Author Archives: Dayphoto

Unknown's avatar

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

An Update on the Duck—-Sunday, July 8, 2018

Posted on by
31

Since the duck was white, everyone decided she needed to be named something from the movie Frozen.  So, Elsa, she became.

I rigged up a wee pond, a pallet fence, gave her all the food and water she wanted and we all settled into watching Elsa enjoy her new life with us.

Then checking my FB messages I found out, that Elsa had a home. About a mile from here, way up the canal with two really big headgates in the canal.  She lived with 8 other ducks, 6 big dogs, two little dogs, several horses, a sheep and two tiny tots.

So Terry and I and our youngest granddaughter loaded up Elsa and took her back home.

When we drove into the yard, Elsa started getting very interested, even excited, she knew she had come home!

Well!  A perfect ending to a rather eventful experience for a really nice duck….we named Elsa!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

On the Day of the Fourth — Thursday, July 5, 2018

Posted on by
24

On the day of the 4th of July—-

Our kids were here from Parachute, Colorado (YAY!!!)   Kelly, our son-in-law, is friends with one of the Delta Volunteer Firemen who invited Kelly and his whole family (we included) to come and see how the fireworks are set-up for the display that night.

It was fascinating!

Then that afternoon while the grandkids were playing in the canal they found a duck hiding in the grass.

Circling the duck she was saved.  I now have a duck to join my hen.  She was very very thin, extremely tired (the canal is very swift and hard to get out).

Her name is now Elsa.

Elsa is doing very well, ate and ate and ate, then went to sleep.  Got up early and ate some more.

She has her own little pool and a yard and all the food she can eat.

I now have a Rescue Duck!

Then, in keeping with our annual family photo, it was time for the Knee-High by the 4th of July photo.

Complete with the BFF’s of our grandson and oldest granddaughter!

What a good time we had!  (another fun piece is the two ‘new’ kids to the block call Terry and I Grandpa and Grammy!  We think that is a very high compliment!)

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Happy Birthday America!—Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Posted on by
15

“God bless America,

Land that I love,

Stand beside her and guide her 

Thru the night with a light 

from above….”  —-‘God Bless America’

Love,

Linda

Morning, Cool Shadows, then Fading Light—-Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Posted on by
11

Gradually my yard is changing into different colors,

White, Yellow, red, pink, orange

 

I’ve been weeding the pinto bean field,  It’s a yearly chore that occurs daily until the pinto beans shoot feelers.

 

We go early, early until it’s time to change water, then come back into the ate, late in the day when it cools down…the corn and the cockleburs and the pigweed must be removed

Each one of those plants makes a seed the same size as the pinto bean.  If you have lots of trash seeds going in with the pinto beans the Beanery will dock you (make you pay a large fee) to clean out the seeds.

Therefore we always work diligently to get as many seeds/plants out of the field before the vines set.

Terry is doing better.  Better is a good thing.

Your friend on a Colorado farm,

Linda

The Languid Air of Summer —- Sunday, July 1, 2018

Posted on by
24

Our air is hot! Hot and dry.

But here we are.  The middle of summer… the Second cutting of alfalfa!

The smells in the house have been lovely.  Early morning dew on the drying hay, hot summer sun at the middle of the day, and crisp smells of sharp clean scent in the evening.

The whispering sound as Terry and I fork over the end, getting ready for the baler.

Then the rich sound of the baler…while Boomer and I move through the field making sure the bales are sitting on their sides for the stack wagon.

A very hot and BORED beagle riding behind me.  He makes it for about a 1/2 hour, then after that, he is done.  Gets off and hides in the shade.

The second cutting of alfalfa! We are in the middle of Summer!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Rocky Chaco Man—Thursday, June 28, 2018

Posted on by
23

On the day the full moon of June arrived

Rested while being hugged and read too at the Mesa County Library Reading to Dogs program

Eight little kids got to love and hug and read a book to Rocky The Rock Star!


Even the adults got in on the hug/love/pet Rocky part!

Your the best, Buddy!

From Boomer the Beaglie, Sherlock

 

Each Day is Deceptive—Really—Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Posted on by
16

Each day is deceptive really.  You think at the beginning of the day there is so much to do

You list of all the things you need to get done, as you lie in your bed, forcing your eyelids to ‘stay open’.

You mentally count off each thing, the weight of their worth etching into your mind the thought of time it will take to accomplish.

As you mentally tick off this and that you remember that one thing which suddenly flings you straight out of the bed, the energy of the thought echoing inside your head

That THIS is the day you must accomplish/go to/company coming/ whatever the marker is you’ve been working toward.

Then there you are, moving quickly and solidly and thoroughly through your day

The extraordinary happens!

All we have to do is look.

From my world to your heart!

Linda

Between One Heartbeat and the Next—-Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Posted on by
27

How fast time flows.  Sometimes I just amazed at how fast twenty years fly by.

Sometimes I wonder if somewhere along the way I stepped through a ley line.  (A line of magnetic force) and zapped myself from there into here.

I still feel young.  I still feel like maybe I’m 30-35 years of age.

But when I stop and think about it…I have lived all those years, I made the wear and tear on my body, although my soul doesn’t know it.

My mind and my memories know.  Twenty years have flown, or thirty years or even more…depending on where my memories land.

Although time has gone fast, I must admit each moment is exquisite–in pain or happiness.

Each moment has made us who we are; who you are and who I am.

And THAT, my friends, is a very good thing.

Love,

Linda

 

Something Sweet and Fragile —- Monday, June 25, 2018

Posted on by
43

We have this darling little nest out in the tractor shed….where one set of hatchlings have already occurred

There are three nests there, but only one female sitting.  No true leisure for her.

Then letting the hen out of the hen house yesterday morning, I realized I had somehow trapped a hummingbird in with the hen overnight.

Well, that’s not a good thing I thought to myself.

Then later on in the afternoon, while laying fresh bedding down, a hummingbird buzzed my head…in the chicken house!

Non-plussed I wondered…what is going on here?!

Looking around to see what would be the attraction of little hummer to a chicken house

I found…

 Another solid little nest, complete with a tiny graceful female hummingbird.

Now the paradox has begun

How to keep the chicken safe from predators at night, allow the hummingbird to feed as long as possible (they feed until dark) and get out early enough (they start feeding at first light) and keep the hen safe.

So at first light, I rush out to the hen house, open the door.  Then at the very tail end of last light, I shut the door, even though the hen has been abed for a little while.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

 

 

Silvering the Land—-Sunday, June 24, 2018

Posted on by
23

The almost full moon was lovely last night.  Casting silver light everywhere

After we went for a wee ride

Sat the last tube in the furrow, we went in for the short summer rest, which seems to occur this time of year.

Later, much later, feeling restless Boomer, Mindy and I went for a short walk.  I don’t like to travel too far when I have the cat trailing behind, or bouncing ahead, or running and hiding in the corn stalks.

It was a good thing I was still close to home just by the hay stackyard, when instinct, that voice of God, which we often ignore

Said, ”shhhhhhh.  Stop, go back, hurry, grab the cat, and get over next to the barn.”

Which I listened to and followed exactly to the letter.

The light from the moon shining brightly on a lone coyote rushing through the shadows which haunt the darkness.

We headed back carefully…through the old corrals, cat in arms, Boomer at my feet, until safe in the farmyard, where we all went into the house for a short summer nap.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda