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—-I Get a Treat

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Dayphoto

I head out every morning to see whom and what has been walking on the farm.

I know, I know…I could be outside GUARDING the farm, but Mom likes to have me sleeping inside. She says I need to be guarding the inside of the house, so everything can sleep safe.

Anyway, there is always lots to know about once I get out the door.

I know, I know, I could go out the door much earlier than I do, but Mom likes me to have breakfast first. Besides she says 5:30 is early enough to go check out the morning news.

Now Sam-Sam, he has a hard time sleeping all through the night. Many times I’ve been woken up by Mom and Sammy. Sammy yowls when he wants to go outside…that wakes up the dead, Mom always says…Sammy’s yowling.

Mom says Sammy is our guard cat, although she really doesn’t like Sammy to go outside at night (Sammy will be 17 this year), but Sammy never listens to her and demands his way ALWAYS!

So let’s see…oh, this makes sense everyone in the house smelled skunk around 4 or so in the morning.

Sam was out by the canal…I know, I can tell by the smell of his footprints.

There was lots more smells, but I won’t bore you with them.

After lunch Mom and I had work to do. Mom drives and I ride.

Then later on in the day Mom asked if I wanted a treat—you bet I did.

She put me in the truck and off we went!

TO THE CAR WASH! I LOVE going to the car wash! I love every minute the whole thing is happening.

That was a cool treat! I thought I was going to get a dog cookie, but instead I GOT TO GO TO THE CAR WASH!

A smiling, tag wagging,

Boomer

The Last of Summer’s Hay—-Thursday, September 1 , 2016

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Dayphoto

Sunday we ‘did’ hay.

Because we had lots of rain and hail before we could get the hay up; Terry had to ‘turn’ the hay. Sunday Morning he raked the hay turning it over so the top will be the bottom, and the bottom will be the top and the top will dry.

Then about 1:00 in the afternoon the alfalfa had turned to hay. Off Terry went to bale.

And Boomer and went out to roll bales and pick up broken bales (there were only two) and pick up all the loose hay on the corners

Then we started hauling in the bales.

(See the twisted bales?)

I did have a sort of a fright…not bad, but I was very much startled. A huge bull snake was resting under one of the bales, when I moved the bale he jumped up and slithered off and I jumped up and out of his path! 🙂 🙂

We got half the field up and then finished on Monday; after we finished we worked some more on the firewood.

We are still irrigating, the alfalfa field will be the last field we set water on then we will be done for the year. BUT FIRST…the field has to be marked out so the water can get down the rows. Seems like there is always something.

It’s cold enough we must wear jackets in the early morning and late evening when we set water. Sure seems early for jackets, but it is what it is.

Next will be pinto bean harvest—soon…very soon.

(Terry and I are getting a tad tired right now.)

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Firewood—Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Dayphoto

Gradually the firewood pile is shrinking. Terry, myself and our son worked all day Saturday, ending just before dark—in that time called gloaming.

Thankfully, I was able to get all our corn froze for the winter, before we headed out to do the wood…I would have been too tired to do it at the end of the day.

Terry and Evan cut (Evan gets half and we take half) and I loaded everything in the back of the pick-up trucks

We are working every night, after Evan gets off from his job for the city.

So far, all day Saturday, take off Sunday (to do hay) , Monday, and Tuesday evening. And tonight. We hope to be done by Friday evening.

Of course, only time and good luck will tell.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Moment of Relief—Tuesday, August, 30, 2016

Posted on August 30, 2016 by Dayphoto

Last Thursday the heat of the afternoon bore down on us in such a wave of intensity I thought this fall weather had made a huge and dramatic turn back to summer.

Terry was gone for the day, having flew out of Montrose for a meeting in Brighton, Colorado; it was up to Boomer and I to check the irrigation and keep the farm running.

It was late in the afternoon; the gnats and mosquitoes were in swarms of carnivorous activity wherever we walked along the ditch bank—- when I felt the cool down from the swiftly moving clouds.

It started sprinkling just before we got back to the house. Then it started to rain.

Not a bad rain, a gentle rain, a moment of relief from the suffocating heat; enough so the sparrows hung out on the wire taking a bath.

Suddenly the sky turned into hail, the birds, Boomer and I scattering. The blows from the hail and the wind silencing everything and everyone as we hunkered down waiting for the end.

Gradually the noise lessened; the air ringing empty—only the canal talking loudly as the water rushed by.

We got an inch of rain from that storm…a mixed blessing, because of the hail.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

The Beginning—Monday, August 29, 2016

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Dayphoto

As it says in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: “Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop”

Our firewood has arrived!

Daily we will cut, split, sort and stack this nine cords of wood. Since we are [now] elderly we will only work for three or four hours a day until we are through.

Winter is lurking—just waiting for us— and we must be prepared.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

When Time Is Still—-Sunday, August 28, 2016

Posted on August 28, 2016 by Dayphoto

There is a time, within each day, when time seems to stand still

That point when everything waits— for just that moment, that pure moment of breathlessness

When the sun breaks forth into a new day

The joy reverberating clear into our blood.

Then the minutes and hours of the day takes over —with lists of ‘things to do’ and ‘stuff to get done’ and the people ‘who need’

But, If we just stop and look we can have that moment of balance we all crave…

A pause—

Gradually time slows

And all those things that thronged our seconds, minutes and hours become still… For just a moment.

Balanced!

Then the night rises up to claim it’s fair share of time.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—-I Say It’s Fall

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Dayphoto

Mom and thought it would be a good thing to show you…that IT IS FALL HERE!!!

The corn is starting to move from the milk into the dough. Next step it will dent. When it dents the Dad will stop irrigating the corn.

The deer love eating the corn right now. They eat off the cob, just like a human does.

The Rabbit Brush is blooming…it usually blooms in September.

The Leaves are starting to turn on the Cottonwood Trees

A whole month early

IT’S STILL AUGUST!

The Lilac leaves are turning yellow

And the pinto beans are turning ripe!

Harvest is just around the corner!

Boomer

Once More the Hummers—Thursday, August 25, 2016

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Dayphoto

So far we are having lots and lots of Hummers. I’m now having to make 1 1/2 gallons of sugar water daily.

I’m NOT complaining. I just love these little things.

I didn’t do a very good job, but hope you can get a feel for these cute tiny birds. Although, I have noticed, in just a short time, the Rufus have left…I suppose it won’t be long now for these little ones to head further on down toward the south.

Makes me a little sad, but that’s the way of the summer birds.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

Another Gift from Megan—Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Posted on August 24, 2016 by Dayphoto

Megan found another wonderful gift from nature…

Here is what she said: “It must be my week to see wonderful things! I found a humming bird nest this morning at the farm. One baby just hatched and the rest of the eggs were so so tiny! Thought you would like to see.”

No problem! It was such a cool thing to see. Lifted all the kids up to see it including James who isn’t so little anymore lol

THANK YOU SO MUCH, Megan! What a wonderful find! Thank you for sharing with all of us!

Love,

Linda

A Mercedes Benz in Our Drive Way—Tuesday, August 22, 2016

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Dayphoto

This weekend Terry and I received company of the most delightful kind. Bob and Elaine– long-time blog friends– drove over from the Black Forest, Colorado for an overnight visit

I fixed parmesan chicken, fresh corn on the cob, and tossed salad, with store bought ice cream on a stick for desert! Then we sat around and talked and talked and talked, until Terry said—“Goodness, I need to go change the water”—in the dark, with just a flashlight to aid him.

The next morning we had bunch — I made Huevos Rancheros, served with huge plates of fresh fruit–cantaloupe from Rocky Ford, Colorado, (thanks to Elaine and Bob), grapes, papaya, watermelon an assortment of cheese plus coffee.

All too quickly it was time for them to leave.

I had to laugh at a go fast Mercedes Benz sitting right next to the tractor in our farm yard!

Friends and Family—they are the cream on the jug of life!

Love,

Linda