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

Yesterday January 27, 2014

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Dayphoto

The rancher that brings up about 80 head of spring’n heifers called yesterday and said he would be here either today or by the Friday. He has all but 20 of the young girls gathered and ready to string up here anytime now; was the farm still available?

Yes it is!

First thing Sunday morning the fences were walked and the panels hooked up. We panel off certain areas of the farm…like the hay stacks, the equipment area, and the corrals. The rest we have fenced, therefore it is just a matter of checking the fences, and making sure the electric fencer is working.

DONE!

I’m looking forward to see the cows and then the new little babies!

Your Western Colorado Farm Friend

Linda

The Fox Returns January 26, 2014

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Dayphoto

Well, I know for sure we have a fox in the yard. He tried to be a fox in the hen house, or even the poultry house last night. Stuff like that makes me really mad.

Although, I have Night guard lights surrounding the poultry area, he was sitting by the wood pile. Hollering at me…more than likely hollering at the poultry! Now I have to very diligent because once a fox finds out you have yummy food, just for the taking, they will show up day or night.

One time I was out raking by the hen house, the hens were pecking around close to me, we were all talking and having a good time getting the yard cleaned up— when a Mother Fox zoomed in, grabbed a hen right next to me and ran off down the lane. I gave chase, but the fox is many, many, many times faster than I. I’m sure the hen was great food for her den full of kits!

Anyway, I turned all the outside lights on and ran out the door faster than Boomer and Fuzzy with my flashlight yelling at it to “GIT!” Of course, that worked for the moment.

Like I said I have to really be on the look out during the day (which means keeping the dogs outside) then putting the poultry up early, before dusk really. I’m hoping I can keep everyone safe until the fox starts to find much easier prey.

The sky was a blaze of pink last night. Stunning really! I stood outside a long time and took too many photos. I truly enjoyed standing in a color so pink that everything around it took on the same shade.

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — Through the House’s Yard

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Dayphoto

Just before first light, that sky that has almost has a feeling of light coming. You know the sky, it’s still black and very dark, but your body knows the light is supposed to start showing up…well; I was sleeping away, just dead-to-the-world, really asleep when Fuzzy jumped up and headed outside.

He jumped up so fast it woke me up!

Before I could get fully awake Monkey the Cat and Sammy the Cat ran past me growling, eyes big, heading toward the couch where they perched up on top, looking out the window, still growing.

I KNEW I was missing out; I jumped up and shot out the back door,

HOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLL

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOF

Yip,yip bark, bark….

Fuzzy and I were OFF!

Mom wasn’t far behind me; I struck my baying pose and pointed toward the picket fence…

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW

Then I looked at Mom, she was flying out the door, pulling on her work jacket just as fast as running in flip-flops would let her…………….BARKKKKKKKKKKKKKK, HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW

Mom didn’t run after Fuzzy and I (we were heading out into the old corn field by the house as fast as our legs could go). No, Mom was heading toward the poultry house!

Well….too late.

Fuzzy and I trotted back to Mom…she was standing at the window talking to Tom who was standing IN the window, on top of the nesting boxes, letting out shrill gobbles and flapping his wings onto the glass.

Whew! We were all hard at work!

Mom reached down and gave Fuzzy and I lots of pets, told us we were very good guard dogs, opened the door and gave a very agitated Tommy some pets, told him he did a great job protecting the poultry house, then we all went back inside.

Before we went in I followed the trail all over the yard…something wild this way ran…I tried to tell Mom. Mom does pretty well about understanding, but she really didn’t know what ran through the yard.

Only we animals really know, and we don’t have real words to tell Mom.

Back inside I heard Mom tell Dad everyone is okay, she isn’t sure what went through, but whatever it was it was very exciting. It also had everyone very upset.

“Well, could have been a fox or a couple of coyotes” replied Dad. “We’ll have to be on the look out to make sure they don’t come back.”

We will be on the same look-out, Fuzzy and I said. We are the GUARD DOGS!!!

(The photos are of a known fox (or foxes) that travel through. No photo of whatever it was this time as it was actually in the yard of the house and by the back porch and car port.)

Boomer, a Good Dog

Oh, yes,

And

Fuzzy and good Dog

Oh………..yes………….and the two cats and Tom. Shish

I didn’t forget…I put them in.

Boom

Hauling Junk January 23, 2014

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yesterday we started on the clean up of the equipment area. The first to go is the old grain head, plus a bunch of other stuff that we piled into the back of the pick up.

Terry did all the work, I just drove the tractor to and fro. There are just somethings I draw the line at–things that could smash something, wreck something, in general get me yelled at and make me feel doubly bad.

It works out perfectly this way.

Then early this morning, while the ground was still frozen, we hauled the scrap up to Montrose, Colorado.

Those huge machines up there are always rather exciting to see. This machine picked up the extremely large grain head like it was a piece of paper.

Done! The only green spot in the whole pile.

Now we start loading up stuff for the consignment sales. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but the time has come.

The setting sun was wonder last night. We have not been having any clouds for days, but a few blew in allowing the dying rays to bring warm colors to the winter sky.

You Farm Friend,

Linda

Weeds January 22, 214

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Dayphoto

You are looking through one of the ugly weeds that grow taller than Terry’s head (he is 6’2″ tall) has a billion tiny seeds (you can see their little casings still left on the branches). Just a small, ever so slightly touch will send the seeds cascading through the air and down to the ground waiting for SPRING! Kochia-Chenopodiaceae of the Goosefoot family a noxious plant.

The above is on our neighbors’ farm’s fence…I work diligently to keep this stuff from growing within the farm yard. The farm itself is on it’s own. The stems get 4-5 inches around when in full height. It’s a bugger to chop down once it’s at that height. Lots of people just let it grow, die off from the freezes, and let the wind shift them here and there and everywhere…sort of like tumble weeds. Although, these don’t tumble.

Once more this is a plant that originated in some other country—ASIA, introduced to Europe and then carried across to North America as a wonderful, delightful, ornamental for the back of someone’s flower bed.

I’ll bet they regretted the first year they they planted it.

This plant is one reason I wish we still had cows. Cows love it, so do sheep and goats, but only in the early stages of growth, once it gets ankle high the plant is safe.

I’ve been out trying to gather and destroy this dried up weed, although the seeds have already spilled. I can at least get rid of the stalks.

It’s also a good time to get rid of any and all winter annuals….cheat grass, for one.

Of course, if you are living in that horrible winter storm and deadly arctic air, you aren’t thinking of weeds.

Here we are way too dry and way too warm for this time of year. It is really scary — one half of the USA is freezing and the other is drying up.

Prayers and Magic Thoughts, with crossed fingers, for everyone to be safe and warm and dry in that huge winter storm. Here I offer the same for water to quiche the ground, fill the reservoirs and provide drinking water.

Your Friend,

Linda

Skunks and Winter Birds January 21, 2014

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Dayphoto

Well, the skunks are awake. We’ve been warm enough that the skunks have come out of their semi-hibernation. One o’clock in the wee morning, really nighttime, our farm was inundated with skunk perfume.

Gag!

Terry thought the dogs must have stirred one up; not our dogs as they were sleeping inside.

I got worried about the poultry so the dogs and I headed out to see if everyone was fast asleep and safe! They were. I have Night Guard lights on the house, but one never knows what a hungry critter will risk.

The poultry house is extremely safe, locked door, cement floors, wooden walls — still I like to make sure those things that are in our keeping are secure.

They were.

The smell was horrid…lasted until morning when the air shifted as the day warmed up.

That evening, when I was gathering firewood for the night, a string of birds (I couldn’t tell if they were Canada Geese or the Sandhill Cranes) lifted up from a field about a mile from us….very swiftly they flew closer and closer to our farm, forming their v, on their way to some other corn field for the night.

These birds sure do make winter bearable. I love watching them as the stream across the frozen heavens, calling loudly to one another—gather up, gather up, we are heading over there, come fly with us….come fly.

The sounds fade as they get further away. I then load my wood and head back to the house. The winter shades of pink, lavender and shadowy blue fading into dusk.

Your farm friend,

Linda

Memories January 20, 2014

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Dayphoto

Although, my brother and I grew up on an orchard in Eckert, Colorado, our father owned and operated a gas station in Delta. He ran this gas station until I was fourteen then he sold the business but continued on with the orchard.

That’s Daddy, Lester Allen Doyle, standing on the bumper of his cousin’s cattle truck. John Doyle and Bill Hamilton (both cousin’s) owned and operated a cattle trucking business.

At this time Sinclair and all other gas stations were full-service gas stations—meaning they would wash your windshields, check the air in the tires, check all the fluids in your car and fill the gas for you. No woman’s gloved hand ever touched a gas pump nozzle; not when I was a child!

The best thing I remember about those times were getting up with Daddy before he left for work….he always got up at 4:30 in the morning, then he left for work around 5:15 to have the station opened and ready for business at 6 a.m.

We lived in Eckert, but the gas station was in Delta…the county seat and the largest town in our county.

Often times Daddy never got home until 8 p.m., closing the doors to the station around 7. If I didn’t get up in the morning I just wouldn’t have seen him until Sunday. Sunday every business closed, it didn’t matter what type of business.

Gradually over the years, the business grew so he could hire help, then he hired a manager, and he took over the deliver of the bulk gasoline and fuel oil and diesel. Gradually that increased so he had two trucks and a helper. Momma did the books for all the businesses.

In the summer my brother and I would ‘go to work’ with our Mother, spend the day at the office with her. This meant we would walk down to the library, check out books (four at a time) come back and read. We also took toys to play with. Our Dad would get us big boxes we could make forts and houses and ‘stuff’.

Ahh…memories!

Your friend,

Linda

The Letter G — January 19, 2014

Posted on January 19, 2014 by Dayphoto

The Show and Tell date was changed from Friday to Thursday afternoon. Since we have this ~~tremendously busy~~ free schedule Thursday was a perfect day.

Right at 3 O’Clock we arrived, checked in, got our Visitor’s Badge and headed on down to the classroom.

The classroom was fun, bright and full of about twenty Kindergarten children.

Clap, Clap, the teacher called everyone into a circle…it was now time. The first little boy brought a Star Wars toy… At first he was so scared he couldn’t remember the name of the toy…just one question from the surrounding kids and his face lite up and the excitement spilled out as he explained all about his Star War character. I can’t remember his letter, but I do remember his shining bright eyes!

The next little girl brought a pony—Rarity from My Little Pony-for the letter R. She told how much she loved this pony and hoped that someday she could own a real My Little Pony.

Then it was Tallen’s turn…up we went…Grandpa on one side, I on the other…she gave Grandpa a hug, kissed my hand and looked at all the kids and FROZE!!! The teacher then had to ask her questions…why are they here…G for grandpa and Grammy. Okay, and thing else…silence…Grandpa said he had on a GREEN shirt…a little boy yelled for G! Then I whispered to Tally that she could pass out some G’s, which brightened her face–the teacher then asked Tally to explain what she was passing out–not shy now she said-glitter G’s with Gummy bears! Everyone got one.

Then it was time to line up for the bus. Tally got to leave with us…another treat!

That was our day at Kindergarten—a delightful fun fifteen minutes with shinning faces and eager smiles!

As Always, your friend

GRAMMY
(Linda)

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

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Dayphoto

Hey, Fuzz…don’t ya just love this moonlight? Makes me want to sit up and HOWL!!

Don’t do it Boom, we are in the house.

I know but it’s filling our bed spots with so much light I can hardly sleep. Makes me want to let loose and join it with the coyotes!!

Aaaaaa, Boom! We are right next to Mom do you want….

UM no…I won’t. But it sure makes me happy!

I know Boom, it does. Now go to sleep.

Okay, Fuzzy, I’ll try!

************************************************************

HEY FUZZY! WAKE UP!! IT IS MORNING!!!!

Hmmmmmmmmmm, ufff, snort! Oh, yeah it is!

Morning, Boomer!

Morning Fuzzy! Mom has breakfast ready; come on the day is wasting!

Sigh

Stretch

Sigh

Okay, Boom.

**********************************************

Hey, Tommy! What ya doing?

Looking for small springs of green stuff to eat. How ‘bout you?

Oh, just hang’n around smelling everything that moved through the yard and the corrals last night.

You and Mom and Fuzzy went by the poultry house. Mom stopped and checked on all of us.

Yep, Fuzzy was with Mom, but I had already moved over to the cattle trailer and the car hauler.

Oh…that’s why I didn’t see you.

Right!

Oh! Hi, Sam! What’cha doing?

Hi, Tom, just checking out what you and the birds are up too. Where is Fuzzy?

Over by the trash cans…he said he wanted to see if any mice were up and about.

Where’s Mom?

She’s cleaning around the corrals while Dad goes down to Hank’s and his kids’ house to work on their yard light.

Oh!

Hey, Tom!

YES……………drummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, fluff.

Want to walk out to the grain bins and check out the weeds there? Just might be something, even if it’s just cheat grass.

TOMMMY LOOOOOOOOOOOK OUT!!!

WHEW! Dad just drove into the yard. You can’t walk sideways Tommy on the road; you are too slow when you walk that way.

Well, I just wanted Dad to see how pretty I am. I really like Dad the best, you know. I try to follow him everywhere and help him in all the sheds…I knew he was coming down the road…pout, pout.

“Tommy! You scared me! You can’t walk sideways on the road. You are just too slow.” said Dad as he came over to give Tommy a pat or two.

Well, I guess everything is alright. I’m alright, Fuzzy is alright, you are all right Sam, the hens are okay.

WHERE IS BOOMER?!!

BOOMER ARE YOU OKAY?

Yeah, I’m just leaving a mark for Hank.

WHIZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

“BOOMER!!!!!!! YOU STOP THAT RIGHT NOW”!!!! yelled Dad.

Slink off…mutter, mutter…geez I just wanted Hank to know this was my pick-up.

Boomer

The Alamo, The Steps We Take to Growing Up, January 16, 2014

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Dayphoto

My Momma was a Texas girl raised in New Mexico. Her Momma, My Love Grammy, and all her sisters and brothers were born in Texas and still lived in Texas. (Except for Gram and Lois). My Grandfather was also a Texas boy, although born in the last land rush of Oklahoma, but raised in Texas.

Every year of my growing up we went to Texas for part of the summer. The year Walt Disney produced the movie DAVY CROCKETT it was smitten with the history of the Alamo. I wanted to go! I begged and asked, and probably whined…in general I was probably very irritating.

My wonderful great aunts and my hero great uncle Fred and my fun great Aunt Marie (we stayed with them at their ranch in Junction, Texas) told my parents they would take us to San Antonio to see the Alamo.

From: Junction, TX To: San Antonio, TX

(Google maps)

So we all dressed up (back then all women wore hands, gloves, and hose, even little girls had gloves and hats) got in Fred’s big car and made the almost two hour trip to the ALAMO!!! I was soooooooooo excited.

Not only was I going to get to see the Alamo, but I was going to get to see a real picture of Davy Crockett! Of course it didn’t enter my mind that the REAL Davy Crockett wasn’t the same as Fess Parker. I just knew he was going to look just as daring and handsome and wonderful as Walt Disney could ever portray him!

There a many things I remember about that trip…how hot it was. How old the Alamo looked, the many displays of the battle…being allowed to stand and stare all I wanted at whatever I was interested in…and how UNLIKE Fess Parker looked like the REAL Davy Crockett. (I laugh about that now.)

It was the ‘opening of my eyes’ that if you see it in the movies…it just might not ALL be true. It also told me that history really was a real thing and even today you can make it come alive. I think this was the step that turned me toward studies of history and genealogy.

Momma gave me this photo when I was about twelve. I’ve kept it ever since…just to remember the Alamo!

Your friend,

Linda