again, but we begged off, having eating a lot for lunch.

   "How about, after supper, we show you the ranch operation?"

   We did, riding all over in the pickup, watching the 3 dogs work the cows and getting an agronomy lesson as well on the grass fed beef operation.

   To finish off our day we walked to the end of the driveway, out to Road 411, watched the sunset in the west and the moon come up in the east. The end of a perfect day, in a place we had really questioned when we drove in on Friday.

               The aforementioned 5 Star Brown Wheat Pancake Mix.

   As we got ready to leave Sunday morning for Wyoming, two things happened. Mary Lou brought down another jar of the pancake mix for us to take on with us, and also asked if she might pray for us. Carolyn said yes indeed and we stood in a close circle in the drive and our hostess prayed for our trip and for our families back home.

   Our time at that ranch was a blessing to us, but what made it special was the warm hospitality that our hosts gave us. Those are memories we store away and won't forget.

   That, and the requisite "outstanding in her field" shot of a lady in amongst the corn stalks.