About Dayphoto

My name is Linda Brown. I live on a farm on the western slope of Colorado, in the high mountain desert. I’ve lived here all my life, hailing back four generations on my father’s side. Today I blog about our farm, the everyday activities that keep the farm going. I also write about my thoughts and dreams and goals. On Friday’s I always write about TLC Cai-Cai. Our sweet kitty who helps keep the farm safe. And Boo Berry Betty, a breeder dog learning to be a Farm Dog! The lovely thing about blogging it opens the world up for all of us to reach out and meet people from many different cultures and different ways of life. You can find me every day (but Saturday) at https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/ Your Friend on a Western Colorado Farm, Linda Brown

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday— What’s Happened with the Coyote

Posted on April 19, 2019 by Dayphoto

Mom started wondering what happened with the coyote…

no longer has she seen signs of coyote in the yard

or on the game camera she put on the little trail the coyote seemed to be using crossing the long, long lane and through the lawn to get to where my dog houses were.

SO…. Mom and I took down the game camera and hopped on the four-wheeler.

Off we went way over where the equipment is stored on the other side of the farm. Where I jumped off and searched the ground thoroughly for news.

Humm.

Yep…coyotes.

Now, Mom doesn’t know if one of these coyotes is THE coyote coming onto the yard, but at least there are no longer signs of coyote on the grass or the road or around any of the buildings; it just might be safe to say the coyote has moved on and joined a pack.

At least that is what Mom and I want to think.

Boomer

Dare to Live a Dream —- Thursday, April 18, 2019

Posted on April 18, 2019 by Dayphoto

We have been cleaning up around the farm. Moving things here and there, hauling stuff to the dump, sorting things into piles for Rec-Metals, and raking and cleaning around the buildings

Even though the huge heavy work,

of the main production part of the farm is no longer ours, the hillsides, the flat tops of the hills, the pastures (six of them) and the upkeep of the farm itself is still ours.

PLUS…the shrinking of my yard

Sometimes the works seem endless (since some of this had to be put off until we had time)

But yesterday after lunch we rented a stump grinder and began

It too three steady hours

To reduce it to this!

Now I get to level and seed it to grass! YaY!

So exciting…a clean, new slate to give life to a new dream!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

My Belief in This Wonderful World — Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Posted on April 17, 2019 by Dayphoto

As a young child, maybe around the age of 5, or 6, or 7, I don’t remember for sure now. I started having nightmares.

(My brother, Dan, my great-Uncle Henry… 1914-1980… Love Grandma’s youngest brother, and myself on Easter Morning.)

The nightmares were awful things, scary, frightening full of terror…more than monsters under the bed or in the closet, or coming up the basement stairs.

I couldn’t go outside at night for fear of the nighttime…it was a horrible time of dark magic for me.

Then Momma hit upon the idea of helping me reclaim the real magic of the world. She would put me to bed with stories of fairies and angels.

She talked about fairies who lived right there in the cherry orchard by our house, fluttering in fun little dances under flowers in her flower beds.

She told about Angels who lived in the sky, reaching out helping hands to grab our prayers as they flew by, then taking them to Heavenly Father so he could hear our prayers also, she described how the Angels made sure the stars were polished and sparkling each night and that the Angels would visit with the Man in the Moon.

Her stories were marvelous, vivid and just plain fun.

(My brother and I)

It took a little while….magic always does….but she gave back to me the safety and enchantment of our marvelous planet, the vastness of the heavens and the colors of the rainbow.

Of which I am eternally grateful!

P.S. I went out and checked all the Apricot blooms again and it looks like the second flush of blooms is going to make into apricots! WOW! What a surprise!

From my world to your heart,

Linda

In the Bright Sunlight of a Beautiful April Day — Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Dayphoto

The heartbeat of a farm is

Water

You can ready the ground, plant the seeds, fertilize, manage the weeds

But without water, nothing will happen

Although, we do get rain, in our high mountain desert region the amount of rain we get only sinks in about the width of a shadow

So yesterday in the gentle morning sunlight

The siphon tubes were gathered across each and every ditch, laid along the side with the orange dams and the mental dams; water was started into the pastures at the Upper End, the old Apricot Tree, and the horses’ pastures.

The water gurgling and glittering making tiny splashing noises as it rushed in a small wind to give life to seeds and a drink to thirsty little plants.

Thankfully, but late evening my computer was back in working shape.

Yesterday turned out to be a very good day!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Sorry Computer Troubles….Hope to Be Back Tomorrow—-Monday, April 15, 2019

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Dayphoto

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Look to the Earth, Look to the Sky —-Sunday, April 14, 2019

Posted on April 14, 2019 by Dayphoto

(Hubbard, Papa (Henry Ashe), Henry Emmett —youngest son, and Willard top row,

seat William Hobson Thomas, Momma’s Dad and Momma, Ruth, Laverne.)

My Momma was the only grandchild/Niece of a large warm wonderful family on her Mother’s side.

(1929-2000)

She grew up knowing her Wootton grandfather, whom she called Papa, just as everyone else did.

(Her maternal Grandmother, Grace Elizabeth Hubbard Wootton 1879-1918) died from an ear infection when the youngest of the nine children was just two years old)

(Momma on her way to school one morning)

This large wonderful, warm, funny, family always got together whenever they possibly could.

Momma would tell me that Papa (Henry Ashe Wootton 1871-1940) was a most interesting man. She loved listening to the stories he told about his life and the lives of her Mother and all her Mother’s siblings, and his love of his life, Grace. (Papa never remarried.)

Henry Ashe Wootton

One thing that always stuck her mind was Papa would say: “Look at the sky, marvel at its wonders, and also look at the ground, for you can find spectacular things there also”.

Momma said Papa’s desk had fun things he had found while out walking…an interesting rock, a bird’s feather, a shiny bit of this and that.

I must be a wee bit like Papa for I look always to the sky

And I watch closely on the ground

Yesterday afternoon, while taking some stuff to one of the outbuildings

My heart, mind, and eyes

Were dazzled by a tiny wee heart just waiting to be found.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday— Out and About with Mom and Mindy (sometimes)

Posted on April 12, 2019 by Dayphoto

Mom and I

and sometimes Mindy, took walks in the rain, in the wind, at night, and in the storm we had.

But this morning we took a walk in SUNSHINE!

Anyway, here are some of the things we saw

These tiny birds are back…YAY! Mom and I love to see them and watch them…they watch us, by freezing very still, not moving at all.

If Mom talks to them, they get very nervous but don’t move.

Last night, after the storm left, Mom and I went for a short walk to the old tree, which is no longer there, because the ditch company sprayed and killed it….and Mom saw a helicopter coming our way.

She took a picture (Mom always has her camera with her) just to see if the helicopter would show up. Only the lights on the helicopter showed up. Still kinda cool.

Our storms were mild compared to other places so the renter is back on the land this morning.

The sun setting through the storm last night was rather cool.

Mom and I checked the apricot blooms…yep, froze. There might be a few that make it, but nothing like there could have been.

The canal water came yesterday!

Mom and Dad and I all thought YAY!

Dad says today we make ditches!

Oh! I hear a big truck! I know that motor!

Gotta go!

See ya,

Boomer

A Great Storm Blew In—-Thursday, April 11, 2019

Posted on April 11, 2019 by Dayphoto

Yesterday and Today are miserable days to be outside

Although, Terry and I had some work that HAD to be done…wind, rain, sleet or snow, no matter

The bitter wind blew off all the Apricot blossoms

Making the ground white

Even landing on a very disgruntled cat

Today is pretty much the same

I went out to look for rainbows, but the clouds were not the right kind.

Photo copied from Face Book

Still, we had nothing compared to the eastern slope!

Nothing.

They are calling it a Bomb Cyclone

https://gazette.com/news/storm-packs-roads-north-of-colorado-springs-with-ice-and/article_e0cd8780-5c52-11e9-9e2b-73ada87b16f5.html

So in loving memory of the Apricot blooms,

I will close for now,

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Some Things Stay the Same —- Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Posted on April 10, 2019 by Dayphoto

The new farmer and his brother-in-law came and started working up the land. There are four families farming counting the main brother who is the head of the clan. They all grew up as farmers and have taken over their Dad’s land and started renting other properties—-it takes approximately 1,000 acres per family to make a living farming nowadays.

Since we have kept all the pastures, hills, meadows, and flatlands, that makes us responsible for the water on the place. (Not the irrigation of the big farmed fields but getting the water to the place, onto all the fields and into the pastures.)

The cows damaged the gated pipe over the winter so yesterday, Terry and I went out and removed the two damaged sticks

Replacing them with new gated pipe

Done!

After which we put together a load of trash to go to the dump….we are cleaning up all sorts of places and spots and areas we have put off for years.

Today Terry will make all the ditches on the place…that will help out the farmer and get the water to the places where we are farming.

So even though the major part of the farm is rented out…farming and upkeep for Terry and I has just changed—and Terry stated last night at supper he really likes this new type of farming for him.

And THAT My Friends (as you all have said) Is A Very Good Thing!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Wrapped in Early Morning Light —- Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Posted on April 9, 2019 by Dayphoto

On Sunday we joined 25 other vehiles to go on a cruise to Red Cliff Lodge at Moab, Utah

We all got there early ready to leave at exactly the top of the hour….which we did.

The miles streaked by

The scenery timeless

The road through the canyons and along the Colorado River made one feel as the ancient past was now present

Then we were there. All 25 vehicles of us and the guests already staying at the Lodge.

It made a for a very full dinning room.

After we ate brunch, Terry and I headed into Moab for a little sightseeing

Then we headed home—-

We got home around three-thirty in the afternoon. It was a very pleasant break in the week. We had fun conversations with really nice people and saw lots of neat vehicles.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda