Red River County: Where we call home

Christian Fiction
See where Red River County is?

Caryl has a new favorite corner of Texas since March, 2008 when God led her and husband Ron to the seat of Red River County. She loves the rich history of Clarksville, her new home The Peaceable, and all of the Red River Valley. Yes, the rolling prairies and heavily timbered land helped win her affections, but its people endeared it all the more. Though not a native—born in California, but came to Texas when she was six months old—she claims she’s a true blue, loyal lover of the great Lone Star State.

Yes, the rolling prairies and heavily timbered land helped win her affections, but its people endeared it all the more. Though not a native—born in California, but came to Texas when she was six months old—she claims she’s a true blue, loyal lover of the great Lone Star State.

The eight hundred eighty-two acre McAdoo Ranch surrounds the thirty-four acres where Caryl and Ron live on three sides. This is the hunting cabin.
The eight hundred eighty-two acre McAdoo Ranch surrounds the thirty-four acres where Caryl and Ron live on three sides. This is the hunting cabin.

Enjoying fishing, deer and hog hunting

The fishin’ lake on the property got stocked five years ago and the McAdoo boys pull out trophy bass as long as their arms! This is Matt McAdoo, Caryl’s firstborn. They also enjoy hog hunting, most of the times with dogs when those crazy fellers take the wild hogs alive!

The lake is a lovely place to just sit and reflect even if not a fisherman.

There’s a hog hunt in book three of the Texas Romance family saga series, HOPE REBORN and also in the contemporary Red River Romance SING A NEW SONG! We’ll all thank goodness that she didn’t post a photo of the hog hunts because those can get pretty gross! They are fun to read about though! 

And she’s quick to tell you that the meat is wonderful, nothing like any pork found in a grocery store. I remember telling the Detroit Meat Locker (that’s a little town between Clarksville and Paris) to get us some bacon . . . but he explained that those hogs have no bacon because they aren’t at all fat! 

The McAdoos like deer hunting, too, in season November through January, and not only the guys! Matt’s firstborn, my oldest granddaughter Naomi, her new sister-in-love (brother Seth’s wife) Shaey, and my daughter’s third daughter Joi love hunting, too, The grandsugars visit much more often during deer season 🙂 But anytime they come, O’Pa and Grami are ready to cook up some huge breakfasts and get lots of great hugs!

McAdoo Lake is a peaceful place to spend a few hours reflecting
Hunters Naomi and Joi at the McAdoo Ranch
Matt McAdoo, Caryl's firstborn, pulls a big bass out of 'McAdoo Lake'

The land in these parts is absolutely beautiful in every season. The whispering breezes through the pines in spring with all the new budding green everywhere, walks along dry creekbeds in summer, finding washed up  the gorgeous colors of autumn when the leaves dance their last praise before the Lord, and in the winter, when every year or eight we might get a snow and it all turns into a winter wonderland.

The woods are beautiful and so peaceful, too
The fishin' lake got stocked five years ago and the McAdoo boys pull out trophy bass as long as their arms!
The fishin’ lake got stocked five years ago and the McAdoo boys pull out trophy bass as long as their arms!
See all the branches and sticks? A beaver dam; busted it up; next morning? The little varmints had it right back. Whole new meaning to 'busy as beavers'
See all the branches and sticks? A beaver dam; busted it up; next morning? The little varmints had it right back. Whole new meaning to ‘busy as beavers’
drive out to one of the farm fields, this seventy-four acres is in wheat almost ready for harvest.
drive out to one of the farm fields, this seventy-four acres is in wheat almost ready for harvest.
Meandering creeks draw wildlife into view and add to the peaceful ambiance.
Meandering creeks draw wildlife into view and add to the peaceful ambiance.
Wheat crop, a whole new meaning to 'amber waves of grain'.
Wheat crop, a whole new meaning to ‘amber waves of grain’.
Pines grow tall in Northeast Texas, shading the hardwoods and competing with the cedars for their place in the sun.
Pines grow tall in Northeast Texas, shading the hardwoods and competing with the cedars for their place in the sun. She tells the story that when she first saw the Welcome to Red River County, Gateway to Texas, she got glory bumps all over!

Caryl’s home

That’s Caryl’s house peeking out behind ice-laden branches. It’s rare, a snow in Texas, and never lasts more than a day or two. 

The Peaceable, Caryl's home in Red River County transformed into a winter wonderland during a rare Texas snow.

Country living

Country living totally agrees with this lady, and she loves trail rides on her horse, Bliss–they share a birthday, May 3rd, and have been together since Bliss was six months old. Living in such a place with horses and goats, dogs, cats, and chickens aplenty is a lifelong dream fulfilled . . . 

She also enjoys racing over the acres on the four-wheeler! 

When the house was completed, and she and Ron moved to the ranch in July, 2013, she gave up the goats for a smartphone and for her husband’s back’s sake—he toted all the fifty-pound feed sacks—and Bliss and Uncle Dan, Matt’s horse, are living with him now in nearby DeKalb, but she visits often.

Caryl on her quarter horse mare, Bliss
Caryl on her Bliss, both born on May 3rd and together since the mare was six months old, twelve years now. She’s always loved horses! And who thinks of Texas without thinking of horses?
Caryl loves exploring on the four-wheeler, too

There’s no place like home

But she knows that she knows this is where God wants her and Ron to be, and they love it. She can no longer imagine living in the city with all its smog and noise and awful traffic and starless night skies. She still gasps when venturing out after dark and the kazillion stars twinkling over her corner of Texas. And like Dorothy in Kansas, Caryl also says, “There’s no place like home!”

Red River County, gateway to Texas

Caryl McAdoo writes historical Christian Fiction set in Red River County, Texas
Welcome!