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

Finally We Have Begun—-Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Posted on August 29, 2018 by Dayphoto

Here we are…on the third day of the pinto bean harvest.

First the pinto beans are pulled and gathered into a row.

Then Terry will go back in and run a blade under the row, lifting up any plants still attached to the soil.

After which we wait a spell…it all depends on the weather…sun, heat, wind, or rain

After which he will go back in and combine the now dry plants. Once he combines them (shelling the bean pods and putting them into the hopper; loaded onto a large grain truck)

The loads of pinto beans will be hauled to The Beanery where the beans will be sorted, cleaned, bagged and sold. Afterward we get our paycheck for the year!

Here is where we are in our farming process—-all the alfalfa is sold, the pinto beans are in the beginning of the process to completion…we are still irrigating the corn.

(Plus we are still irrigating the alfalfa fields…it would not do to have the alfalfa fields go into the winter dehydrated. IF that were to happen there would not be any alfalfa to turn into hay next year. 🙂

So that is the big excitement here….the first steps of the pinto bean harvest!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Drops of Sunlight—Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Posted on August 28, 2018 by Dayphoto

I find it ever so much fun to turn on my computer each morning and find within a email message from a friend.

There one was….From Kate: in that land of the Kiwi—

“Hello

We just had a 15 minute shower of rain, our first for 2 months. It didn’t last long, but it was long enough to produce this:” Kate

There hanging in the stormy sky of indigo clouds; sparkled a rainbow!

A perfect way to start my day!

Thank you so much, Kate!

From my world to your heart,

Linda

Faintly, Yet Noticeable— Monday, August 27, 2018

Posted on August 27, 2018 by Dayphoto

Each day is now crowded with signs of fall. It’s in the very air we breathe, the wee chill in the early part of the day

The desperate clinging of the flies to the screens and their mad dash to crowd into the house as fast as the door opens 😦

We saw a huge flock of geese land in the pasture below one of our little mesa’s, scattering and honking as they rustled and settled into a favored spot for the night

The air as we sleep has a crisp feel to it…sounds carry from further distances…a dog barking a mile away seems it is right across the field

But most of all fall is on the land…the plants bespeak loudly; summer weeds have gone to seed, and fall bloomers bursting forth in the slackening heat.

Summer is gone echoing sorrowfully in the core of my soul…for after Autumn comes winter.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

A Wondrous Visit with Good People—-Sunday, August 26, 2018

Posted on August 26, 2018 by Dayphoto

For three evenings and two full days Terry and I were delighted and happy to have long-time blog friends come to our little farm for a whirlwind visit.

This is the fourth time in as many years we have had the great good fortune to have Bob and Elaine make the many hour trip to come see us. This time they brought their band new camper and brand new pick-up and lots and lots of yummy home-grown organic produce from their very own greenhouse.

We took them to the East Portal of the Black Canyon

So they could see where our irrigation water comes from.

The colors are starting to change, although it isn’t even September.

Elaine and I went rock hunting. Read interpretative signs, and Terry explained how the irrigation water gets to all the farms down the way.

Home again where I fixed Green Chili chicken, and roasted tomatillos salsa and chicken tacos for supper.

The next day we all headed up to Grand Mesa driving the whole length from the Delta side to the Mesa side coming into Palisade where we purchased pears and peaches.

And had a yummy lunch at Cafe 11.0 in Palisade.

Back home we had pork tenderloin cooked in apple juice with sliced apples, mashed potatoes, salad and fresh peaches and vanilla ice cream.

Suddenly it was time for our very delightful visit to end.

The time was just too short!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday— Here’s What’s Happening on the Farm

Posted on August 24, 2018 by Dayphoto

First off and foremost Dad has stopped the water on the pinto beans! That means summer is officially over!

You see in a week or two or three depending on the weather Dad will be harvesting the pinto beans. That means lots of work. First, the pinto beans are deprived of water. That is so the bean plants will get the signal it’s time to dry up.

Secondly, it also lets the ground dry up so Dad can go into the field with the pinto bean puller and pull all the plants out the ground and let them dry until the leaves fall off the stems.

Once the leaves fall off the stems then Dad knows it is time to get out the PINTO BEAN COMBINE!!!

And the big orange truck.

Up and down the rows Dad will go filling the combine hopper with this year’s pinto beans. Once the hopper is full he will dump the hopper into the big orange truck. He will do that until the big orange truck is full.

Then he will drive to the Beanery. Mom and I come in the pick up because the big orange truck usually has to stay at the Beanery until it is its turn to be unloaded. Sometimes that is way into the night. Dad doesn’t like to sit there and wait until it’s time.

If Dad gets to dump early then Mom and I come on back home.

This goes on and on until the whole field is harvested.

Summer is over. “Sorta on the sad side”, Mom says. Heck, I don’t care. I like each and every day.

And my most favorite day of all…. WHEN a Delivery Truck drives down the long, long lane into the farmyard!

WHOO HOO! BAY! HALLER! BARK! HOWL!

Boomer!

The Joy of Thunder—- Thursday, August 23, 2018

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Dayphoto

We have had rain!!!

Beautiful cool misty rain…although not long, nor in sheets of showers

But still, it is rain! Other places around us got more rain than we. But I will take whatever we get and feel a relief at that!

Even the little hummingbirds calmly rested on the flowers as the thunder rolled over-head

In the stillness after the storm(s) rolled through the little birds fed in the bright pearled mist

The earth not so wet we slipped as we walked along the ditch banks.

Still, the moisture in the air, the lack of smoke because of the rain was all bliss!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Sky Swam with Colors of Jewels — Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Dayphoto

Once more I have been gifted with the beauty of a lovely rainbow.

In my mail first thing in the morning I had this wondrous gift from a long-time reader, Joe.

“Something for you.” he wrote.

And there it was in the cold air fragrant with rain. The dance of colors flickering through the sky, glowing like jewels sparkling just there for all of the world to see

the gift of a rainbow!

Thank you, Joe!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Hanging there in the Grey Sky—-Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Dayphoto

I opened my email to find a lovely little note from a wonderous world far, far away from where I live…in the magical land of Sweden

“Hi, Linda!

Here is a beautiful rainbow photographed from my porch – just for you 🙂

All the best for you, Terry, Boomer and all other creatures at the farm!”

Asta in Sweden

Then as I continued to open the photo the rainbow burst upon my screen.

How very blessed I am to have such gifts from around the whole wide world!

Thank you, Asta!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Come Sit with Me—Monday, August 20, 2018

Posted on August 20, 2018 by Dayphoto

Come sit with me…let time slow down…

Let the hummingbirds be the only whirlwind

Enjoy (with me) our now fall days…summer is quickly passing

Morning air is crisp if not clear, and the plants have dew drops like rain upon their leaves

The crows are back a sure sign of soon to be harvesting and I heard two owls in the wee morning light today

Moisture is even in the air —above the smoke-filled clouds

Either a slight rainbow or a sundog…cooler weather is coming our way

Terry has stopped the water on the pinto bean field…in one week he will start pulling the beans. In two weeks we harvest.

Still for a short while…sit with me

Let the summer day pass into fall with peace and joy

Quietness and comfort as the day winds down

And the little hummingbirds drink their fill

In that hour between day and night

Just before the sun sets.

From my world to your heart, My Friends,

Linda

In the Early Morning Light—-Sunday, August 19, 2018

Posted on August 19, 2018 by Dayphoto

In the very early morning light, after the first set of water…there is usually a load of hay to load out…

Early before the heat of the day rises to swallow all in its rugged grip.

Since we only had the one load yesterday, Terry wanted to take a little trip to Gunnison, Colorado to visit a huge car show they had going on

Off we went getting there close to noon.

We saw around 268 different cars, trucks, and rat rods. Everything from a few hundred dollars in value to over six figures! They came from all around the state of Colorado and even a few as far away as Texas.

It was lots of fun…seeing old friends and new friends and getting ideas for Terry’s own cars.