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

A Weekend Get Away—-Monday, March 14, 2016

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Dayphoto

For my birthday, in January our daughter and son-in-law, who live in Grand Junction, Colorado, gave me (and Terry) a one-night-stay at our favorite of all hot springs— CottonWood in Buena Vista, Colorado. Then they told us they were going to drive us to the Hot Springs and spend the time with us. When would we like to go?

After much thought…from January until March… we decided the best time to go would be just after the cows leave and the heavy farm work starts.

So this last weekend they picked us up (our oldest daughter who now lives in our other house — she took care of the cats for us and took Boomer home to play with their dogs) and drove us to our wonderful weekend destination.

NOW! We had a little surprise for Cliff (our son-in-law) because HIS birthday is this month. So we gave to him (and Kimberly) one nights stay, also. 🙂 🙂

It was a lovely time! We had yummy food in Buena Vista and a huge breakfast in Salida on Sunday–home by 2:00 on Sunday, all rested and refreshed ready to tackle the week.

An excellent weekend!

From my world to yours!
Linda

Everything is Coming Up BULBS—Sunday, March 13, 2016

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Dayphoto

I’m so excited! My bulbs are finally starting to poke their little selves about the ground!

Oh! The joy! Joy! Joy!

From my world to yours!
Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—Good-Bye

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Dayphoto

Farewell!

See ya next year!

I was out and about checking the happenings on the farm, about three o’clock in the afternoon, when I started hearing lots and lots of hollering…

Good-Bye!

Ta-Ta!

LATER…I HOPE TO SEE YOU LATER!

BYE!

The racket was LOUD! So I trotted over to the old pinto bean field to see what was happening.

HUH?!?! WHAT! The cows are leaving!

I saw Mr. Davis, Mrs. Davis, and his daughters– Teresa and Rose– sorting the ‘almost-to-be-mommas’ from the already had babies mommas, then herding them to the gate to the road!

And DOWN the road.

I barked and hollered back at them—BYE, I don’t want you to leave, BYE! I’ve enjoyed having you here!”

Then the next day the Davis’ were all back…this time they separated the older calves from the just born calves, or the calves that were less than a week old.

Driving the babies and their moms over to the pinto bean field, then through the gate…and they were gone also.

This morning, as Mom was putting all the cats outside with me, Mr. Davis and Teresa stopped and said in two or three days they would have all the cows out. They want to give the babies a chance to be strong enough to walk to the pastures by their ranch house.

I heard Mom say she would let Terry (Dad) know. “Thank you. It’s always nice to have the cows and calves on the place.” She told Davis’.

With a smile and a wave from everyone the Davis’ were off. So was I…they have a cool dog in the back of the truck…we have major bark-offs as he drives away.

Boomer

Cow Check—-Thursday, March 10, 2016

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Dayphoto

The cows are ever so calm. Terry started working the alfalfa field (he is ripping here) and they didn’t even move. (Shows how much we and Davis’ are with them. :0 )

The Mom’s loved hanging in the field eating the turned up roots.

The little ones didn’t even run from the big loud noisy machine. (Probably because the Mom’s didn’t run or holler at the kids to RUN! :0 ) (Here Terry is rolling)

So Terry had to either get out and make them move or work around them.

Calm, calm calm.

That evening Terry, Boomer and I rode through the cows on our evening check…There was a BRAND NEW little one just eating lunch.

Now THIS mom decided she didn’t want to have her little one subjected to two noisy four-wheelers…she took off at a run. The little one had to struggle to keep up, but it did.

At the Upper End we ran into one of the ‘babysitter’ cows…she had 8 little ones she was watching.

It won’t be long now before Mr. Davis comes and gets his cows and moves them onto his ranch, just below our farm…about a mile away.

Until he comes…I’m going to enjoy every minute of the time we have left with them.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Light —a Thing of Beauty—Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Posted on March 9, 2016 by Dayphoto

The sun rising. The birds chattering and sending medleys of sound through out the day.

I’m very much looking forward to Daylight Savings Time. Terry and I have already switched. We are up early, early and then tired early.

Our neighbors are still burning. You can see it drifting up over our mesa from the valley floor just below us. I’m ready for burn season to end. 😦 I do try to keep a positive look on things, just so my soul and mind stay balanced, but burn season is always such a worry.

The tender spring buds on the trees are brilliant in the bright blue. The branches of the trees are still mostly bare against the skies…but the promise of new life is there.

Last evening as the sun set, Terry and I watched the sun sinking behind the Uncompahgre Plateau (Un-come-pah-gray—accent on the pah) The fading day robed in pink and purple glory.

The long shafts of the sinking sun burst through the air, lighting up the new little white calves in brilliant flashes of white.

Our nights are still frigid…but a freshness moves through the icy air promising growth, green things, newness…Life.

We stayed watching the night creep up, the cool air wrapping itself around us, then when the light reached it’s peak of stunning beauty (just before all color fades) we turned and walked back to the house and the waiting super in the crock pot…full of contentment.

Love,

Linda

Gladness Makes the Heart Lighter —Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Dayphoto

Sunrise!

The storm cleared leaving us with a brilliant chilly morning, heavy with frost on the ground.

Terry has started farming today. The first field to tackle is the alfalfa field. It is 5 years old and starting to wear out. He will plant ten more acres this spring—enough to keep him busy, but not as much as before.

Last night’s sunset!

After much thought he has decided to downsize. Not in acres farmed, but in What he farms.

He will be cutting back on the corn, but increasing the pinto beans. Pinto beans are much easier to grow and to harvest. So once we get to have fresh pinto beans right from the field. YAY!

It has been a gladness that has made his heart much lighter—this farming decision.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Small Storm—Monday, March 7, 2016

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Dayphoto

(Sunrise this morning…sun through the heavy clouds in the east)

A spring storm moved into our area yesterday bringing with it snow in the higher country, splattering of rain around us and on us.

Last night we had a huge wind, thunder storms and lightening.

A spring storm.

Today it’s still cloudy and cold, but the long months of desolation are coming to an end. Our air is full of bird song

There are Red-Winged Blackbirds in the cattails and in our apple trees!

Along the fence lines Western-Meadow-Lark There are Western Meadow Larks adding the joy in the air.

The delightful chirp of the Robin joins into the cacophony.

All replacing the lonely calling of the Canada Geese and the trill sound of the

Sandhill Cranes. We can hear their calling their way in flight forming Vs of courage toward the promise of a distant breeding grounds.

The Crows and Raven’s on swirling wings bear them up and away to other parts unknown to me. Leaving our trees available for the song birds.

In winter, we see the raptors;

It is in winter the feathered world is reduced to the brutal hunt and eat. Dark shadows pass overhead, dip down as the big birds hunt for mice along the ditch banks and fence rows. Sometimes a Ring-Necked Dover or a smaller little brown bird provides food for the owl and the hawk.

(Sunset last night…rain on the plateau with sun bursting through the clouds)

As late winter storms come and leave, the song birds return — even though the air is still cold, but not the bitter cold of winter; the sweet fresh cold of thawing earth, the brightness of sprigs of green and the hope of tiny swelling buds on the trees.

I can handle these storms…for it won’t be long now…not at all until the whole world I live in bursts forth into a riot of color!

From my world to your heart,

Linda

Common Things—Sunday, March 6, 2016

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Dayphoto

I saw my first Robin yesterday. It was early morning, then in the afternoon I saw another one. Two Robins. One at our place and one down at our other place. Spring is here!

Many of the other birds have started coming back, some I just don’t know the name of, but recognize them as Spring birds. The last to arrive will be the Swallows. Once the Swallows appear it will be full on Spring, without a hint of winter.

Every morning we wake up to a smattering of Canada Geese…stopping by of an evening to rest and feed upon the corn fields.

The Sandhill Cranes leave the upper cornfields late morning heading North. For some reason the two bird species do not share the same area of the farm. Also the geese leave early, early in the morning and the cranes about an hour after sunrise.

I love to stand and watch them. Boomer has learned to sit quietly by my side so I can take photos, his ears cocked, watching with interest. Still enough I can hear the beating of my heart.

After the birds fly away Boomer and walk back home. Through the cows and the calves.

Sometimes it’s just these still moments that blaze themselves upon our hearts and brain, allowing us to recall them in complete detail for the rest of our lives. Small little moments of peace and contentment.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—We Slid into Spring

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Dayphoto

These days are wonderful! Mom and Dad, the cats and yours truly—BOOMER the Beagle, have been spending every minute of the day outside doing all sorts of things.

Dad works on his ‘stuff’,

Mom is working on raking around all the outbuildings, the chicken house, the three woodpiles and is heading over to the equipment storage area and the corrals next!

The cats hang around outside and act pitiful. Just pitiful…gosh, geez, they are outside and the wind blows and messes up their fur, and there is no really comfy bed to lay on, whine, whine, whine.

I get sick of it!

Now ME! I go out the first rattle out the box every morning. First light! And I don’t come back in until the sunsets. (By that time I’m ready to come in.)

I can’t linger too long in the house, you know…there is a whole farm of snacks out there…first I go out and get snacks. Then I bring them in and toss them around on the grass for a spell. After that I EAT them. Then I take a nap. After my nap I repeat my run to the fields.

I used to try and bury my snacks…way back when I was new here, but when I went to UNbury them they were gone. Just Gone! So now I drag them into the yard. I used to drag them in arrange them in areas….beef jerky here, milk duds there. But when I was out getting more Mom would come by and gather them all up into a sack and take them to the trash barrel!!!!!

(I have to be wary of rain…for some reason rain melts my milk duds so I try to bury them under leaves and weeds in Mom’s flower beds. Mom doesn’t like that either. Go figure.)

Mom gathering up my snacks and destroying them Horrifies me! So now I scatter them here and there and everywhere. Mom still tries to get them all picked up, but she misses some. Tee Hee. Those are the ones I snack on when she isn’t looking.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOO anywho…