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

MAIN STREET’S FLAG POLE Guest Post from Jim Wetzel—-Monday, July 25, 2016

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Dayphoto

As the Spanish-American War came to an end in 1898, a group of Delta businessmen thought it would be a good idea to have a flagpole in the center of town. So Delta erected a 75-foot tall flag pole in the center of the intersection of Main and Third Streets and proudly displayed a giant 45-star US flag.

In August 1898, an 86-foot tall tree was cut and hauled off of Grand Mesa to Delta. The Delta County Independent noted that several Eckert residents had reported seeing the giant pole being hauled down the Surface Creek road.

Businessmen Frank Dodge and Frank Sanders volunteered to see that the pole was properly placed. The Town of Delta built a band stand around the flagpole “for the benefit of the band boys.” Unfortunately, the affixing of a pulley to the top of the flagpole was an afterthought. The newspaper noted that “the pulley was so far down the pole that the flag flies constantly at half-mast,” leaving everybody asking, “who is dead?”

When electricity came to Delta in 1900, the town thought it would be a great idea to hang a light bulb atop the flagpole (well, half-way up) to illuminate Main Street. The light bulb and wiring were attached to the flag pulley and hoisted half-way up the 75-foot pole. The pulley system was needed in order to be able to change the light bulb when it burned out. At that time, the city power plant was located at First and Main.

In 1898, traffic on Main Street, with few exceptions, was entirely horse-drawn buggies and wagons. However, within a few years automobiles were common along Main Street. The flagpole and band-stand became a frequent target of early motorists whose driving skills preceded the requirement for a driver’s license. The town enacted a 7-mph speed limit within intersections, but somehow a few motorists still managed to hit the flagpole.

By 1908, the Town of Delta condemned the flagpole and bandstand as “dangerous.” On April 9, 1908, the town took down the flagpole and replaced it with a smaller one. The small flagpole might only have lasted a year or two, as there are no known photographs featuring a smaller flagpole.

DELTA COUNTY MUSEUM Delta County Historical Society

Quarterly Newsletter Issue No. 87 July – September, 2016

NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Jim Wetzel

After a Series of Storms—Sunday, July 24, 2016

Posted on July 24, 2016 by Dayphoto

After a series of storms made it’s way through our area

We were left with a series of

RAINBOWS!

Ain’t Life Grand?!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—-Stuff

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Dayphoto

My days are pretty much just rolling along. We are starting to see little vines and flower buds on the pinto beans. I could care less, but Mom and Dad think it’s a HUGE deal. I just wag my tail and agree with them.

The baby corn is popping up on the corn stalks. If I move through the corn rows I come out will corn pollen on me. Dad says this is a scary time for corn, the deer like to eat the silk. If they eat the silk the corn won’t make. Dad always gets really worried about this time of year. Mom says it’s our 10% tithe.

The fox and the raccoon are helping Mom clean up all the apricots. Fox can climb trees, did you know that? So can raccoons. We have two trees they climb up, to the very top, and get those little apricot fruit Mom can’t reach.

Mom says we share here…works for her and works for them. Also works for me, because I get to sniff all the news when they are on the farm and in the farm yard!

Mom, Dad, Sammy-Sam, and I sit outside and watch all the hummingbirds every evening.

We have four pair of Rufus Hummingbirds this year…Mom is really excited. She says she counted about 30 little hummers. I don’t get Mom’s excitement, it’s just part of the birds who live on our place.

Now what I find exciting is FOOTPRINTS in the mud! THAT is exciting!

Boomer

Our Morning Air was Filled with Angels—Thursday, July 21, 2016

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Dayphoto

Even if the Devil is loose in the world

Even though time will fade for each of us—

We have the sign of Hope!

I always love seeing Rainbows!

Your friend on a western Colorado Farm,

Linda

When the Dark Comes—Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Dayphoto

Our days are growing shorter.

Not so very long ago the little birds woke-up just before 5:00 in the morning. Now it is much, much closer to 5:30. Depending on the clouds it can even be closer to 5:45.

The sun sets around 8:35 or so in evening.

Our days are now 14 hours and 33 minutes long, loosing time every day, bringing on the the night faster and faster.

I love the twilight, but I guess you know that by now. I never feel a sense of abandonment or that elemental loneliness that some people feel as night rises from the earth. What I feel is a soundless singing — a hushed exultation as the earth rests and the nocturnal animals and bugs wake

The trees and plants sigh as they start their rest, while the air cools. Then moon breaks forth in silver light, and the stars fling wide and wild across a deep velvet sky.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

An Irresistible Exuberant Delight—-Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Dayphoto

We’ve been living with heat for several, several days now.

Miserable heat, the kind that hangs in the air and never really seems to cool down. (Although, I will take this heat over winter any day!)

The weather people said we might have rain yesterday…so we waited.

Then last evening I could see rain playing around us on the Uncompahgre Plateau.

Rain chutes filled the sky looking toward Montrose and over toward the Peach Valley area; still the bumblebees and the hummingbirds never exhibited anxious hovering in the flowers like they do before a storm makes it’s way to us.

We set the last set of water in the glow of the Full Thunder Moon; the air more restless than early in the evening.

Then during the night the rains came! We woke to beautiful fresh air, the ghost of the storm hanging damply on each blade and leaf.

Today is alluring, with clouds moving in again, and the promise of POSSIBLY more rain. My garden, the farm, and myself are all doing the happy dance!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

My Love Gave to Me—-Monday, July 18, 2016

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Dayphoto

When working up the ground this year, Terry found this amazing rock in the two-acre field

He sat it aside and promptly forgot about it until yesterday. When we were up there checking on the water he remembered it. Leading me over to the fence line where he had carefully placed it (so he wouldn’t forget) he asked me to look in the particular spot where it was resting…hiding.

A Collection of Fossils!

How blessed I am.

Linda

Look to the Sky— Sunday, July 17, 2016

Posted on July 17, 2016 by Dayphoto

The Full Buck Moon or the Full Thunder Moon will occur July 19, 2016 (6:56 pm ET).

July…We are experiencing Hot Summer Days and Hot Summer nights. The heat shimmers like deep violet then fades into blue-black immensity

By morning the air has thinned and crisped like distant stars in the sky–a huge relief

The Sun rises

And the day begins, the balance of our waking hours filled with the immensity of each minute and hour

Then it is night again. The sky swimming with stars, the silver globe of the moon; illuminating the void

With that sky so immense it boggles my mind, knowing that it covers you AND I.

No wonder people look to the sky when talking to God…that huge expanse so near at hand, yet so far.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—A HUGE WONDERFUL TREAT

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Dayphoto

I’ve had an ear infection again. After a trip to the Animal Doctor I got two…BOTH earfuls of ‘stuff’ in my ears. Then my ears were massaged and massaged…I didn’t yelp once! That stuff felt sooooooooooo good.

After a week I had to go back to the Animal Doctor where a cold thing was poked into my ears and I was pronounced “GOOD to GO!”

GO!!! My favorite word…right up there with FOOD, Treat! DINNER!

That evening Mom and Dad came out of the house and Mom said: “Let’s GO for a ride, Boomie.”

I beat them to the pick-up! It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to ride in the BACK of the pick-up! Mom didn’t want my very long soft ears flapping in the wind—she said the wind might make my ears ache again.

But this time—OH! THE JOY! I got to ride in the back of the pick-up.

Dad threw down my carpet –up next to the cab of the truck—Mom picked me up and helped me into the bed and we were off!

I LOVE going for rides! There are so many different things to see and smell, it just makes the day so much better.

I like any kind of ride, but the back of the pick-up ride is WONDERFUL!

Boomer

With the Scent of a Summer Night, Comes the Dawn—-Thursday, July 14, 2016

Posted on July 14, 2016 by Dayphoto

I am working feverishly to get everything caught up. For you see, we have company coming. Terry’s Sister and brother-in-law will be here on Sunday, then Monday we get to have our youngest Granddaughter for THE WEEK! And I don’t want to be cleaning, weeding, or working hard during that time.

Our days are hot and over-powering in the overwhelming heat, causing sweat to run down my face as I weed, rake, fertilize, prune, trim and mow. My body slowing turning into the wind, earth and water as I melt.

Bees and wasps buzz heavily, with gnats and mosquitoes in clouds; creating easy fodder for the swallows nesting all along the edges of our house.

Our yard is dizzy with the scents of grass, sweet white lilies, and water sprinkling on the lawn.

My weeding of the pinto bean fields are done! I finished the two acre field last night. From this point on we turn our heads and choose not to see the weeds, which will flourish there anyway, coming from the wind and water.