House Rules (How to make it your house, too)

We have to stress safety first, since the only thing that won't fulfill our vision for this piece of heaven is if one of you gets injured during your stay. Please be careful on the power toys and be sure to get our permission before you use them (some of them aren't ours). Remember that speed kills.  We limit speed on the ranch to about 15 mph.  The fields are full of hog wallows that will turn that 700 pound piece of hot metal on your head in a heart beat.  Then you won't come back.  And that would be sad.  For picnics, we ask that no livestock (horses) or power toys be taken into the homestead area, out of consideration for the musicians and for the safety of the other folks. Kids should bring helmets and adults should always supervise the kids. WalkieTalkies and flashlights are in the hotel room. If in doubt, don't do it. Ask for help if you need it. This is the country and there are snakes (coral and copperheads and others) and a variety of furry creatures that are all "more scared of you", but command your attention and respect nonetheless. Firearms are permitted, but their use is limited to the North 40 Woods and North Pasture. Weapons must be unloaded before they are brought back across Cummins Creek Bridge. No exceptions.  No ammunition in the house, please.  No firearms on picnic weekends, please. Regarding food, most of the condiments that you'll need are already there. Paper products are here, as are trash bags. Bring anything else you need to consume. Towels and linens are provided. In general, a made bed is a clean bed. Anything in the dryer is clean. The well water smells like sulfur.  Hey, it's the country.  But it doesn't taste like sulfur and you won't smell like sulfur.  Some folks will run a load of wash without clothes first, since most of the "sulfur" is gas in the holding tank and the first load gets rid of most of it.  Dave kinda likes the smell, actually.  The place is easy to clean before you leave.  And don't forget to take your trash to the dumpster when you go. We wash dishes and glasses(instead of paper/disposables) to reduce the trash load. Note that we don't have a disposal for the sink, since we have a septic system and not a municipal sewer. Ladies will find a special trash can in the restrooms as well. The keys are in the lock box at the front door and at the shop door. You'll get the combination from us. When you unlock the door, just put the keys back in the lock box, so they'll be there for you to use when you lock up to leave. Fish to your heart's content. Bass and crappie abound in the Matt's Pond near the creek and bass and gar are plentiful in the Lilly Pond. There are some monster catfish in the creek in back.  Keep only what you plan to eat or mount. We'd love to see a picture of whatever you catch! Seed for the bird feeders is in the shop if they need to be filled. Alfalfa cubes or pellets for the longhorns are in the black tub by the barn. You can hand feed them all through the fence, just fear the size of their horns and hooves (amazingly large) and respect the size of their brain (equally amazingly small).  The top and bottom wire are hot on the electric fence behind the house.  A dog run is in the pen behind the shop if you bring an animal with you.  No beasts in the house, please. When you leave, turn the AC up to 85 in the summer or turn the heat down to 60 in the winter. Leave the spotlight switch on but turn the porch fans off. Mind your fires in the pit, please. We'd love to get a picture of your visit to add to our album. Look for one of the disposable cameras that we try to leave around. Don't forget to sign the register before you leave. In the end....if you empty it, fill it.  If you break it, fix it.  If you dirty it, clean it.  If you open it, close it (unless it's a gate, then leave it as you found it).

From "The Handbook of Texas Online" CUMMINS CREEK (Lee County). Cummins Creek rises near Giddings in Lee County (at 30°11' N, 96°55' W) and runs southeast through Lee, Fayette, and Colorado counties for sixty-five miles to its mouth on a horseshoe bend of the Colorado River, opposite Columbus (at 29°43' N, 96°31' W). The stream is named for James Cummins, one of Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred, who was granted the land at its mouth in 1824. Cummins built a sawmill and gristmill there in 1826. The stream, known to the Spanish as San Benave, was also called Mill Creek before acquiring the name of the pioneer. Cummins Creek is a major tributary of the Colorado River and was for many years subject to extensive flooding. Throughout its course and along its tributaries a large number of flood-control impoundments built through programs of the United States Department of Agriculture provide both flood protection and opportunities for recreation. Soils along the stream vary in composition but are generally erosible. Before 1960 the Cummins Creek watershed produced large quantities of cotton and corn. Most of this land has reverted to pasture for cattle and horses. The densely wooded banks, especially along the lower reaches of the creek, provide good stands of native pecans and excellent wildlife habitat. Recommended citation: "CUMMINS CREEK." The Handbook of Texas Online. [Accessed Thu Sep 2 10:23:06 US/Central 2004 ].