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
Look at these outstanding Sundogs!!!! Charlotte’s husband was on a fishing trip and shot these amazing photos of two sundogs.
Aren’t they just awe inspiring?
We are gradually warming up here. Which is a very good thing!
We got the house winterized….THANK HEAVENS!!!! Terry and I were really getting tired of that house and the pressure it was creating. YAY!!!!
Tomorrow we will begin to combine all over again. It will be nice to have the pressure of the house and the harvest overwith. Two more weeks….(I hope).
Well, off now to get something around here done…I think (I know it’s early) I will get my Christmas stuff out and start decorating…heck why not? I’m not having Thanksgiving Dinner (we will be going to our daughter and son-in-law in Grand Junction. 🙂 ) so I can start slowly decorating. Getting in the Sparkle of Christmas——– NICE!
A mighty wind continued to howl and scream giving the massive, heavy dark clouds a gigantic push all night Saturday night and into part of the day Sunday. Just to walk outside would take your breath away as the ❤⊱彡considerable strength of the wind shoved and pulled until the clouds and the ice storms moved on–heading toward the middle part of the United States.
Gradually the tail winds eased leaving behind a large arctic air mass, which will follow the rest of the vortex in an meandering sort of manner by the end of this week.
We woke up to 7* this morning…this is November, not even the end of November…with the day warming up to 30*….typical January weather.
BUT AT LEAST THE SUN IS SHINING!!! I can take most anything if I can see the sun.
Our son-in-law and the two oldest grandchildren left right after dinner yesterday. It was sad to see them go! It’s always sad to see them go, but with the going is the returning so I hang on that thought.
Today Terry and I will be winterizing the other house; blowing out the pipes and filling the drains with anti-freeze. If there was a furnace down there we wouldn’t be doing this, but there isn’t—not yet. Not for a spell.
We are both ready for a break from the upkeep and the maintenance of that house!
Finally, finally I am catching up with all your wonderful emails and comments since the passing of my Fuzzy Dude. I thank you so much for all your thoughts and your continued contact with me.
Linky left me a packet of wonderful little letters on my pillow….I’m sharing with you one of her drawings…
Checky is the grandchildren’s dog before Hank Puff. Checky and Fuzzy were very good friends, also. Checky is a doggy angel saying: Way to go Fuzzy! Fuzzy is also a doggy angel saying No, don’t rain on Dad’s corn. Under Fuzzy and a magic net to keep the water off Grandpa’s corn. The corn is happy and full of butterflies.
It was 16* with a wind chill of 8* when I got up before first light. The wind is STILL whistling and howling and it cold. I know cold is relative, but for us…this is cold!
Yesterday was so miserable with spitting snow and rain and sleet blown in sideways (although it didn’t stick —just miserable) Terry said enough and parked the truck and the combine. Of course today we do nothing but what has to be done.
Two of our grandchildren and their Dad are here—JOY!!!! But will be leaving after lunch sometime today. Their weather showed -15* when I checked this morning….whew! That is cold!
We had another sadness in our fur pack–Balou, our oldest granddog joined Fuzzy ‘in the land-beyond’ this weekend. Balou had been with our oldest daughter for a long long time. It;s always, always, always hard to to lose a fur kid. Balou…a most kind and gentle Rottweiller!
Off now to gather in firewood and put a ham in the oven. I always like to send everyone back home with a good meal, and enough food for lunches for a couple of days. The little family will be back for two weeks at Christmas; it will good to have the house across the way full of life again. The corn will be gone by that time, so Hank can sit at the back fence and talk to Boomer, he might even ramble over for so good dog conversation. There will be lights on at night and a warm fire going…during the days I’m sure the kids will be with us off an on and even spend the nights. Just like old times. For two weeks it will feel ‘normal’ again.
Keep warm everyone—and if you are in the part of the world that has warmth…get out and enjoy the sunshine… my heart will be with you!
I had a bad dream last night. I woke the whole house going hooooooooooooooooooooo, whimper, whimper…whine.
Mom got up and sat with me for a while. Then she and I went for out for a mid-night walk….that helped. (We always walk around mid-night, Mom says it helps us sleep better—she and I.) I tried to tell Mom that I dreamed Fuzzy was gone, that I couldn’t find Fuzzy. When we went outside I looked in our doghouses, then I realized.
The walk helped.
On the walk I smelled the Momma Deer and her almost grown fawn.
They ran down the lane and into the barn yard. Darn! If I were outside I could have bayed at them!!!
Anyway, my folks get up at 5 a.m. The sky starts to just show light around 6:15 or so, as soon as it started to get light I barreled out the back door to see if the deer came into the yard.
Nope…a yellow and white tom cat…he belongs to the Lady across the street from the other house….a female teenaged kitten…which also belongs to the same lady (she doesn’t believe in keeping her cats inside—so of course they come a visiting).
Sammy and
Monkey stay inside at night…and most of the day (if you really want to know the truth) Well…Sammy goes out lots during the day—
He likes to hunt mice in the hay stacks! Mom says its best the cats stay inside, there are coyotes and fox who like to eat cats (and dogs) AND there are tom cats that fight, so staying inside and sleeping by the fireplace is a very good thing.
Hummm yes…deer and they, snuff, snuff, sniff go right through the barn yard and on down the closest corn field.
Mom and Dad are working on one of the sheds right now. They have to get out the air compressor so it can be ready to go with Dad.
The weather turned extremely cold—no rain or snow.
“Humm, I wonder if the moisture has dropped in the corn? I think I’ll run some down and have it checked” Terry said, heading out the door to the closest corn field.
“Okay, I’ll be down at the other house; I’m just about done down there.” I answered him.
“13.1% and there is a HUGE line down there, over 20 trucks waiting to unload.” Terry announced as soon as he got back. “The guy at the Elevator told me the number then laughed –‘No more sitting around watching T.V. for you!”
After he got the truck loaded, he backed it into the carport and we covered the bed with the blue tarp —- freezing our fingers off as we tied the flaps down so the corn would be safe inside, if the freezing wind decided to give us rain/snow/sleet to our area.
So far the bad weather is just around us…the mountains look like they are getting dumped on. Terry left this morning at 5:00 to get in line. The Elevator opens as 6, first come first serve…it’s 8:31 a.m. right now and he is still down there. Makes me wonder what he number was when he lined up. His parting words were—“See you at Noon!” Boy, I hope not.
The minute he gets back the combine will begin, (if the weather holds) the truck will fill up, and depending on the time, it will either head back down to the Elevator (doors close at 4:00, you MUST BE IN LINE at 4:00 to get in on that day…otherwise you are first in line for the next day.) If the truck is full after 4 we will back the truck into the carport and cover up the load. The next day will be a repeat of today. This will go on and on and on— every day until we have every last load down to the Elevator. (No working on Sunday–the Elevator is closed and we take it off also) BUT COME MONDAY……………………….!
We are making a huge push now to finish up the house and get it winterized for the winter. The wind that arrived around six in the morning is miserable and cold. It’s so cold it takes your breath away and feels like your skin is starting to frost bite. (I’ve read this wind is much worse in Wyoming and other places….brrrrrr.)
Terry and I wired the kitchen yesterday. We have some more electrical work today, then I will dust, mop and vacuum and wash the windows (maybe) and I’ll be done.
I still have the trim to paint on the west and the north of the house, but I got everything done on the east and south. I’m thinking that I’ll just have to wait to finish those sides of the house come spring…it’s for sure winter is here—EARLY.
As for the fence…we still have to work on the fence, but that will be after the corn is done and before the cows come in—the cows arrive sometime in January. There again I might not be able to get it painted, but at least we will have the places that need repair fixed…I’ll just have to wait on the paint for a warm day.
The weather is just too nasty to start combining…rain and snow are expected in here tonight to last until Sunday….Terry isn’t even going to even think about combining until this storm moves out. So far no one else has started here, only the ranchers, and they feed with high moisture.
Well, off I go now, Terry is warming up from getting the stuff ready to take to the other house, while I finish this up.
Sammy usually loves to be outside, but today he ran out did his business; then waited for me to come to the door and let him back in. He is toasting by the fire right now. 🙂
Sending all of you warm and toasty thoughts and wishes for a good day!
Kate, from New Zealand, sent me a lovely rainbow awhile back…with the losing of Fuzzy I am only just now getting it posted.
Although, I’m late her latest post tells that she is still in remission after two years from beating cancer! YAY! Kate! We all wish you continued good health.
Terry and I are starting to finally get a handle on that house down the way…he will work on some electrical wiring today and I will finish cleaning up the mess made from removing the old chimney.
Our grandchildren and their parents are coming this Friday, (YIPPEE) so we won’t turn off and drain the water until after they leave. There is still no furnace (although there is a wood stove)…we are fourth in line for the company to come out and install the forced air duct work…we already have the furnace. It would be foolish on our part to not winterize the pipes…it might be December before the duct work is completed.
The corn is drying down…still to high to start harvest (which is good so we can get that house under control), but should be able to start anytime now. The corn moisture was 15.4% yesterday—we need to get to 14% before we can begin. The polar express hit here last night with 21* but no rain or snow YET!!! I rather hope the moisture goes around us. I’ve heard from lots of my Colorado friends that snow is here in Colorado now. As soon as I can I’ll be visiting my blog friends to see how the polar vortex effected all of them.
The sunrise this morning was a promise of a clear day today so I’m going to take it. The tree that laughed at me on Sunday has decided to drop it’s leaves now. As I was cleaning yesterday afternoon, the wind came up and I heard a HUGE SIGH...’Good-bye until Spring’ the tree said and started gathering all it’s sap and sending it down to it’s roots. ‘GOOD-BYE…I’m rather sleepy now…see you…………zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz’.
As the lovely tree fell to sleep the wind pushed and pulled the leaves off the branches filling the back yard and our neighboring cornfield with the lovely golden orange leaves.
I went out and gave the tree a hug and high-fived the wind!
I think there must be a Law of Nature, or maybe of the Universe, or maybe a sort of contrary energy field that runs in a zig-zag instead of straight—-whatever it is there is ALWAYS ONE!
You know ‘that one’ — the kid that can never stay still in the classroom, or the employee who always, always marches to a different drummer, or a dog who just doesn’t ‘get’ whatever you have taught a million other dogs to understand.
If you’ve ever had a flock of sheep to move you know that often times the WHOLE flock will follow a goat…I have no idea why, but they will….just put a goat in the mix and the whole flock will head to wherever the goat wants to go (and you lead the goat)…except one. (Maybe two if you have a large flock and those two are a PAIN to get to the place you want them to be–enter the sheep dog..yup, works every time.) Most shepherds just use the sheep dog now a days.
That ONE exists everywhere—people, animals and PLANTS!!!!! GRRRRR
See that HUGE wonderfully full of leaves tree down at the other house? Yep! That’s the one. And it’s smack dab right in the middle of the whole back yard. You can’t tell it from the photo but it is. The clothes line stretches from it to another tree (devoid of all it’s leaves) at the edge of the yard.
I have every leaf raked and the lawn clean,; trying to get the ankle deep leaves up before the weather changes and I have a huge mess. Accept— I must wait for that tree! The One! The one that marches to a totally different rhythm.
“WHY!” I shouted at it yesterday. “WHY can’t you push off your leaves at the same time as all the others in the yard.
All I heard was a huge belly laugh followed by several snorts and a snorkle…”Because I don’t want too” the lovely tree replied, “I do it when I’m good and ready and not a minute before.”
Before I begin, Sara from http://myfavoritesheep.blogspot.com/ asked: “Could you post a dog/rescue charity that FuzzyDude Brown would like us to support?” I can. Back when I had more time I used to volunteer as a dog walker at CAWS in Delta, Colorado. I always hate to ask for donations, but if you are so inclined ……I thank you very much.
Our last of our company has left, but will return next weekend. This next time the whole family is coming, Momma, Daddy, and the three kids.
I’ve been raking leaves…here and at the other house.
Yesterday Terry and I started getting ready for the installation of the new furnace at the other house. Sadly we are having to tear out an old existing chimney, which has made a huge mess in the kitchen I just finished painting. It was necessary to fix the mess the other person made when he installed the propane furnace for Aunt Benita…the chimney was in the middle of the house therefore that spot is needed for the cold air intake. What a huge mess.
We will get all the prep work done…remove the chimney, restore the ceiling and floor and walls, clean up the tremendous mess (I hope I don’t have to re-paint, but if I do I will) and then we will have to crawl under the house and create (DIG) pathways for the installers to have space to work. I’m tired just thinking about it. The house was built in 1903, by Terry’s great grandfather…he was a master carpenter (although that term wasn’t coined at the time)–his work is outstanding. The house has been remodeled twice by Terry’s Aunt and Uncle who lived there after Grandpa and Grandma Hill passed. Terry purchased the house from the estate after Benita passed. All houses have their issues…we are just about to get this house’s problems completely solved. (Which will be a very good thing)
The corn is testing out at 15.6% We are very close now for the harvest to begin. Terry will have a selection of corn tested around noon tomorrow—hopefully we can start combining. Keep your fingers crossed.
The little kids loved playing in the corn tunnels—
But I’m really sure there will still be some corn still here when they come 🙂
Gradually, gradually we are starting to get caught up. I am so very thankful that we have this time (fall) to work on that other house…spring and summer are so extremely busy it would be hard to get everything done down there.
My mother would always say: “Everything works out for the best….if you just let it”.
Well…what is there to say? It’s been hard. Life without my Bestest Friend in the Whole Wide World, Fuzzy. I sometimes sit right in front of Mom and whine to her that it is hard. I put up my paw and kinda paw at the air so Mom will understand what I’m trying to say. She always reaches down and gives me a big hug and lots of pettings.
It helps…sorta.
Friday, the day after….the day after Fuzzy talked to me about Life and he said good-bye…was a very long day.
I lay on the steps, put my head between my paws and sighed huge deep sighs. Dad came in from working on the corn combine and told Mom that I was having a hard time. He then asked me to come in and hang with Mom, since Mom was also having a hard time.
It helped…sorta.
Then Mom got a call from Shannon. I heard Mom telling Shannon I was super depressed. (Boy was that correct!) After a while Mom got off the phone and came over and sat by me and just petted me. It felt really good.
“Wait! I have an idea, Boomer” I just remembered something from your first Halloween here….hang on I’ll be right back. Out she went to the tile house…Now this sounded interesting so I followed her out the back door and into the tile house, where Mom was rummaging around in some of her big boxes out there.
“Here it is! Let’s go back inside, Boomer, and put this on.
I think you are going to dress up for Halloween and go for a ride!”
Dad laughed… “Look he seems to like it!”
I did it was a fun thing to do!
While I was sorta dancing around so Mom and Dad and the cats could get a good look at me we heard Shannon and her dog pack coming down the drive way!
OH! GOODIE! THE DOG COUSINS ARE HERE! I barreled out of the house and set up a loud welcoming bay!!!!
They were all here and THEY HAD ON COSTUMES ALSO! (That is me baying at Rocky–see if you can pick me out in the other photos…I didn’t move from this spot)
Shannon asked if Mom and I would like to go for a dog ride and dog walk! YES!!! I hollered.
Up I went into the back with the rest of the pack—four hunting dogs and two Rottweilers!
(OH! I forgot about those annoying puppies….right in your face, licking and licking and baying and hollering and climbing on me————–IT WAS A BLAST!
They also kept jumping out the truck and Shannon kept putting them back in and then they would jump out again….IT WAS WONDERFUL!!!)
Then we went for a short ride and fun run/sniff/walk it was delightful.
Mom and I have been going all sorts of places together, always together. She says we really need each other right now.
I agree. (Although, there has been tons of people here, Mom makes sure I’m okay. Sometimes I have bad dreams in my sleep and hallooooooooooo for Mom. She comes. I try to tell her I miss Fuzzy that I dream he leaves me. Then I wake up and I realize it’s true. Sure is sad.)
Otherwise Mom and I are taking it one day at a time; just like Fuzzy said to do. Sigh!
We are going to make it…the dog cousins’ help, and going for walks with Mom helps and going everywhere I can with Mom helps. Just one day at a time.
Look at these outstanding Sundogs!!!! Charlotte’s husband was on a fishing trip and shot these amazing photos of two sundogs.
Aren’t they just awe inspiring?
Life on a Colorado Farm 