A Lulling Drug call Contentment—-Thursday, March 15, 2018

Posted on March 15, 2018 by Dayphoto

On these amazingly nice March spring days, with the Canadian Geese and the Sand hill Cranes winging their way over-head —- going back north to their breeding grounds–Terry and I and

that little beagle helper, took up all the late winter repair work, getting things in place for water to appear on the land. One day we repaired some gateways to culverts,

Then we went down to Shannon’s and cleaned up all the trash, which had accumulated over the winter.

Moved her fifth-wheel camper into her yard and off the farm

We helped Paul

Load up the landscaping rocks he wanted for his place

In exchange he helped us

Move the feed bunk to a better spot in the corrals.

These rich days are actually tranquil…full of productive work,

the quiet accomplish of jobs well done, bodies tired enough that sleep comes rich and deep.

This is where happiness begins and continues,

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Visiting Lady—Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Posted on March 14, 2018 by Dayphoto

After the loss of Romeo, Lady was distraught and horribly depressed. It was painful to watch her.

Terry and I and Shannon all took turns to love and pet her, feed her carrots and apples (which she adores) give her lots of brushing and just plain love.

Still it really wasn’t enough—the shadow cast from the loss of her protector and best friend was huge.

We let her back out of the farm where she ran to every place she and Romeo loved to frequent…crying out as she ran.
(This video will give you an idea of her sound.)

Gradually—over-time—with lots of love and reassurance she came to understand Romeo was gone.

Then came the sad, sad day she found the grave. It really wasn’t far from the barn Romeo loved, but Lady had never given herself time to really notice ‘the spot’.

(Please understand that Romeo was buried in a very deep hole–six feet deep. We love and want to protect his body even in death.)

Shannon said the day Lady found the spot she stood on the grave for a good forty minutes. Then she gradually walked away, going a short distance, then coming back, standing there a little more, until finally she left.

From that point on Lady started to adjust. We felt l she had found him, and had come to the point of truly understanding, so she could move past her grief and despair.

(Lady talking to Terry and I—what a cutie)

Today she is moving forward in her little mule life. She is completely and totally bonded to Shannon (but loves Terry and I also). She and Shannon are going for rides and are taking riding classes.

From a very battered and damaged mule to a wonderful sweet companion…Lady the mule.

Life on a Colorado farm,

Linda

Photos Found—-Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Posted on March 13, 2018 by Dayphoto

Terry and I had to make a run to the dump…we load up first thing and then make our way out there as soon at the dump opens…that way we are up, there, back, and done before all the real work starts.

Anyway…as my continuing drama goes on with my computer—

I can now find and use just about everything I need to do and use on my computer.

YAY!

AND the bookkeeping records, the other records of import, and my photos have been found!

My tech guy did a remote download and helped me search.

NOW I’m good to go again!

As for the smartphone…that also is getting easier and easier.

This is photo from my smart phone…the moon isn’t large but I think the photo looks pretty nice.

Finally I can say I’m making headway—what a good feeling.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Stretching My Self—-Monday, March 12, 2018

Posted on March 12, 2018 by Dayphoto

I’m gradually moving myself forward into the the now and present world…

The computer is starting to respond in a way I can understand…..although, I’ve lost my photos someplace, somewhere on some drive—that has be a tad stressed out.

So to complicated matters and to keep my 69 year old brain growing

I decided to purchase and learn a smart phone.

From a flip-phone to smart phone…another huge learning curve!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

With Joy—-How Blessed I Am, Sunday March 11, 2018

Posted on March 11, 2018 by Dayphoto

Golly, what a huge surprise. Hand fashioned soap. A surprise gift from sweet and kind blog reader.

Thank you so much, Sandy

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Opening the Land/the Smell of Rich Turned Soil—Thursday, March 8, 2018

Posted on March 8, 2018 by Dayphoto

Terry finished disking up all the old corn stalks then started plowing Monday.

He will plow up all of last year’s pinto bean field, the two corn fields and the small little field at the upper end.

Turning the earth over, waking up the soil—-yes, farmers still plow in our area. Off and on different farmers (us included) have tried the no-till, or the medium-till method, but it just doesn’t work for our area.

Our soil and the method of irrigation we use, does not support lack of plowing.

Therefore, in the bright, clean light of spring..alone on the waking earth,

The tractor tranquilly moves back and forth upon the land.

For a spell now the wind has been still. Not even a breeze wandering by to fluff up the clouds or shake the branches of the trees and bushes.

Our days (of late) have been blessed with sun and warmth bursting forth in clear light–the air all around us smelling of fresh turned soil…laying warm and mellow in the golden sun.

Spring work has begun!

YAY!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Gift of Friendship—-Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Dayphoto

Thomas Davis and his lovely bride, Ethel Davis (long time readers of my blog) called to say they were in town and would love to meet.

Delightedly we met them at Fiesta Vallarta Restaurant in Delta, where they brought us gifts—

They arrived with a beautiful gift of wine and

Some of their published books.

What gracious, lovely people Tom and Ethel are!

Thomas has been a President at several Navajo controlled colleges all throughout his career, and is still Provost for a Navajo Tribal College. Thomas is a poet, scholar, playwright and so many more things.

Thomas’ books lift us into a place where words become real places and people reach out to us and beg us to become part of them.

Ethel Moretenson Davis is an accomplished artist and published poet–her work appearing in many magazine, literary journals, and anthologies.

Ethel’s work is stunning, she speaks of the winds, the gentle loveliness of the earth; the magic through the door, of which poets lead us.

And here they sat, in our humble home, very interested in us, the farm, our life.

We found out the Thomas lived here (Delta), until the 6th grade, went to school with Terry’s brother, his parents owned and operated a grocery store in town, and Terry’s mom and dad were friends of theirs.

The Davis family moved, after that year, to Orchard Mesa, close to Grand Junction, and opened another Grocery Store, which is still in operation today.

Terry remembered, through his child’s eyes, the Thomas family grocery store, then he remembered his family stopping many times at the Orchard Mesa Grocery Store to visit with the Davis Family.

Isn’t the world a strange and marvelous thing?

The beauty of blogging is making friends near and far.

If you are interested in Thomas and Ethel’s blog go here. Also, if you would like to order and read their books this is a good place to get one or many.

I am constantly humbled to the amazing gift of friendship this tiny little blog has brought to Terry and I.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Finding Your Place in the World—-Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Dayphoto

(a coyote running quickly through the yard)

I have wondered and wondered, for years, what is my purpose in life, what am I good at doing, is there anything I really can say is me? Any talent? Any real skill? Anything….?

So thinking about what I like–what I really like–is to be one with the natural world. There isn’t any money in it, nor is there power or prestige….but there so much joy for me.

What I really love to do is point out to you my observances of the natural world.

Even as a child I spent hours by myself, playing in the creek behind our house, sitting in the Silver-leafed Maple in the back yard, laying in the ditches in the fall (I put my coat in the ditch, than lay myself down on the coat and watched the leaves of the Cherry trees tremble and flutter in the autumn winds), reading in the sand box — feet propped on the the trunk of the Silver-leafed Maple, Queenie, our Border Collie at my side, my hair getting dirty in the sandbox…

I love sharing with you that joyous immersion of nature we, as farmers, experience.

To help you stand with me, along the margins of that line between earth and sky

To help you breathe in the warmth of our day

Or the scents of the night wafting on the breezes

To show you that stunning moon stretching fathomless away, — way among the spheres of stars, in worlds that gods walk, and starlight showers down, like petals falling from over-blown roses

I want to draw your eyes and hearts upward, beyond those thoughts that farmers are dull and stupid and dumb…tillers of the soil with no real ablity in their heads, no real ambitions, no real interest in living.

I hope that I can, with this daily blog, lift your hearts, your minds, and your souls to the music of the earth, the light of the sun, and the moon in the tree shadows.

(Some of my photos on today’s post are from my past photos.)

From my world to your heart,

Linda

A Snowy Sunday in Ouray, Colorado—-Monday, March 5, 2018

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Dayphoto

Not wanting to ‘do’ anything really. Terry and I headed up to the Ouray Hot spring Pool, in Ouray, Colorado.

When got there at 1:30 in the afternoon, but 2:30 it was snowing…by 3:30 we decided we had better take our snow covered heads and go get dry and head home.

I forgot to take a photo of the life guards in complete snow suit and ski googles, or the snow coming down so hard you couldn’t even see the pool…but I did get

the snow as we drove back home.

We drove through snow, until Montrose, then rain around Olathe, by the time we got home. Nothing.

Just clouds and the setting sun.

It was stunning!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Lion of March Enters—-Sunday, March 4, 2018

Posted on March 4, 2018 by Dayphoto

The hard frozen ground of winter is giving way to spring.

The crunch of leaves is gone…leaving soft leaves of mush, and long-ago brittle twigs even drier than when they first fell from the trees

The big birds are migrating now.

The large flocks, which slept on the farm over-night, are starting to shrink to smaller flocks. The air, in early morn and late evening ring with sounds rippling through the air –the songs of their flights

All the snow is gone…the wind having dried the ground.

Only patches remain here and there.

Although, the wind today is strong, I never mind the wind. I actually I am one of those rare people who likes the wind. I love feeling it on my face, in my hair, swirling around me in all directions.

Once, when I was a child, I took the black plastic that covered ensilage pits; tied each end to my arms and legs (behind me) and turned myself into the wind—I became a human KITE!

The wind blows most of spring, in our area (March through June), —we are surrounded by mountains on all four sides—wind is necessary to melt the snow, stir the sap, dry out the ground, open the earth for growth.

Today my heart lifts with the birds in the sky—I can feel the faint movement of velvet Spring not far off now!

From my Heart to your world,

Linda