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 Fire Season—-Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Dayphoto

We have been working on the fire roads. This is a scary time of year for us.

As you can see there is lots of fuel, if a fire were to get away from someone burning off their fields.

Twice we had two different neighbors start fires below us and go off and leave them. The fires came just five feet from the barn and corrals at our rental. It was terrifying.

The photos here are of the one in 2012. (the second fire…was in 2011 from a different neighbor)

Then on March 16, 2012 the ditch company burned up the other two sides of our place.

Since that time we have been very, very careful! to keep fire roads open and well maintained. For years and years we never even had fire roads, nor did we need fire roads. It just all started about 8 years ago when people decided to burn instead of work the ground up.

Terry, also, disks around all the corn fields and the alfalfa fields. Having those fields disked actually stopped the second fire from swooshing across to our house and barns. Fire makes it’s own wind and with the wind blowing it can travel very fast, even jumping from spot to spot.

We feel the roads are in now good shape; so today he will start disking around the ends of the fields.

Usually I drive the tractor with the loader, but sometimes Terry and I switch.

He’s MUCH better at the scary stuff and than I am!

Honestly!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

For Me March 1st is the Start of Spring—-March 1, 2016

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Dayphoto

I give to you a jagged heart. For you see, for me — Spring begins today.

Always spring begins for me on the 1st of March, no matter the weather…Lion or lamb.

For most everyone Spring begins as soon as the days are longer than the nights…which is based on the equinox.

The weather has been delightful. Warm days, woodfire worthy nights…dry soil so I can clean around the buildings. Light winds.

My winter weary body is gradually building itself back up …Life is good!

Sending you love on a fine Spring day!

Linda

The Land Calls—Monday, February 29, 2016

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Dayphoto

Oh! Jolly! This the LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY! YIPPEE!!

Terry and I have been working on the corn combine…little repairs here and there. Yes, I help, invariably we come into the house with cuts and bruises, but it’s getting finished. Ready for next years harvest. As I write this he is putting in the last couple of bolts.

Saturday afternoon he started on repairing the heater in the grain truck. It’s very cold sitting down at the elevator withOUT a heater.

Well, I think you have now guessed the answer to the million dollar question—Terry is going to farm.

“Are you sure?” I asked. Worry in my voice and concern on my face.

“I’m sure. There are still things I want to do on the place, stuff I want to improve on, things that need my attention.” he replied with a huge smile.

“Only stuff I will do, not someone else.”

I need to tear up the old alfalfa field and reseed a new field, take the dirt ditch and turn it into a cement ditch….fix fences so Hank’s cows can come again—if it’s rented out Hank has to take his cows someplace else.

“I really can’t see myself sitting around.”

“But you won’t sit around, you have tons of projects you want to work on, not related to farming.”

” I know. I truly think I have dirt for blood.”

So there you have it! We begin again. At least for one more year. As long the body and mind can keep going. We will keep farming on this farm created many years ago by Terry’s grandfather (purchased by us), until time demands stopping.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Sad Part About Spring—-Sunday, February 28, 2016

Posted on February 28, 2016 by Dayphoto

It’s BURN season!

Neither Terry or I get this rather new practice of farmer’s burning off their farmed ground.

The quality of air is just not there. For at least three weeks.

We see it everywhere…all around us.

We are old-time farmers;Terry and I. Terry still disks the stubble back into the fields; (I do the same thing in my gardens) adding rich nutrients into the earth, creating a better growing environment for earthworms and our crops.

“Why do they do this?” I asked Terry, as we watched one of the huge plumes of smoke on the horizon.

“I don’t know,” his puzzled voice came back to me. “Maybe burning off the fields helps it dry faster. I just don’t know.”

I don’t know either.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—Milk Duds and Beef Jerky

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Dayphoto

The cows are here!

Mom and I are in cow heaven! Every day Dad, Mom, and I head out and count babies. Right now…the count this morning was forty five calves on the ground.

Some just born overnight, a couple being born, as we drove by, and several are days and even a week or so old.

Now I admit, the other thing I like about CALF season is SNACKS! Mom gets rather irritated with me about SNACKS, in calf season, but (golly-geez!), I can’t help myself they are SO good!

I have to head-out by myself, as Mom gets grossed out and won’t let me snack. (I must admit Fuzzy never liked these snacks. I don’t know why he didn’t, he would just turn his head and walk on by.)

The first day of figuring out the farm is now loaded with Milk Duds (calf poopy) and Beef Jerky (after birth) I ate so much I had a belly ache. Mom told me she didn’t feel one bit sorry for me. Well, so what, I felt sorry for me.

BUT NOT ENOUGH TO STOP!!!

Boomer

A Note About Cows and Calves—Thursday, February, 25, 2016

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Dayphoto

We rode out early yesterday afternoon — to check on the cows and to count calves.

The light and the air was just perfect!

It was just beautiful for a late winter day, the air was like sparkling water and the farm dappled with light from passing clouds.

Since it was early afternoon, the light was beginning to shift some, but still warm. the farm ground had a little glow to it.

The air was very still (no wind), so there wasn’t a chill anywhere. The cows had their babies ‘stashed’ on the alfalfa fields, instead of hidden under a bush or next to a swell of land. Allowing the weak late winter, almost spring sun warm their babies.

I find it a great comfort to see and feel the cold starting to leave.

And to experience the excitement of Mr. Davis’ herd growing larger every day. There are forty calves out there now! Forty more to go!

Much love,

Linda

Write It on Your Heart—-Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Dayphoto

..*◞◜•❥◝◟*✿*◞◜•❥*

I collect rocks. •*¨*•♥ I know…I’m a shameless rock hound.

For those times people ask me what I want for a present (i.e. birthdays and Christmas) I always say rocks. 🙂

I have some very beautiful rocks. And I have boxes of ‘gravel’ rocks the grandchildren have ‘found’ for me. Rocks they picked up walking home from the bus stop, or when they were out helping us irrigate or pull weeds in the bean field. .•❥*◝◟¸* Those are (also) beautiful rocks–gems of the rarest kind.

Rocks speak to me, you see. They tell me about time…time eons ago. They measure time ….stopping time, so to speak. They keep time from flying away, from departing, from ending. ~♥~

Yesterday I decided I wanted to somehow display my rocks, so I had my boxes and boxes of rocks out going through them; thinking about how to bring them from their containers and into the our daily lives.

And there it was…

A heart shaped rock!

“Write in on your heart ❤, that every day is the best day of the year.”–Ralph Waldo Emerson `*.¸.*´

Some days it is very hard to remember to do so, but do it anyway. Then, as time moves forward, when you look back you will start to see the heartbeat within the turmoil.

Your friend within the forever,

Linda

I Found a Small Heart—Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Dayphoto

Fixing lunch yesterday, I found a small heart. Resting in the sack of potatoes,

Just waiting for me to notice it!

There it is…that confirmation that love always surrounds us.

┊　　♥

♥

Love shows up in every single place we go. It waits for us…all we have to is look.

In the space of heartbeat…the Universe tells us we never stand alone.

Love,

Linda

Another Sign of Spring—Monday, February 22, 2016

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Dayphoto

On Thursday, of last week we had wind, clouds and scattered showers. The wind was a mess…it picked up the garbage cans and flung them here and there and everywhere.

It knocked off some tiles on the chicken roof, which I spent Saturday fixing. The wind was a mess! Well, actually the wind created a mess. (It also dried out more of the mud! 🙂 So it was also a blessing! )

BUT….

along with the wind came rain showers

And with the showers a very, very, faint rainbow. Terry said it is so light it really doesn’t count…But I counted it! I saw it! It was bright enough my eye could see it and the camera caught it’s faint colors. So that counts!

A Rainbow! We are moving forward!

YAY!

Your friend,

Linda

The Full Moon of February—Sunday, February 21, 2016

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Dayphoto

February’s Full Moon is called the Hunger Moon. A time of scarcity and want. If you click on the blue link you will be taken to a site that will give you the names of the moon in the northern hemisphere AND in the southern hemisphere.

But for us it’s finally warming up, of which I am very grateful!

The warmth is good for giving birth to new little ones. There are more and more every day. Such a huge joy!

Two full weeks to go until farming starts. Not long now. Two weeks for the ‘decision to be finalized’. Nothing has been carved into to stone (at this point), but the time is narrowing down. (BUT I must say there is a huge restlessness occurring…