Autumn has arrived. You can see it in the fields—the pinto beans are either turning yellow or, as ours are, lying pulled and drying, waiting for the combine.
The land is glittering and bright…as we move closer and closer to winter the trees will turn colors announcing the move from warm into the silvered blanket of cold called winter.
The Canada Geese are back…in droves.
Very early —is this a sign of a hard winter to come?
The little hummingbirds’ numbers are thinning noticeably…I have gone from 2 gallons of sugar water a day to 1/2 gallon every other day.
I will miss these little jewels, but they must leave and hurry. For the air is thinning and cooling extremely noticeably now.
A large flock of Barn Swallows left our farm yesterday, but the little fledglings and their parents are still here. Until they are gone I’m holding onto the belief we still have small amounts of summer left. 🙂
Summer work still goes on. It isn’t time to stop watering the corn; the alfalfa fields must NOT go into winter dry.
Still, change is here, in how the air smells, how the sky feels, and how the earth looks.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
So peaceful looking 🙂
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Thank you, 🙂
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You’ve beautifully described — and illustrated — the slow change from summer to winter on the farm.
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Thank you, George!
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We still have no real sign of the end of summer. I am happy about that or maybe in denial.
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I am happy for you!!! YAY!
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The geese have gone from here….maybe they are by you. Another large group of crows left yesterday. I think the sandhills are gone, too. Haven’t heard them for days. Early winter, I think. It is like a hush comes over the landscape….waiting. Tell the sandhills I said “safe journey” when you see them.
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Okay. The minute I see them I will write you!
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The last picture is very good!!
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Thanks, Tom! Are you in Mexico now?
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It is much the same here. We see a few passing hummers now and then, a few lingering swallows, and now and then a robin stops by, but so many birds are already gone and the winter birds are returning. I cannot like the mornings when it is still dark when I want to be out and about. Oh, well, It’s spring in New Zealand. lol
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It’s dark here when I get up…and the sun sets way too early. Very sad.
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The birds know, don’t they…?
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Yes! And so do I….sigh.
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I love the attentive way with which you chart the turning of the seasons, Linda. Here in New Zealand we are making the transition into spring and noting the song of returning birds even as you watch the departures. Than you again for your beautiful blog.
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Happy Spring to you!!! 🙂
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I so agree, we are getting an earlier fall. My Asters bloomed 3 weeks early this year. It’s incredible to feel and see the changes.
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It’s cooling way down also!
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Fall is coming on strong. It is getting dark earlier now:(
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I know..very sad.
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Pingback: As the Days Cool Down and the Light Shrinks–-Tuesday, September 4, 2018 — Life on a Colorado Farm – „Ingerii sunt spirite inaripate, prietene cu spiritul tau inaripat.“
Are you noticing other indications of a strong winter? We do not notice such things until later, and they are not as obvious. So far, the hummingbirds do not seem to be any more numerous than they should be. We should get more if they are expecting a bad winter somewhere else.
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My hummers are down to 8 now. But the Barn Swallows are still here. That is good thing.
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Does that predict anything for winter?
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No
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Well, I will be watching Rhody. Terriers, like many dogs, are quite fashion conscious. I expect that he will get quite fuzzy before a cool winter, although I do not know what he will do ahead of a rainy winter. (Cool typically coincides with less rainy.)
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That’s interesting.
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yer pixures seemed to be gittin’ bedder ‘n bedder — ’til those last 2 (well, maybe 3) — ¡ maravilla-cita!
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Thanks!!! Betunada
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You will miss those hummingbirds … enjoy autumn Linda 🙂
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I will. But I also want them safe!
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