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 Internet and a Tiny Cool Down —-Monday, July 14, 2014

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Dayphoto

I had the internet for exactly ONE HOUR yesterday! Grrrr! At least I was able to post and let everyone know why I wasn’t visiting your blog or answering comments. This has been SO irritating. Of course, I kept checking off and on all day long until I got sick of doing so and just shut everything off. 😦

The towers are still not working correctly. The Skybeam individual told me there are 17 people on the same wave length (beam?) and every one is having the same issues as I am. He sounded rather ragged.

Right now I have service…at least I can (maybe) get my blog up and (maybe) get around to visit many of you. If not, please understand. I will be BACK!!! Just like MacArthur….snerk and chuckle.

We saw a sun dog yesterday…sun dogs occur anytime of the year, any place in the world, at any time. They announce that cool down (or much cooler weather) is about to occur.

I can just guess what and when it will happen….today or tomorrow because Terry is out cutting the alfalfa! We do NOT need a cool down for several days…a cool down in July (here in the high mountain desert) usually means rain is about to descend. Although I love a nice rain to cool down hot summer days…we just don’t need rained on alfalfa which is turning into hay! Please keep your fingers crossed that we don’t get rain on our soon to be hay!! PLEASE!!! Thank you!

I got the five acres of pinto beans weeded. I won’t be able to go out there anymore since the pinto beans are now shooting feelers. The feelers will reach and stretch until they meet each other causing the rows to grow shut. All weeding stops from that point on. There will be weeds, but at least I got it cleaned for this amount of time.

Once the rows grow shut the blooms will turn into little pods and the pods filled with beans. Gradually the beans will swell until they mature. Once they mature the water will be removed and the plant will dry up. After that we harvest. Probably sometime in late September.

I suppose I had better close this up rather quickly. I’m feeling lucky to get this much done before we lose connection!

Your friend on a farm,

Linda

Frustrations, Friends and Family—-Sunday, July 13, 2014

Posted on July 13, 2014 by Dayphoto

Frustrations first–because I need to complain, since it has been irritating, and because once I tell you I’m not saying it again. (I hope)

Our internet has been down!!! I’m way, way, way behind on answering all your great comments, visiting your blogs and my emails since my request to know what type of bird I have visiting our sugar water feeders. I’ve called Skybeam and they just keep telling me it’s the tower. Okay…I wait.

Right at this moment I’m able to get on…I’m typing fast, just in case I lose connection. 🙂

We had a wonderful visit from Elaine and Bob Kenny….very long-time blog readers on Friday. They were heading over from the Front Range–Eastern Slope—of Colorado and stopped by.

Linkin was hanging out at the house when they came so she stayed for dinner with all of us. At some point in the table conversation it came up that Linky loves archery. Bob’s face just beamed at her; why he does too. In fact he was a State Champion in Archery and set to go to the Olympics when the dire need to ‘go to work’ set in and he never got to go.

As soon as we were through eating, even before I did the dishes…dishes can always wait…Linkin and I jumped into the pick-up and drove down to her house and got her two bows and quiver of arrows.

The rest of the evening was a fun filled archery experience. Something Linkin would not have gotten if Mr. Bob and Elaine had not come to visit!

Gradually, the light started to fade.

Elaine and Bob got into their really cool, go-fast car, waved good-bye and headed off to Montrose, Colorado.

What a neat experience for Linkin, Terry and I!

Elaine wrote today saying it rained all the way back and was cool in the forest they call home.

Here is a rainbow she sent me two weeks ago when she was out for a walk. Giant Pines and a gift of hope and love in the sky.

Don’t forget if you would have a great photo of a rainbow (or anything else) I would love to publish here on my blog. I will always, always, always give you credit!

I hope my internet stays and I can get back into my routine of visiting each of you!

Your friend

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday—Puppies!!!

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Dayphoto

Sorry My Internet has been down until just now!

I really don’t know what to say…………… there are now puppies in the family!

PUPPIES!!!

YIKES!!!!Fuzzy and I really do not know what to think about all these…PUPPIES!

OH! Wait! You don’t know. They are NOT my puppies!

NO!

They may look like me

But they aren’t! These two little girls are Treeing Walker Coonhounds.

They belong to our oldest sister’s boyfriend. Since Jason goes to work each day, Lucy and Dotty go to the little kid’s (and Hank Puff’s) house to play and play and play.

Sometimes the kids and their Momma come up and bring the puppies so Fuzzy and I can play with them.

I think you know how Fuzzy and I feel about that!

Fuzzy pretty much hides under the pick-up truck and sleeps, I try to ignore them. BUT I do get concerned they might get more hugs and pets and loves than I do, so I hang out and well…let them get to know me.

Reluctantly…I might add.

It is hot here 97* yesterday…but this is coming!

(Shamelessly stolen from the internet.)

I’m with Mom about winter…give us Spring, Summer, and Fall all year long and we will be happy! That’s why I have a thin coat…I’m not a winter dog at all!!!

Sigh! The PUPPIES are here………….sigh!

I have to go.

Boomer

Lavender and a Fence —-Thursday, July 10, 2014

Posted on July 10, 2014 by Dayphoto

Gosh, summer is flying by. It wasn’t too long ago (around the Summer Solstices) the little birds were waking up at first light…singing sleepily to the lightening day. For us ~~here~~ (it’s all relative I know) that was 4:40 in the morning. Today I wake before the first cheep of the day, which occurs around 5:11 a.m. The Sunrise: 5:56 a.m.; it now sets at 8:39 p.m. Our Day length is fourteen hours and fort-three minutes.

On the Summer Solstice the sunrise was 5:48 a.m. and the sunset at 8:41 p.m. Making our day fourteen hours and fifty-three minutes. It doesn’t seem like much because the days are warm and lovely and long.

I’ve been weeding in the pinto bean field. I do it every evening. I’m 3/4 of the way through. I need to hurry as the pinto beans are starting to bloom and to shoot feelers. (The mosquitoes and hoards of other biting flying insects are having delicious time with me out there also!)

Once the rows grow shut the weeds will get to party. (Then Terry and I will just have to ignore them. It’s sort of hard because the pinto beans are planted in front of the house this year. Not only will we see the weeds, but so will everyone else driving down the road 😦 )

My lavender is just lovely! I had to share it with you!

The joyful sound of bees working with each blossom fills the summer air. When you move past the lavender plants the smell is of heaven. (I’m sure heaven must have a smell…don’t you?

My contribution to this weeks Good Fences and Gates over on Teresa’s blog is a decorative cement block fence going up Third Street Hill in Delta. This house was originally built by a really good Physician in our town.

For more fun and unusual fences head on over to the Run *A* Round Ranch and check what others have posted. It is surprising how many unusual fences and gates are out there in the big wide world.

Your Farm Friend on a lovely July Day,

Linda

Birds in the Yard— Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Dayphoto

I need some help….I have this cool little bird(s) that loves to come and check out the Hummingbird feeders. If anyone can tell me it’s name I would be delighted!

But first I thought I would show you a darling little Calliope Hummer. We have the Calliope and the Black Chin again this year. I’ve counted five pair of the Black Chin and five pair of the Calliope.

We also have four pair of the Bullock Orioles.

I was extremely excited to see one pair of Rufus Hummingbirds!

He is sort of hard to see in the above photo, but look closely he is there.

But what is this little bird? I was thinking it was a finch of some sort, but my finch food is untouched.

Of course it is terribly shy…not letting me near it at all.

This little darling comes for a drink often…or is it just curious?You can’t see the red here so now I’m wondering if this is a different bird. Anyway, any help on identifying this bird or birds will be appreciated.

Your friend,

Linda

Tuesdays with Friends — Fog Bows—Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Dayphoto

I’m a tad late today as we had to do some stuff before it got too hot to breathe. We had several weed trees (Chinese Elm) that had taken root in my tiny orchard and sprouted to enormous proportions–some dead branches in the ancient (95 years old lilac tree) and some low hanging and dangerous limbs (Rio Grande Cottonwood) and a nasty branch (Colorado Blue Spruce) which kept scraping my neck as I mowed the lawn which all needed Terry’s expertise with the chain saw.

Awhile back I asked if anyone had cool rainbows or other really neat photos that they would love to share with me and with the readers of my blog. If they would send them to me I would put them on my blog and give the appropriate credit for the photo gift.

Leenie from Side Trips sent me two photos of Fog Bows. I have never seen nor heard of a Fog Bow so this was a real treat!

The Side Trips folks stopped by not long ago on their way from Telluride to Grand Junction, Colorado. How cool was that!

Leenie is an amazing watercolor artist. You might take a look at her Esty store to get and idea for a neat gift or two.

Well, off now to get the lawn mowed, the edges trimmed and the hedge clipped. I need to fertilize some of my lagging plants so I best get on the move. The day is heating up…which I LOVE!

Your western Colorado Farm Friend,

Linda

Dance of the Veils— Monday, July 7, 2014

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Dayphoto

Our second daughter and third child, loves Middle Eastern Dance. She has been doing this for years…I’m not sure how many years….maybe around 15-20 years. I’d have to sit down and figure it out, but probably not going to. 🙂

She is the one closest to us in the red, with the royal blue veil.

There! That’s a better photo.

I was glad that Tally was with us…she loves music and sparkles and glitters and singing and dance.

We both (Tally and I) agreed that seeing the beautiful women dancing and twirling was really sparkly and fun!

Your friend,

Linda

The Long Weekend–Sunday, July 6, 2014

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Dayphoto

What a silly thing to say…a long weekend! Terry and I are retired and we farm (we retired from our paying jobs, but kept the farm job 🙂 )

All that this means we we either have long weekends constantly or we never have a break…who knows.

Anyway…right after we got all the water set for the day, we loaded up in the McCormick van and headed up to Paonia Cherry Days to watch our second daughter dance. (I will post this in an up coming post)

We watched a coal shoveling contest, (vintage and classic cars, lots of friends, Visited many booths of yummy food, and looked at many things to purchase.

Bladen stood in line for over an hour to get a ride on the bungee jump. He said it was FUN!!!

A much braver soul than I….even if I were his age!

Home again, home again…it’s always nice to be home again. We got the water set as the sun was going down. Nice and tired after a break from the day to day.

Your farm friend,

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday—Happy 4th of July!

Posted on July 4, 2014 by Dayphoto

(Cleaning the mud out before the water gets there. Weeds grow fast in the mud and suck up the water and slow the water down.)

Today is the 4^th of July! Fuzzy and I have puppy feet today! First thing we did a go change the water…Dad has water here and there and everywhere!

I jumped into every mud ditch I could find—heheheheh—makes Mom have to ride with a muddy paws and a muddy belly Beagle!!!

HAHAHAH!

I just give her a great big grin and waggle my tail back and forth in very happy bursts. (When I do that she never gets mad at me!)

Mom put Fuzzy down for a spell, but he said he really wanted back up on the 4-wheeler so she put him back up. He told me the air is better up there…he can smell the breezes and get all the news.

There is a sickle moon right now! Mom was out taking photos of it, she said she would like to take photos of the moon in all its stages. Hey, whatever works for you, Mom! Fuzzy and I are up for anything…well just about anything. Fuzzy says he isn’t up for going to the groomers.

(That’s my tail—that white spot in the field)

Dad’s alfalfa has really grown…it’s taller than I am now, just my tail gives my position away, it won’t be long when I can get news in the alfalfa field and Mom and Dad won’t be able to see me! Chuckle, snerk!

(This was me in the field two weeks ago)

We had thunder storms roll in yesterday afternoon. Fuzzy was in a panic…THUNDER!!! Crack! THUNDER!

Mom and Dad sat outside under the tin roof and let the hot air cool around them, then the rain splattered down; the thunder rumbled. Fuzzy and I laid right at Mom’s feet. Fuzzy must have felt secure enough because he went right to sleep. When I noticed he was sleeping I got up and moved over a short ways and took a little snooze myself.

Later, after the storms moved on, Mom and Fuzzy and I took some photos of the bean field.

(And not a weed in site!

(Yep the corn is going to make before frost–it more than ‘knee-high by the 4th of July”_

Then the little family came over and Mom got our annual photo of the corn.

Fuzzy and I didn’t want to get in the corn with Hank and everyone; we sat right by Mom as she took the photos. Even though Dad and the kids called us we didn’t want to go into the corn. Dad doesn’t like us in the corn until it starts to tassel out! We were told that enough we BELIEVE it…………….DO NOT GO IN THE CORN…you will break the little stalks! And there they were….all of them IN THE CORN!!!

Once it tassels out Dad doesn’t care — then I run down all the rows checking out the new, but NOT NOW!!!

Nope not now! So I stayed with Fuzzy who always stays right with Mom.

Anyway! Fuzzy and I, Sammy-Sam the Cat, and Monkey the Cat, and yes Mom and Dad wish all of you a HAPPY 4^TH of JULY!!!

Boomer—Reporter at Large!

Thursday Fences and a Look at the Fields–July 3, 2014

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Dayphoto

I was sitting at the stop light waiting to turn right when I realized that right there!!! Why right there in front of me was a cute fence with colorful roses sitting off it’s charm. Quickly I pulled out my camera, took a shot just the light turned green and drove on by.

Looking at the photo later I still thought the fence was charming. It off-sets the family home (which you can just see the corner of the porch roof) and the Antique Shop on the other side of it!

The whole feeling is of a bit of whimsy as a person is sitting at the stop light waiting to move forward with the day. (The Antique Shop is pretty neat also—one has to remember that we are a fairly young state so the antiques here will not go back to the beginning of America–like you would find in the original Thirteen Colonies! 🙂 )

The corn is looking good! (I forgot to get a photo of the pinto beans…will try to do that today. It should be a no brainer as all I have to do is walk out the front door 🙂 !

You saw the Alfalfa the other day. I’ll get a photo of the pinto beans so you can see how fast they are growing.

Our days are nice an hot. Not so hot it is hard to breathe but nicely hot. We are still have wind in the afternoon…and THAT is a hot wind. Still it only lasts for four hours then dies down.

For more fences head on over to Teresa’s blogspot!

I’m off to go buy my monthly amount of groceries…lots of nice sales right now because of the up coming Anniversary of our countries Independence from England!

See you in the comments,

Linda