It’s that time of year……fall cleaning of the ditch.
Mud builds up coating the sides and the bottom of the cement ditches.
So instead of shoveling. Terry built this cool little water shovel.
The water pushes the shovel along, the mud runs lose in front of the shovel; all we have to do is watch and make sure the shovel doesn’t get lodged on the side.
Then when we are done, there is a breezy ride at the end of a perfect September day.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
The last cutting (3rd) of the second field.
Beautiful, Thick, and Lush.
Now we need sunshine!
Just say’n!
After this is baled and sold we are done for the year!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
We were working out on the farm
When I decided to
See if I could get any photos
Of those ‘other’ winged creatures
(Bumblebee)
Who share the farm
With us.
Sometimes it seemed the bugs were
Playing and dancing in the air
OOPPS!
RUN!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Take one special oven
At least, if not more, 40 sticks
Heat in the oven, one stick at a time
Place in the form
Let cool.
Load up on the four-wheelers and haul to the ditch banks,
TADA!
You can’t have too many.
That is for sure!
Yep…that is what you do, when, and if, you find yourself with some spare time.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Sometimes I don’t know how to write
What it is I want to say to you
The words I need in which to express what I am thinking
Feeling. The right words.
We had rain, on Saturday
Much needed and very much appreciated
The rain caused the heat to break
Cooling down the sky and the earth
Bringing with it a lushes goodness
Fall is not very Far off now
Although, I have been thinking that for a couple of weeks now
The rain and heavy cloud cover
has made my thoughts and
words feel real
Change is occurring. My beloved Summer coming to end. But also the hideous heat.
Changing, tumbling along in so many ways now.
I guess all we can do is ride through them.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Chapter Ten
Mom got a phone at noon. It was my brother,
Evan.
The news was not good, Mom’s grand-dog, and my bestest buddy, Zookie Brown passed away.
Zookie and I were great friends.
When Zookie and Bella got to stay with us, Zookie always slept with me. Bella would sleep with Mom on the bed, but Zookie slept with ME!
Zookie was 20 years old.
Mom said she was very glad that Bella and Zookie got to stay with us while their Mom and Dad moved to Montana.
It was the last time we all got to be together, Bella, Mom, Dad, Zookie, and I.
When Mom and I were coming back from being ‘out-on-the-farm’ we saw a Sun Dog.
Somethings are hard. Saying good-bye is one of those hard things.
But I think…this is just what I think, but I think, that was really Zookie saying everything is fine, here over the rainbow bridge.
Good-bye, Little Buddy. Good-bye.
The time of growth is coming to an end
You can see all the brown leaves starting to show in the fields now, the tassles are going from white to yellow, to gold
Soon, very soon, maybe right after this irrigation
On both of the cornfields, we will be entering the waiting stage.
See all the golden dry leaves
The husks losing the green (they go from green to reddish-purple) then to gold
After which they fall over, the stem too dry to hold up the cob anymore
The kernels are almost all dented. (we want them to ALL be dented)
If not this irrigation, then the next.
Winding down now
The corn growing season is coming to an end.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm
Linda
The smoke has been nearly constant, burning the eyes and smothering the land. But late evening brought a wind
That started to clear the skies from the dull light through the deep smoke
The wind gusting here and there adding to the
sweet joy of seeing the new baby alfalfa seeds taking hold and starting to grow
Even in the muted gray of the skies, and the true lack of real sunlight, the new field is starting to green up.
The evening colors weaving lushly in the sky
And bathing us with immediate relief.
Greenfields and clearer skies!
With even a hint of rain in the air!
WOW!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Please give it a try. You can find it on Amazon (where I got mine) but after a search I found you can also get it on
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/as-the-stars-fall-steve-n-lee/1136738212
The huge fires continue to burn…filling the west with weird light, a light that seems to undulate
This is morning light… the light in the east…light from the rising sun…sometimes our very air smells like burning logs,
My mind feels like it can hear the crackling of the fires as it scurries hurriedly over tense land
Every morning the scene is the same the smoke sending an enveloping warning throughout the west
The thick layer never really fades
The sun setting in the west confirms that dark will soon rise up
I am so sorry to be so gloomy
The tangle of fires from way up there where the Redwood Forrests are burning
Clear across the and down through the western part of the United States
Some started by nature
Some so horribly started by humans.
My heart is sore.
My prayer is the God(s) yours, mine, and everyone’s please sends rain, cooler weather, and a return to normal.
Amen,
From my world to your heart,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 