Giant Novelty Golf Ball, Rancho Viejo, TX

Giant Novelty Golf Ball, Rancho Viejo, TX, 1997.

I snapped this as I drove, or more likely as my friend Jenna drove her Volvo back from South Padre Island to Santa Ana NWR, where we all lived. Jenna was in her second Americorps term and I my first, and we, along with other "refugees," as we called ourselves, would frequent the beach on our free weekends. 

This photo has two amazing elements. The concept and execution of imagining and painting a water tower to resemble a huge golf ball on a tee -- amazing. The second element: "Rancho Viejo" means "Old Ranch." This area of Texas is peppered with "Winter Texans," or snowbirds. It was probably named Rancho Viejo long before it became a retirement ranch for so many northern old folks. 

Digging a little deeper, I just learned that this tower looms over a HUGE (1,400-acre) resort and country club with the same name. It comes complete with "Winter Texan Memberships." To toss another amazing fact on the heap, they have no photos of this water tower on their website.