Before the Water Comes —- Thursday, March 29, 2018

Posted on March 29, 2018 by Dayphoto

The water still isn’t here. It’s still five miles away….still.

Terry is anxious to get started. We dive up to Pea Green and check the head gate for the F N Canal (that’s the name of our Canal). The F N Canal takes off the Iron Stone Canal — a huge system of canals running all the way from Black Canyon of the Gunnison and the Uncompahgre River.

Not here yet.

So we have been doing some major clean up around the farm

Gathering more firewood from downed trees at the back of the land

I’ve been working in my yard…I hate to uncover too many flowerbeds until I can get water on them, but …. still…they do need to be uncovered before the spring bulbs get too big.

( I also work in my house, but that seems so boring. Although, I do want to start painting. I need to paint the inside of the house this year and go down to the other house and do some painting, that we (as land lords) are responsible for. But not just yet….maybe in April. We will see.)

The days are ever so much longer, allowing us much more time to get ‘stuff’ done.

In our elderly years we seem to tire out easier, although, it does seem we work just as hard as we did in our fifties—- 🙂

Oh, well…we are pretty much caught up now. Just waiting on the water so the Growing Season can start!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Friends, Although, Not Kin—-Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Posted on March 28, 2018 by Dayphoto

Lady has a new forever friend. She is a Quarter Horse and only four years old

Her Name is Adobe Skipun Te Ata—(how you say it is —-well, your guess is as good as mine…the kids call her T. I try and say Te at a.)

After a little tiny skirmish, where Lady kicked TeAta and TeAta turned around a whopped Lady…

They have become friends! TaAta is the boss and Lady is letting her. Lady let Romeo be the boss also. She is a follower….which is good. Two lead equines would Not be a good thing.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Excitement of Water—-Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Posted on March 27, 2018 by Dayphoto

The irrigation water is about to get here!

We are getting the canal repaired and ready for the thundering, crashing, life-giving source called water to appear any time now.

We went for a ride last night to see how far away the water is from us….once it gets here..irrigation starts. Irrigation starts and doesn’t stopped (even if it rains), until time for harvest. Twice a day or even every six hours, if the water is short, we move and set water. Often times through out the day we are checking rows making sure the water is flowing through…going clear to the end, to move to the next field, then the next until it finally flows back into the canal and then onto the Gunnison River….which will connect with the Colorado River.

It’s five miles away. Not long now.

Today or tomorrow!

We are cleaning all the cement ditches (yes by hand), Terry made all the ditches he could with the ditcher

And the waste ditches with the blade

And we repaired the gated pipe. Gated pipe always

Always, seems to pull apart over the course of winter.

The first of the fields to receive water (the alfalfa fields) are marked out ready to go

We just wait….

Any day now…any day!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Farm is Our Heart—-Monday, March, 26, 2018

Posted on March 26, 2018 by Dayphoto

Thankfully we got all the wood cut and piled. Our youngest daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren came and helped us finished up the wood. We are set now for at least a couple of years, depending on the weather.

The signs of spring are here, they are in the air, on the earth, in the fading sun or the rising sun, in the lighting shadows and the lengthening day.

I still feed the Red-Winged Blackbirds, although I’m seeing more and more Song birds in the yard and on the farm

I love their songs and strive to keep them here, as long as they will stay. But as soon as the Upper End and the Back Forty green up…they will be gone to sing and mate in that special wonderland they call home.

Then once they are gone—the hummingbirds come so my little bird kitchen stays steady with the joy of winged-friends.

Everyday now is a call to the land, where work is not drudgery, but jubilation—we are adding to the chorus called Spring.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

By the Gift of Friendship—-Sunday, March 25, 2018

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Dayphoto

This month (March 18th to be exact) I have been blogging eleven years.

I have shared our simple, busy, farm life with you. I have shared my excitement over the fresh green shoots of new grass growing, or the tiny little plants of corn or pinto beans, today I’m showing you the sprouts of alfalfa just starting to arrive in the alfalfa field.

For eleven years you have watch the soul of each and every season—the opening of the land, the growing season, harvest…and the rest– called winter.

You have been with Terry and I as we built and repaired fences, or as in yesterday—took one clear out so we could have a larger field.

You’ve been with me through the joys and wonders of the wild life upon our farm—the last of the Sand Hill Cranes left our farm yesterday—lifting up into the sky with thrilling calls telling us THANK You….we will come again. And I stood there and called back to them….PLEASE DO! You are always welcome.

Coming back into the yard I saw three Robins….Spring is truly here for sure!

You’ve shared night-time walks with me (this is the moon right now…2:00 a.m)

And that amazing sky we live under.

Thank you each and everyone so much for coming along with me, for leaving me your comments so I can get to know you also, and for being readers, even if you don’t leave comments.

Thank you for making my eleven years of blogging so very rewarding.

From my heart to your world,

Linda

The Way to Live Your Life—-Thursday, March 22, 2018

Posted on March 22, 2018 by Dayphoto

“Instructions for living a life.

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.”

― Mary Oliver

The grass is starting to green…that is a huge joy to me. Yes, it means work, weeds, watering and other types of ‘stuff’, but it also means sunshine, rain, and (for me) just plain happiness!

Mindy Min-Min Lou is delighted I finally brought out the summer furniture. Her most favorite spot in all the world to relax—they even beat a warm car hood in the winter.

Then, for Mindy, there is the rolling in the dry dirt, dust bath. Right up there with laying on your back, tummy up soaking in the sun—she is such an odd little cat

Walks with Mom always mean…Mindy walks on the gated pipe…”Why not?” she asks. “I never fall off.”

As for Boomer Beaglie Brown…just being with Mom is all he wants.

Wonder, just look through the eyes of a child or an animal…we can see the world in fresh new ways.

From my heart to your world,

Linda

Heaven is on the Earth in the Eyes of Animals—-Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Dayphoto

Lady is changing by leaps and bounds. She allows the halter to be put on her face, and IF we don’t come at her face, or try to pet her face in anyway shape or form (she had bloody whip lashes on her face when Shannon got her —and old scars on her rear) she is welcoming to our hands

This is a friend’s little kitty….she is very affectionate and loves hanging right by your feet, joyfully purring the whole time.

Then there is that silly, full of personality, Willow, one of Shannon’s cats…he has started smelling like dried alfalfa for some reason 🙂

Animals…they are such an added bonus to our lives.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

And Then it All Happened—Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Posted on March 20, 2018 by Dayphoto

Terry was moving right along, on the last plowed field, when suddenly

The alternator went out. He had to walk home, get me, and another tractor— then we hauled it home.

Thankfully he could get another part in the morning when the freight comes into the parts house, and he has a couple more tractors he can use 🙂

He finished up one field, had to leave the other field, until the part came in, but got out the little tractor and harrowed down the cow patties on the alfalfa field.

Then while fixing supper

I stabbed my hand—that’s what happens when you get in a rush. I couldn’t get the blood to stop so headed to hospital…where I got staples, of all things.

I have found the staples are pretty good at catching and snagging on stuff…shish!

Anyway, we just slowed down for a little bit…the part came in this morning, the hand is healing and we are back in the swing of things.

You have a good one!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

In the Growing Warmth of Late Winter and Early Spring—Monday, March 18, 2018

Posted on March 19, 2018 by Dayphoto

We still have spits and spurts of winter’s blasts. This Sunday was one of those days, it snowed, it rained and we had sleet. Today’s morning was very chill not really burning off —just as if we were still in February.

Still the works goes on…we didn’t receive enough moisture to muddy up the ground.

Since Lady can no longer have the total run of the farm, we also spent a couple of hours fixing her a spring pasture the other afternoon

Thankfully the day was warm, Red winged Blackbirds sang happily in the old trees as we worked

The hawks and ravens haunted the clouds way above us.

Lady followed us with picked up ears and her face full of interest in the glittering light on this lovely spring day.

Our oldest granddaughter played her last game of the year…

And always, always everything we do [now] revolves around the opening of the land.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Our Precious Life — Sunday, March 18, 2018

Posted on March 18, 2018 by Dayphoto

Terry finished rolling all the plowed fields. (Think of plowed fields the same as double-digging up your garden bed—double digging is deeper than using a rototiller), but then it must be rolled (or raked, if you are in a garden) to smooth out the ground again.

Then after rolling comes leveling (in this case putting a slight grade to the field so the water will run to waste ditch. Leveling is akin to taking a board and smoothing out your garden or the cement on a sidewalk.