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

Something Wicked This Way Comes—February 19, 2014

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Dayphoto

While out checking the cows and calves, which we do daily, Terry and ran over onto the cactus hill to see what we could see. We like this rocky point on the farm….every time we are up there we talk about maybe building a house on this hill. Although, it won’t be a typical house, but an house built into the hillside with southwest facing windows to capture the sunlight and the wonderful sunsets.

(Now to be honest you and I both know that Terry and I will never do this, but it’s fun to sit on the point and dream)

Leaving that point we headed over to the cattail area…Red-Winged Black birds were BACK! They wonderful songs filling the air. Traveling forward onto the grass pasture (next to the equipment area) three coyotes ran past us lickety-split. (Another of my Momma’s terms 🙂 )

This is blurry as they are running full speed. You can see the cattails in the forefront of the photo.

I detest these creatures.

We have lost calves to them. The sneaky pack of killers. They also kill cats! And small dogs!

Sometimes you have a cow that wants to be by herself to calve. The coyotes wait and watch, then when the calf starts to come out, they surround the cow, grab the calf, dragging it off and eating it–or eating parts of it leaving the poor helpless Mom in a frenzy.

Most cows will stay within the herd to calf, the other cows form a watch allowing the birth process to proceed as normal. IF a predator, coyote, wild dogs, or others try to capture the calf, the cows will stomp the coyote/predator to death, if they can. Most of the time the coyotes/predators know they will loose so they slink off.

They are heading into an area we call Deadman’s Land–the reason is it’s hard to get water there so nothing really grows well.

The other thing coyotes wait for is the sloppy-I really don’t want to be bothered by a child-Mother. Yes you have those Mom’s in the animal world, just like you do in the human world.

These Mom’s park their baby somewhere, anywhere, saying: you just stay there and don’t move—all cows put their babies in a safe spot (Usually with a cow babysitter) so the Mom’s can go graze. The “I really can’t be bothered with a kid” cow just parks her calf any old place and trots off to jolly it up with a group of her friends.

The coyotes wait, watch, make sure Mom isn’t paying any attention, slink in and have lunch/breakfast, dinner/snack.

Yes, I know the coyotes are beautiful. I also know that the calves and the cows are beautiful. Yes, I know the coyotes need to eat. BUT NOT OUR ANIMALS!

NO….feeding them WILL NOT STOP THEM FROM HUNTING!

In fact, it will just teach them that you are a source of food and create horrible coyote behavior—. Just read this little article from Boulder…

Whew! I guess I have ranted and raved long enough. I will stop now and apologize for this huge post.

Linda

A Ride Through the Cows February 18, 2014

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Dayphoto

Terry is planning on laying more transmission pipe this spring. He wanted to lay it last fall but we were too wet. The whole winter was wet until just now. So off he went to hand-dig up the culvert under the farm road, then back to get the tractor with the loader on it.

Boomer and I walked up later to see how he was doing….”Finished!” he replied.

We followed him back to the yard and asked if he would like to go with us (meaning myself, Boomer and Fuzzy) to go look at the cows!

In just seconds we were on our way–

There is one cow with outstanding markings–she is all black except for her long whitetail….she is behind the two white cows, she is the one with the horns

We saw lots of cows looking just like this 🙂

Terry checked out a new Momma cow–he wanted to see where she had her calf hid.

Hiding a new calf in the marsh land isn’t a good idea. So if he could stir up the calf, the mom would take it on to higher and dryer ground.

I didn’t get a good photo of the calf and mom moving off.

We saw two more calves. These two are a few days older than the other one. The mom’s are getting tired of the (self imposed) nursery so are starting to take the kids out and about more.

The herd is looking good. I’m sure Mr. Davis and his daughter, Teresa, are pleased with the results so far.

Tomorrow I’ll show you the other creatures we saw along the way. Today the air and the sun feels just like yesterday–Spring has arrived. I even heard a flock of Red-Winged Black Birds while we were up there. Delightful birds.

They say another rain/snow storm is supposed to come in Wednesday and our temperatures to drop way down. Still…no matter what…we are on the other side of winter now.

My heart goes out to all of you still trapped in the huge massive snow and freezing temperatures back east. To have a warm up would be a delightful gift to all of you winter weary souls! Magic Thoughts for Spring to find you soon!

Your friend,

Linda

A Taste of Spring February 17, 2014

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yesterday was a most unusual day — the morning dawned it’s typical grey and cold self. A tiny ray of pink sunlight as the mighty sun rose over the Paonia Mountains then quickly disappeared behind thick heavy clouds. Although, the temperature said we weren’t freezing, just above, the air was very chilled.

Still Terry and I took the dogs and the four-wheelers out to check on the fences and see how many little calves have made their arrival. (So far there are four-no photos as of yet).

The ground was a tick bog of nasty, soft mud so we didn’t go out on-to the land, staying on the farm and ditch roads. Tracks across farming ground right now would make huge (AND I MEAN HUGE) ruts – plus pack the ground in the middle of the ruts.

Closer to lunch a soft gentle breeze sprung-up fresh from the snowbanks on the Uncompahgre (Un-come-pah-gray, accent on the “pah”), the breeze intensified as the hour wore on moving into kite flying strength, after that a true fast moving wind…someone told Terry that he heard it was moving at 28 m.p.h. I have no way of knowing; yet it did clear our skies of all the heavy, low-laying clouds!

By four o’clock in the afternoon we had glorious blue skies completely free of any clouds! Who could stay in the house with that to look upon?

Out we went, the dogs, Terry, and I to relish this delightful site.

It felt like SPRING! Just a hint of spring, but enough to know that the switch has occurred! Somewhere, at some poin,t the earth creaked and groaned and inched itself up and over just a tad to take off the edge of winter.

While we were about we saw hundreds and hundreds of Canada Geese, way, way up in the sky gathering and gathering and gathering….no v formed for some time. It was like the call had gone out…”IT IS TIME! Gather your self, your family, and all your belonging and head to the north! Warmth is coming back to the land! Come, Come–let us all go home!”

(I couldn’t get a photo of all of them, there were just too many)

We watched as they flew up from the earth then gathered together, honking and talking about who is to lead, then breaking into several V shapes–always going higher and higher until we couldn’t hear them anymore.

Then they became tiny dots winging their way home—home to the north—home!

I’m sure we still have some left here and the Sandhill Cranes waiting for another signal, but for now…those that left flung themselves up into the sky with joy knowing that along the way they will stop and rest once more waiting for the signal that spring is getting even closer at their breeding grounds way up North from us!

Then we noticed that just today the willows were showing sap running back into their grey limbs and the red-twig bushes were showing even more life, moving along we saw they green of the winter wheat and how the cattle were favoring those fields the most.

Yes, Spring is coming! For Sure! The land and the animals and the birds have announced the return of warmth and lessening of cold!

Your very happy friend,

Linda

Fading in and Out February 16, 2014

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Dayphoto

Our internet is being cranky today! So I’m taking the day off hoping that tomorrow I can stay connected more than a few minutes at a time.

I hope your Sunday is a good one!

Your Farm Friend,

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — In-Between

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Dayphoto

Hey, Boom, just look at that sky! Mom loves the sky, and is always looking at it. I think because she says: “Wow, boys! Just look at that sky! It’s beautiful!” I’ve started paying attention to the sky.

I like it too Fuzzy. But It’s sort of well, getting dark.

That’s not dark, Boomer. That’s the in-between sky.

The in-between sky?

Yes, that the special time of the day when the sky is not bright nor is it dark. It’s in-between.

It’s like life…you have times when you are in-between.

I KNOW!! I KNOW!!! When I hurt my knee…I was in-between being able to run and in-between not running at all.

YES! Boomer that’s it!

So let’s play a game…the in-between game. You tell of an in-between time and then I will tell of an in-between time.

Good! Okay, Fuzzy here I go…Dad goes out and gets on the four-wheeler, we run out right behind him, but he takes off. We just stand there wanting to go but we can’t. That’s in-between!

Yep! Then Mom comes out, we run to her, she says, ‘Come on boys, let’s go’ and she puts us on the four-wheeler with her.

AND SHE GIVES US BOTH BIG HUGS! Then off we go!

RIGHT!!

Okay, I have one, Boom….Dad and Mom come out and get in the pickup and start to back out of the carport.

BUT THEY STOP!!!

And Mom opens the door and says: “Come on boys, let’s go!” and she puts us in the pick-up. WITH BIG HUGS FOR BOTH OF US!!

Okay, here’s another one, Fuzzy. Mom is upstairs working in her office. We are outside on the lawn. We can look in the window and see Mom but she doesn’t see us.

Then Dad comes walking up to the backdoor to go in and says—Come on in boys! So we run in as fast as we can go. Then we stop. Dad says—Go on upstairs and gives us pats on the head. We RUN upstairs as fast as we can go so we can sleep by Mom while she is working on the computer!

This is fun! Here’s one for you Fuzzy…Mom takes us to the Groomer!

OH! WHY DID YOU BRING THAT UP…shudder, shake, shiver, pant, pant, tremble.

But she comes back, Fuzzy and gives us all sorts of love and hugs and so does Dad. They tell us how nice we smell and how soft we feel!

True, Boomer…but I hate that in-between.

It’s still an in-between, Fuzzy!

Well…let’s move on to another in-between—like when all the dog cousins come for a dog walk, you go with Mom and Shannon and all the dogs and I wait at the gain bins.

Yep, then when we get back Shannon lets us walk into the back of the truck on the dog ramp with all our dog cousins!

YES!!!

And sometimes they just show up and Mom grabs us and puts us in the back of the truck with all the dog cousins and we get to go for a RIDE!! It’s a barking great time!

How about when it’s cold outside and we want to be inside but no one is home. Or they are home and the house is full of company. Yeah, that’s when we have to stay in our snuggly warm dog houses. But staying in the dog house isn’t the in-between …it’s the waiting to get inside to bake by the fireplace.

Yes, and when we finally get to get inside we get LOTS of hugs and pettings!

How about when Mom wakes us up in the dark of the night and says: “Come on, boys! Let’s go for a walk”.

Out the door we go.

The walk is the in-between, because when we get back inside…

We get a dog treat, covered up with our blankets and good-night pets and lots of love.

Oh, I finally get it Fuzzy…in-between is that time just before you get LOVE!

That’s right, Boomer!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day to you Fuzzy!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you, Dear Readers!

Happy Day of Love!

Fuzzy and Boomer on a Western Colorado Farm

See What I See? February 13, 2014

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Dayphoto

There is something out here

Every day I capture the day photos of Sam and Fuzzy

and Boomer

AHHHHHHHHH, Yes! I see what it is they are checking out—

A Busy little Fox!

Well, no chickens out there. The one little hen is in the house with us at night. And during the day the dogs are on the watch.

After the little hen gets well enough I will start to introduce her back to the flock. Then she will go back to Shannon’s (her real home) to live.

But for now…..

This is so not good. 😦

Your Farm Friend,

Linda

Mud Season (And I’m not Complaining) February 12, 2014

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Dayphoto

‘Needless to say’ ( favorite saying of my Momma’s) you don’t walk around in flip-flops, or regular shoes of any sort right now, you still walk with your boots on.

But instead of the crunch, and creak, and squeak of the snow your feet with the boots on them make a sort of plunk, and splash, and sucking sound.

BUT I’m NOT complaining! No matter what, after snow you must have mud. Every day that you have mud with sun and little wind is a day closer to DIRT! or SOIL! or just plain Ground!

The mud is bad enough the dogs don’t like to walk with me, which is okay. I walked without them. I wanted to see if the winter annual weeds were perking up–gathering juices to spring forth in all their weedy wonder.

Yep, the nasty Cheat Grass is greening up nicely. Cheat grass is really a mess…it has tiny little barbs that catch in the throats and coats of animals, on socks and pant legs, in general is just a mess. I really should go out and spray it with weed killer in the fall, but I never seem to get around too it. Fall is so extremely busy for us.

I like this little plant…it has little purple flowers and is part of the mustard family. Since I like this plant I will never try to kill it, although, I don’t know what benefits it has except to make me smile. And I do, every time I see it.

While out and about a Murder of Crows flew around and around on the wind thermals, forming figure eights in the air, calling and calling for all to hear: Caw, Caw, Spring is near!

Back home I had three inch clumps of mud on my boots, the dogs just looked at me then rested their heads back down on their paws, as if saying: see that’s why WE didn’t want to go.

That’s okay, I told them! The walk did me good, it filled that slot that had grown thin in waiting, I now have Joy in my soul.

Your Happy Friend,

Linda

A Bluebird Day February 11, 2014

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yesterday was a very wet day. The clouds sat heavily upon the land, breaking forth in huge copious drops of rain that fell and fell and fell. Gradually all the snow turned to slush and then to mud. Since the ground is still frozen the water stayed on top…filling in where the snow used to be. Huge squishy puddles that would be fun to walk through if it were August instead of February.

All day the rain drops fell, plinking and plonking on the roofs of the house, the barn, and Terry’s work shops. Sheets of water pouring off the sides of the roofs melting any snow that had accumulated there over the winter.

Rain always makes one feel like it is warm outside; not this rain, this was winter’s rain. A very rare experience for us.

Then sometime in the late morning or early afternoon the rain stopped and a chill wind fresh from the snow on the Uncompahgre (Un-come-pah-gray—accent on the pah) shoved and pushed the remaining heavy clouds from us and swept them on toward Paonia. A blue sky appeared giving all of us, Terry, myself, the dogs and cats a huge desire to be outside.

Gathering the dogs up and loading them into the back of the pick-up we took off for a short ride…just to get out of the house. Up we went toward Pea Green, then into the out-reaches of Olathe, down in the valley of Monoken (Mo-no-ken) back to Delta, where I mailed a letter, then home.

Refreshed! Open to the thoughts of spring.

This morning a huge cloud had drifted down over-night from the Plateau covering our Mesa (California Mesa), blocking the bright and joyful sun rays for our view.

The little buff hen is gradually doing better. Every evening she comes in to sleep in her laundry basket nest, cooing and talking to us as we walk by going here and there. As the night closes in and I’m done washing the dishes I cover her little basket with towels shutting out the light and helping her stay warm.

When morning comes I take her back out to the hen house. She needs to stretch and fluff and eat and poop at will…in the house is not a good place for all of that.

But today, she took her little fluffy self out into the plastic covered chicken run and started digging and scratching. A first! I was delighted to see her busy searching for interesting things to eat. The soil is dry in there so she will be able to dust herself–a beauty bath is always refreshing.

While watching her two little bluebirds flew right by me and sat down on the wood pile. I was extremely grateful the dogs had stayed in the house. They stayed a short while (of course I didn’t have my camera with me) then lifted up their little wings, turning their blue backs to me and flew off toward the fence along the lane.

Spring is coming! I always know, once I see the bluebirds. Sometimes there are only a few hardy souls braving the cold, then we will see more and more. I hope I have my camera the next time I see them…to capture a bluebird’s photo is one of my photographing goals.

For now we live under a cloud, but not such a bad cloud, as we can see the sun surrounding us.

And the bluebirds are returning. How grand is that?

Linda

It’s Still Raining Here February 10, 2014

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Dayphoto

We went from days and days of this

to two days of rain and warmer weather, which produced this

But yesterday, we were on the Uncompaghre Plateau (Un-come-pah-gray) enjoying the snow.

We had a great time at Max’s place. He had his roads all packed down so we could sled and sled and sled.

Everyone went, Max, Terry, Misty and Kelly, all the little kids and even me!

Up and down most of the day we went. Then when the little one was getting tired and cranky and whiny we stopped and cooked hot dogs and marshmallows in Max’s fire pit.

Max and Grandpa even proved to the little ones, you are never to old to go down a hill fast

I must admit that when we got home, Terry and I took an hour long nap. We were a little tired. I called the grandchildren later and the only person who took a nap was their Dad.

Today is cloudy and overcast and raining; but later on in the week we are supposed to hit 59-60* with sun. Sun!!! Sun helps dry up all the rain. WHOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!

Your Friend,

Linda

Is It Spring? February 9, 2014

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yesterday we went from snow to slush. The day warmed up to somewhere in the 50’s.

Although, having lovely warmer weather is nice, the mud isn’t. But we MUST go through the mud to get to dry ground.

The weatherman predicted rain for today, but nwt is just saying cloudy with temps in the 50’s again.

Could we be so lucky that winter has decided to leave? Only time will tell. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is stating that February 16th is the day ‘winter’s back will be broke’. Until that time yesterday, and so far today, it feels like maybe…..just maybe…we are heading toward spring. One day at a time!

I’m ready and I’m sure you are also!

We are heading up to the Uncompahgre Plateau to go sledding today. The little grandchildren haven’t been this year so to celebrate a shift in the weather we thought this might be a fun thing to do.

I hope your day has the same feeling of hope in it, the same sense of renewal, laying buried almost ready to burst forth.

Your farm friend,

Linda