The big fluffy clouds fill the sky, white and airy, casting shadows on the ground as a high winds slowly, ever so slowly herds them along from one spot to another.
The long and soft shadows move slowly over the grasses, and the irrigated fields
The dirt slowly absorbing the flowing water, turning dry soil into wet
The days start early, always by first light, the sun gradually lighting the farms, mesas, plateaus, hills, dales, knobs, and subdivisions…the cold air damp on the weeds and grasses this time of day, this time of year.
It’s very dry here. Dry enough farmers and ranchers are extremely worried. The Forest Service as issued statements saying no cows are allowed on the Forests this year (and if there are some long-time permits being honored…its only for a limited number of cattle.)
When one or more farmer gathers the talk is always about water. Those farmers in the Cedaredge/Eckert area are stating there is very little water for them this year. Very little.
Tiny amounts of water.
Terry talked to our Ditch Rider (Uncompahgre Valley Water Users) and he says we will have water. It will be short, but there will be water. (Our water comes from Taylor Park Reservoir around the Crested Butte area, then into the Blue Mesa Reservoir, through the Black Canyon then on to us….winding it’s way from here all the way through the Colorado River to California.)
Our day ends as the daylight finally thins way after the sun sets around 8:15 or so. Long shadows filling the lessening day until only night remains.
Long days. But a good way of living. Neither Terry or I could ever ask for more.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Looks like Mars in some of those photos! I hope the rain that’s needed comes soon but despite that it looks lovely 😊
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Thank you. I hope so too!
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Thanks for a beautiful description of your days this time of the year. I hope your area will get some rains before summer arrives.
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Me too…sure is scary!
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A wonderful life ~
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I agree 🙂
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Dry isn’t good. But your farm is so beautiful.
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Too dry, too wet, too much of anything is just not good. You are so right.
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You sure have an elegant way with words! Me, not so much!
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I’m not so elegant, but thank you, Lisa!
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Millions of people live in the region of Los Angeles, and none are required to conserve the water they get from the Colorado River.
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I know. Rather sad, but that is how it is. We are required though. We are required to get it to the Colorado River so everyone in California can have water.
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Too many of the voters live there. Are you even allowed to contain the water that falls on your own property? In San Mateo County, rain water harvesting is illegal because San Francisco owns the watershed. However, San Francisco does not pay rent for storing their water on private property. (Most of their surface runoff water drains either into the Bay or the Ocean, without any containment.)
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We can now gather rain water in limited fashion. But most of the water is to return to the Colorado River. Gosh that makes me sick about the loss of runoff water.
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Zayante Creek flowed through my property, and I could use none of the water. I have no problem with that because there was not very much water that high up. However, what does bother me is how all these ‘nature loving’ pot growers illegally take enough water to run the creek dry, and then dump all their chemicals and growing media into the environment. By the time they lose their property (and pot growers – who regularly brag about how lucrative their business is – always do), it is a wreck, with huge volumes of trash several abandoned campers and huge deforested areas.
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SAME HERE! GRRRRR
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Praying that you and all around you get more rain!!!
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Boy, do we need it. Thank You!
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I love that your land means so much to you both! And you know how much I love clouds … sorry to hear that there are water issues. I really hope the skies open up for you
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It’s a huge concern here. Hay is going for $495 a ton…very scary
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