Saturday, November 10, 2012

For sale--Willie Nelson's ranch

Larry and John are two very nice, very interesting friends of Ken's that I met in the restaurant.  In short order we were sharing stories and soon I had an invitation to drive out to their ranch for a drink and more story-telling.  So Ken and I journeyed out there--and I stepped into another adventure....



About 10 miles from Calvert we turned onto a long, tree-lined country road and came up to this gate....



Encantado is a ranch that was built and owned by Willie Nelson in the '80's.   I am guessing that, when the IRS went after their share of Willie's fortune, he had to sell the ranch.


Immediately beyond the gate and tucked back from the road is a very nice guest house.



     Further on we came to this lake that I later learned  is in a horseshoe shape and completely surrounds the main house except for one small  driveway.  (Wow! It was like a western moat.)



Beside the moat there is a cannon to ward off trespassers.


The lake is kept stocked with fish and this boat is available if anyone cares to bait a hook.




The present owners, John and Larry, have lived here for some time and now they are looking to retire, move to Panama and build an even bigger and better ranch.



The house is in the long rambling ranch style and entirely out of rock--both inside and out. BTW,  those ceilings are 19' high!



The story goes that the ranch was used for some pretty heavy-duty parties that included gambling and marijuana--Come now,  you certainly didn't think Willie would be holding church socials here,  Did you?


The kitchen is large enough and equipped enough for a restaurant...


and this dining area looks out over acres of great shade trees and rolling meadow.



This room is used as a den/library and looks out over the herb garden. Yes, I checked but all I could see growing were the old standbys--parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.



I'm not sure about these monkeys.  First Elvis and now Willy's house...Was this a trend I missed?

































A sunken bathtub surrounded by a walled in garden--it's one of those small pleasures I truly miss in the RV.  


A bedroom....Wish I could show it all--the closet was bigger than my rolling home and way more organized.

  
and a pool.

And it is for sale, folks!  Completely furnished.  For less than a million!  The land covers 49 acres and includes the guest house and the main house.  I kept thinking...Bed & Breakfast;  Wedding location and/ or  Honeymoon getaway; Artists retreat.  If I were only 30 years younger--and wanted to work day and night.  Wait a minute!  Whoa, there.  I better climb back in that wheeled retirement villa of mine and mosey on down the road before I get into trouble.


On The Road Again--Willie Nelson

On the road again -
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
The life I love is making music with my friends

And I can't wait to get on the road again.
On the road again

Goin' places that I've never been.
Seein' things that I may never see again

And I can't wait to get on the road again.
On the road again -
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends.
Insisting that the world keep turning our way

And our way
is on the road again.
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
The life I love is makin' music with my friends

And I can't wait to get on the road again.
On the road again

Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends

Insisting that the world keep turning our way

And our way
is on the road again.
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
The life I love is makin' music with my friends

And I can't wait to get on the road again.
And I can't wait to get on the road again.

8 comments:

  1. That is a lot prettier than Elvis' home.

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  2. Wow !! You tried to give credit to Willie Neslon for building this !!! Go ahead, But I and many other people know better !!

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  3. How many times do I have to express this !!

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  4. That was my dad's ranch!

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  5. This ranch didn't belong to Willie Nelson. He may have visited and partied there, he was a friend of my grandfathers. That being said, Encantado ranch was built by my grandfather. I have a photo of him and I sitting on the foundation of that house before it was built. I got my first pony there when I was 3. A lot of good memories there.

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  6. Amanda and Brent, The only information I had on the ranch was supplied by the owners who gave me a tour. They were marketing the ranch as once belonging to Willie. If that is incorrect then I am sincerely sorry.

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  7. Does anyone know who owns the home now? Thank you.

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  8. John and Larry were the owners when I was there. I don't know their last names. They were friends of the owners of Cocoamodo Restaurant and that is where I met them. Sorry, but that's all I know.

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