Author Archives: Dayphoto

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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 Sun Casting Long Shadows — Sunday, January 27, 2019

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Yesterday morning was brisk and cold

So we worked on the log pile cutting and sorting firewood (not having to work in mud–the ground was frozen, you see)

I am NOT a fan of cottonwood…it stinks when it burns and leaves lots of chunks

Gradually our wood is getting cleaned up and sorted and hauled to the house for warmth

There is still lots of winter left, soon we will be hauling from our other wood piles behind the barn and up at the Back Forty

But the stack yard is starting to look rather nice

Then in the late afternoon, as the sun’s heartbeat poised for a wee second on the western horizon, just before the dark rose up

Our sky turned golden

Filling our world with long shadows

And stunning light!

From my heart to your world,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday— Mom and I

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Mom and I left Mindy in the house…Mom doesn’t like to walk with Mindy.  Well, she does, but when Mom and I are going on a LONG Walk, Mom leaves Mindy in the house.

Not because Mindy can’t make the long walk, but because Mindy gets terribly sidetracked and leaves us and sometimes doesn’t come back for days and days.

When that happens (it’s happened twice) Mom is just sure the coyotes got Mindy.

So now, when Mom and I go for LONG walk, Mom leaves Mindy in the house!

So anyway, back to my adventure.

Mom and I go for walks often!  Even if it is muddy.  Of course, when it’s muddy we don’t go where the Mud is bad, we just go a short ways here and there.
That’s okay by me…any walk is always a good walk.

So off we went because Mom wanted to get photos of the clouds.  Mom loves clouds.

Well, Mom loves, clouds, birds, sunsets, sunrises, the moon, HECK taking photos of anything and everything on the farm.

So, once more back to the adventure…off we went to add to mom’s collection of CLOUDS!

She got lots of photos of clouds and I gathered lots of news.

Back home, Mom showed me all the cloud photos and said her favorite for the week was the roll clouds.

Then she gave me a good rub down, a cookie and sat down at her computer.

 

As for me—

I went outside and had a good roll on the grass.

Nothing better than a good roll on the grass, this time of year.

(No, I didn’t roll in the manure…it’s all frozen and Mom gets rather grouchy about rolled in manure and me coming into the house…just say’n.)

Boomer

Shimmering in Winter’s Frozen Light—-Thursday, January 24, 2019

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I have been hanging out at the bird feeders lately

Trying to get some good photos of birds in flight…

I love how their wings leave a soft sigh in the air, or swoosh as they takeoff

I have to be careful as this little fur ball loves to come with me…and that is never a good thing.  The birds leave the area in a wind churning frenzy.

This little bird was way up high, listening to the silence of the sky

Last evening, as the sky started to purple and fade a female Great Horned Owl and her mate stopped by

They were delightful to listen too and then to watch leave…silently lifting up from the branches; floating away like a breath of wind

During the day the air is alive with the shimmering sounds of the Sand Hill Cranes

Their thrilling call is beautiful.

They spend the night on the farm also, but are so silent one doesn’t know they are here.

The Canada Geese do not seem to like to be where the cranes are.  Rather sad, I tell them all the time they are welcome.

Still, they fly on their calls adding to the trills of the cranes on the ground.

What lovely creatures add to our long winter days!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

 

Cows and the Possibility of Calves—-Wednesday, January 23, 2019

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We talked to the farmer the other day

I asked when the calves were due

February!  Not long now

AND there just might be EARLY ONES!!!

It always seems there is at LEAST one Early one!

Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda

Cold! The Ancient Voice of January—Tuesday, January 22, 2019

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“Are those magic fairy wands glistening on the tree or only winter icicles all sparkling at me?”–The Winter Fairy Song

Winter has arrived again, with a sharp, very sharp cold wind, and a windchill in the range of BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

We received snow starting in the afternoon and over the night

Not lots, but enough to make a mess, once this chill wind leaves

Everything and everyone hunkering down until we reach another warm spell

Then it will be back to mud season

To be honest with you, I am counting down the days until Spring.

But SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, don’t tell anyone.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Drunk on Moonlight (and then I fell asleep SHISH!) —- Monday, January 21, 2019

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I kept checking the moon, every hour on the hour, then every thirty minutes

Gradually the clear light of the moon paled and became shadowed

I stayed watching

And missed the whole thing…I fell asleep sitting in one spot looking out the window, exhausted

How disappointing.  I woke only to see the moon sail clear and shining and beautiful in the dark sky!

SIGH!!!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

 

 

In the Chill of an Early Winter Morning —- Sunday, January 20, 2019

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“I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.”–John Burroughs

On a wee walk-about, in the dark of the early morning, with the sounds of two fox talking close, somewhere close

I once more fell in love with the light of the beautiful, wonderous moon.

The moon and the starlight created a dream world of glitter and ice. A vision in the midst of the heavy clouds at the edge of the western sky

caught in the net of resting branches of the very old trees.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

 

 

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday— And Then

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Everything is back to normal…

I still greet the Mail Lady when she drives down our long, long lane,

I go for walks with Mom,

and with my sisters (when they are here) and Mom,

I meet Mom coming home EVERY SINGLE TIME,

I go with Mom to check out stuff on the farm —

but to be honest, it is VERY muddy out there and hard to get around—

I keep the farm safe,

I check for news anytime I go outside,

and I get my feet washed (which I hate) when I come back in because of the MUD!

But the thing I do the very best…is Bay at The UPS MAN!

You see we used to have a very bad UPS man, he would kick at me, he even threw his coat at me once, yelled at me, ran at me like he was going to tackle me. Mom saw each and everything he did.

Finally, one day Mom said… “You do one more thing to my dog and I’m calling your supervisor.” The bad UPS driver just got in his truck and gunned it out of the yard.

Mom didn’t call his supervisor, but she sure thought long and hard about it.

THEN ONE DAY we had a new driver…he comes with DOG TREATS!


Mom always meets him at the truck so he doesn’t have to get out, but the other day he got out before Mom got there.

You see Mom’s package was all torn and beat up.  This really nice UPS driver met Mom and showed her the package, then filed a report for her.

BUT I BAYED AND BAYED AND BAYED.

I refused to listen to Mom.

The UPS driver said that I could talk all I want, he said he LIKES beagles! Can you imagine that!

SO, I DID!

Then I bayed him down the lane to the bridge and came back home very proud of myself.

Mom gave me a COOKIE!!

There is something good about being a watch beagle!

Boomer

P.S.  Mom wants you to know some of the photos were taken earlier when we didn’t have snow and mud.  But you don’t mind, I’m sure.

Boomer

 

Soft Echoes in the Air —-Thursday, January 17, 2019

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, A cloud sat down on the farm today…it was lovely and beautiful

Making sounds soft and close; the feeling tranquil

And just so you know…there is always one!

Yep..always.  And she can jump an electric fence just like it isn’t even there, not even touching the toe of her hoof on the wire.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

 

The Sky is Gray and Sparkling with Snow Flakes—-Wednesday, January 16, 2019

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It’s been way too muddy to get out on the farm and check for babies calves

Although, Terry did go out early, early one morning (while everything was frozen) to check and also see how the feed was holding up

He reported there are no calves yet and the food is holding…

It’s snowing here today.  The sky is all gray and full of big fat flakes

We are moving between snow and partial melt, which makes MUD, back to snow

Which I know is good for the soil, the plants, the big trees — and it IS January after all.

And for something rather fun…the Great Horned Owls are back…they winter here and raise their little owlets.  Our daughter, who lives just across the field from us, was able to capture one of the Owls resting on the old, old apricot tree with her cell phone.

Now, how cool is that!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda