August at the Inn: Savoring the Slower Days
The slower pace of August is giving us a little time to catch our breath here at the Inn at Sunset Mill Ranch. We’ve been lingering a little longer over coffee and birdwatching on the porch in the mornings and enjoying iced tea—or a glass of wine—as we watch the wildlife in the evenings.
These quieter days have also given us time to tackle a few projects around the property, cool off in the new pool, and take some fun day trips through our beautiful Texas Hill Country.
A Little Cedar, a Little Landscaping & Our New Pool
One of our current projects is wrapping the base of the old tin water tower with board-and-batten cedar. As we float and lounge around the pool, the wonderful scent of freshly cut cedar brings back all kinds of fond memories of visiting our grandparents’ farms.
Isn’t it amazing how a certain scent can transport you back in time to a place or moment you thought you had forgotten?
We’re also landscaping around the pool, adding flowers and placing outdoor furniture beneath the shade trees to create another peaceful spot for our guests to relax and enjoy the ranch.
Bailey Is Turning One!
Our sweet Bailey turns one year old this month!
She may technically be leaving puppyhood behind, but apparently no one has told Bailey. She is still playful, energetic, occasionally chewing on our shoes, and always finding some new kind of mischief.
And she continues to take her official job as Greeter at the Inn very seriously.
Bailey is our fourth “best friend”. Having experienced both the tremendous love and heartbreaking loss of three beautiful cockers before her, we know just how quickly the years go by.
So, we’re trying to cherish every minute with Bailey—the snuggles, the kisses, the laughter…and yes, even the chewed-up shoes and mischief.
Sometimes the Best Vacation is Close to Home
We’ve been blessed to take some wonderful vacations over the years. Like everyone who travels, we’ve encountered our share of bad weather, unexpected changes and occasional mishaps that required us to adjust our plans. But this year was different. We planned a trip that, despite our best efforts, turned out to be a complete bust!
We’ll save the details—and we’re already planning a redo for another time—but rather than let a failed vacation spoil our summer, we decided to make the most of our unexpected downtime and enjoy a little staycation right here at the Inn at Sunset Mill Ranch.
One afternoon, as we floated in the pool looking across the hills and valleys and admiring our handiwork on the old water tower, we looked at each other and realized something:
This had turned into one of our nicest vacations after all.
There was nowhere we needed to be. No schedule to keep. No luggage to pack or unpack. Just a beautiful Texas Hill Country afternoon, a peaceful ranch, and time together.
And it reminded us of something important.
Your Vacation Time Is Precious
Looking back on our failed vacation attempt, we learned a few lessons, one of the simplest being that when we plan future trips, we’ll start by looking for Select Registry properties.
We were honored to be chosen soon after opening the Inn at Sunset Mill Ranch to become a member of Select Registry’s quality-assured portfolio of distinctive, independently owned inns and lodging properties across North America.
Being part of Select Registry means meeting rigorous standards for quality, hospitality and guest experience. After our own recent travel experience, we have an even greater appreciation for just how important those standards can be.
But our little staycation reminded us of something even more important:
Your time is precious.
When you choose to spend a weekend, anniversary, birthday, vacation, retreat or other special occasion with us, you are giving us something you can never get back—your time.
We don’t take that lightly.
We feel truly honored each time someone chooses our little slice of heaven near Wimberley, Texas, to slow down, reconnect and make memories with someone they love.
We believe there is something very special here at the Inn at Sunset Mill Ranch, and we want you to begin feeling it from the moment you turn through the gate and make your way down our long, winding driveway.
For a few days, this becomes your little slice of heaven, too.
Here are just a few upcoming Events in and around Wimberley:
- 8/28/26 – 8:00 – 11:00 PM – HooDoo Daddies @ Willow Lake Watering Hole
- 8/28/26 – 6:30 PM – Music Bingo Night: British Rock @ Wimberley Valley Winery
- 8/29/26 – 3:00 – 8:00 PM – Wade Lowrie @ Willow Lake Watering Hole & Mercantile
- 8/30/26 – 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM – Boozy Book Swap @ Wimberley Valley Winery
- 9/4/26 – 8 – 11 PM – Rochelle and the Sidewinders @ Willow Lake Watering Hole
- 9/4/26 – Art Crawl @ Various Wimberley Businesses
- 9/4/26 – 6:00 – 8:00 PM – Open Mic Night & Art Crawl @ ARTSPACE
- 9/5/26 – Wimberley Market Days @ Lions Field
- 9/5/26 – 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Family Art Workshop @ ARTSPACE
- 9/5/26 – 8:00 – 11:00 PM – 5 O’clock Somewhere @ Willow Lake Watering Hole
- 9/5/26 – 3:00 – 6:00 PM – Live Music with Dillon Havins @ Wimberley Valley Winery
- 9/6/26 – Wimberley Coffee & Cars @ Blanco Brew
- 9/11/26 – 9/13/26 – Wimberley Wedding Venue Crawl
- 9/11/26 – Owl Prowl & Nocturnal Animal Hike @ Blue Hole Regional Park
- 9/11/26 – 8:00 – 11:00 PM – River Town Relics @ Willow Lake Watering Hole
Or, for a more laid-back schedule …
After a leisurely home-made breakfast at the Inn and coffee on the porch, you might want to spend the morning exploring Wimberley, take a wine tour or a scenic drive through the Hill Country, enjoy a leisurely lunch or dinner, and then head back to the Inn for a swim, a glass of wine and sunset on the ranch.
We hope you’ll come see us soon.
With love from the ranch,
Diana & Lynn, and Bailey, Official Greeter & Occasional Shoe Thief
Inn at Sunset Mill Ranch
