Mom and I
decided it was time
to go for a walk-about.
Off we went together
Mom looking at this and
That
And taking photos
of ME!
We go on
walkabouts at
LEAST once a day
…oftentimes
more.
Here we go
Walk-about
Mom
And I.
Mindy Lou-Sue
We spent all day Monday…from 9:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening (after irrigation and before irrigation)
Moving dirt.
You see our canal water is so full of dirt that settling ponds have to be dug; allowed to have the water flow into the pond, and the dirt to settle out, then the pond is dug out in the Spring.
Not to waste the dirt, or let it blow away in the ever-present wind
We load and haul the dirt to different spots on our farm. Putting the dirt back into the SOIL of the ground.
A long day sandwiched in between the other stuff.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
It’s cold again…fire in the woodstove cold
Miserable out on the ditch bank cold
Cold enough there is ice on the running water
Which is very cold. Our breath smokes and plumes in the air.
The wind has been a huge mess, days of it…blowing gusts of 40 m.p.h.
I keep hoping soon…very soon we will settle into a soft and lovely Spring.
Soon! Please!
From my heart to your world,
Linda
There is something wonderful about this life we live
I really don’t know how to put into words what it is
I think for me—it’s being at one with the land
Being part of the constant shift and care the farm requires
Being a part of those winged creatures who fill our skies
Yes, even the bugs.
The windswept experience —-dirt in the teeth, eyes, and ears
The predators,
The sparks of a bazillion stars
The whole parcel, which makes up our days,
And then there is that moment, of a wild heartbeat, when the glowing setting sun spreads across the heavens.
I know Terry and I are blessed.
From my world to your heart,
Linda
“Age has given me what I was looking for my entire life…I fit into me now…I have become the woman I hardly dared imagine I would be.” Anne Lamott
Shhhhh…go slowly in the low sun
Allow the light to dazzle your eyes.
Watch the sun blazing through the dip in the canyons way up there on the Uncompahgre Plateau
See the hawk, on silent wings, flying softly —-hunting, hunting
The sky, slowly darkening
Until the first stars start to show.
From my world to your heart,
Linda
It’s been more than miserable here the last several days
The wind has been as wild and dirty as any time I can remember—-You are looking at the sun going down in DIRT
Not only is your voice snatched away in the wind
It’s also cold. With the ditches and canal full of trash and weeds from the wind.
It’s terribly miserable, with a feeling of menace.
ALTHOUGH! For a rare and beautiful moment
We saw a faint but lovely burst of light, for just a second…But that was enough.
Perfect!
Onward we go!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Mom says I’m the bestest of helpers!!
I help all the time
I sweep the floors
I help mop the floors
All the floors
And I watch the grandkids’ volleyball games with Mom and Dad.
I am a GOOD helper!
TLC Cai-Cai
If you look close — here in the brief, surreal daylight of early morning is a bevy of Gambel’s Quail
Their darling little feather on their head 🙂
Then further along, just over that wee knob is one of those gorgeous male pheasants
We have several here and there—staking out their own area of the farm
He is silent and careful until
You stumble upon him then his call is most acute and totally startling to all
It’s courting season right now
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh There she is…His Girl!
From my world to your heart,
Linda
P.S. Of course there is more bird and wildlife, but for now, this is a start.
We have two fields of alfalfa being irrigated now…one is almost done (tonight) the other one tomorrow night.
Terry has finished leveling one cornfield, and marked it out, then packed the rows
After which, we started water on it last night. This will take several days to have this field wet, but we have begun. After the whole field is wet then it will set for a spell to dry out some. Then we plant.
Of course, there are other fields of corn to go through the 
leveling, marking, irrigation, plant process
And another hayfield. But we are making progress.
Besides helping Terry set tubes, I have been working in my yard. Two days worth of work and three more to go
And I can say—Spring has arrived in my yard!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
I came upon a crow singing a most unusual song. It was soft and gentle and oh, so sweet.
I sat still for a spell just listening.
Then, over-head, another (tantalizing) crow flew and the spell was broken. Up up and away he/she flew to be with that intriguing, rather intoxicating ‘other’ crow!
What a gift I was given.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 