If you are looking for a place to relax and get back to the comfort of country living, even if only for a little while, I have found the place for you.  I was looking for a place for my wife and I to spend our 27th wedding anniversary and almost by accident I found the perfect spot, Southwind Bed & Breakfast in Cat Spring, Texas.  

We arrived at the main house about 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon and were greeted by our host, Sunny and John Snyder.  I had seen a picture of the cabin we were staying in and spotted it out in the pasture as soon as we pulled in.  There is livestock around so Sunny and John helped us navigate the two stock gates to the cabin. 

Sunny showed us around the cabin and had a story to tell about every antique in the place.  The cabin is both old and new.  John bought the lumber by carefully tearing down an old house in New Ulm, Texas just few miles away.  The old lumber was used in the construction of the Patch Wood cabin.  I didn’t ask but I imagine the cabin name came from the fact the cabin was pieced together much like a quilt, with remnants.  Sunny calls this cabin her “labor of love” and you can feel it in every corner of the place.

The cabin has a front porch and a back porch, One for sunrise and one for sunset.  The weather was so perfect when we where there that the biggest decision we had to make is which porch to sit and relax on. 

Texas Bob - Front Porch, Patch Wood Cabin

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Patch Wood Cabin - Front Porch
Southwind Bed and Breakfast - Cat Spring, Texas

About 6 o’clock that evening we decided to go into Bellville, Texas for dinner.  Bellville is only 10 miles away.  Before we actually got to Bellville we found a place to eat. “The Buffalo Grill and Watering Hole” just fit the bill for one of my favorite Texas pastimes that I call, “Adventures in Dining”.  We like to stop at local eateries to see what they are like.  Sometime we even travel with the “No Chain Restaurant “ rule.  We have never been disappointed with the food or local color.  The Buffalo Grill and Watering hole was no exception.  It is a family place that does serve Buffalo meat in various forms.  My adventurous spirit only goes so far, I ordered a Chicken Fried steak.  I’ve had buffalo before and I find it a little bland. 

However the best part of this place was yet to come.  A few guys and their families arrived to eat dinner and then about 7 o’clock they pulled out fiddles and guitars and started a little jam session playing country, the blues and bluegrass music.  This was not really a performance, but a session.  They play something and then discuss how they did and what to do different.  The experienced musicians taught he less experienced new licks.  Some of the regulars were missing.  They were getting ready for the big football play off game against Burnet the next night. 

When we got back to “Patch Wood” we just sat out on the porch awhile and then went to bed.  Did I mention that the cabin had a tin roof?  It rained all night long.  That’s good sleeping.

The next morning I was sitting on the front porch visiting with the friendly ranch cow dog and watching the livestock move around the pasture.  When the time was right we went to the main house to eat a great breakfast.  We sat down with Sunny and John and shared this wonderful meal.  The food was great and the hospitality and atmosphere can be described in two simple phrases, Southern Hospitality with a Martha Stewart atmosphere. 

Texas Bob

Patch Wood Cabin - Front porch

"Diamond Jack" 
Grand Champion Texas Longhorn &
Permanent resident at Southwind Bed & Breakfast

Update:
On November 9th 2002 "Diamond Jack" went to that green pasture in the sky.  He was 21 years old

November 15-16, 2001
Update 10/04/2004