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

Monday, November 25, 2013

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Dayphoto

Yesterday it started to rain. It rained and rained, taking with it the lovely snow.

It rained and rained and rained…very miserable with a stiff nasty wind.

By nightfall we had nothing but mud

So we have gone from snow to mud in just one day! That is always the bad part of snow…mud season!

I would have walked out to the fields to show you this, but I had to go upstairs and try and get some decent photos for you

This is one of the corn fields from this summer

We have lots and lots of these huge wonderful birds (and bird poop).

Last year I used to see them flying overhead and holler at them inviting them to come land on our farm—please come! We will be good to you, the dogs don’t chase birds (unless it’s Hank) and I only want to take your photo! “Please come!” I would shout as they flew over my head.

Here is a very short video of the sounds they make (they are extremely noisy birds). I took it while the grandchildren and I were taking a walk one cold winter day. You can hear my voice and one of the grandchildren.

Now if the mud will just dry up…..

It’s still nasty and drizzly. But we have BIRDS to entertain us!

Your friend on the farm,

Linda

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Posted on November 24, 2013 by Dayphoto

“The first fall of snow is not only and event, it is a magical event.

You go to bed in one kind of world Winter-1

and wake up in another quite different, Winter-2

and if this is not enchantment Winter-4

then where is it to be found?”

J.B. (John Boynton) Priestley

Through the eyes of child….

The excitement and wonder fills your soul

Really, who could ask for more?

Your friend,

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — Sandhill Cranes

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Dayphoto

“THEY HAVE ARRIVED!!!!”

“OOOOOOOOOOOOO”

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO”

“MOM! THEY ARE HERE!!”

“Come on Fuzzy lets go see the Sandhill Cranes!!!!!”

“Bark, bark, woof….bark, yap, yap, Bark!”

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO”

“BOYS!!! What is going on?”

“The cranes are here…come on Mom…hurry!!”

“Oh good she is out here and she has her camera!!”

“Slow” Mom said. “We have to be really calm now and walk slowly without any talking. Ever so softly and silently” Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh”

“Sit here boys, that’s right…very careful now. Let me sit with you…shhhhhhhhh.” “Good”

“How nice we did it!”

“Come on lets go back in…it’s starting to snow! We’ll come out again and see if we can get more photos…maybe when they are flying or dancing!”

“Boomer, stay close now, no leaving my side.”

“Good boys! Good!”

YIPPEE!!! We did it! We let Mom know when the birds arrived and she was able to get lots of photos!

AND WE GOT DOG COOKIES!!!

Boomer and Fuzzy

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Dayphoto

Our storm arrived….bringing with it the most delicious, gentle, kind drizzle of rain you can imagine. It started just after sunset with tiny sprinkles here and there.

By 8 o’clock in the evening Terry came in from working on the 4010 and announced the skies were weeping! I went to see, both dogs following, then choosing to stay outside. (It was a warmish evening and Fuzzy wanted to be outside…Boomer doesn’t like to be somewhere Fuzzy isn’t)

All night the delicious gentle rain fell causing a mist to surround us and all the trees and bushes and plants. This morning we were wet, but not so wet it was miserable. The dogs came in and laid down, Fuzzy by me and Boomer as close to the fire as he could get. It wasn’t long before they were panting but reluctant to go back outside. It’s hard to do something when everything is dripping.

Gradually they went out…first Fuzzy and then Boomer…WHEW! The fresh air must have felt good for them.

Today I will be helping Terry put his hydraulic pump back on the 4010. He fixed the back pump first and now we will do the front one. We had to wait for a pump to be delivered from Abilene, Kansas, which came yesterday. It will take both of us…and a jack and other things for those pumps are are heavy, heavy, heavy.

Sometime after we get this fixed we will take a very fast trip to Bridgeport, Nebraska to get a motor for the combine — the one that he cobbled together by drilling holes in the thermostat.

It’s been a farming season of things breaking in a huge way, then having to be fixed…the 4010 with the hydraulic pumps, the bean combine with the auger, the diesel combine’s motor and the gasoline combine’s major chain under everything, which not only broke but ripped up the bottom metal and sucked into the loading chute. Once these are fixed we should be ‘good to go’ for several more years…anyway that is what Terry is saying. 🙂 🙂

I found the sky amazing last night…that long strip of …whatever … shows up close as a spot in another cloud.

The storm is here until Sunday…with rain supposedly turning to snow tonight. I guess we will see in the morning won’t we. The mountains all around us are showing snow…it can stay up there, which would be perfect.

Off now to help with the tractor and the hydraulic pump,

Your sometimes mechanic’s helper friend,

Linda

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Dayphoto

We have another storm coming in

It will probably be here tonight sometime.

The weather people say it will be another series of storms coming to us clear from the Hawaiian Islands

So….that means I have lots to get done before night fall.

Today is clean out the chicken house day…not a job I enjoy, but ones the hens delight in. When I’m done they will have lots of lush and rich hay to peck and scratch around in if the weather is too bad to go outside.

I use the hay from the baler. Terry always cleans out the baler every time he uses the baler….blows the dust and leaves off of it, greases everything up, then parks it under it’s very own shed until the next cutting of alfalfa. The hay that is taken out of the baler is mine to use around the farm. We used to feed it to the pigs, and the goats and the sheep, when we had them. I always gave a nice batch to the chickens and the the calves (if we had orphans) There isn’t tons of this lovely green leafy stuff, but over three cutting a summer I can gather up a nice little pile. We put the pile in the same building with the baler and then cover up the pile with a tarp to keep the loose pile together.

Sometimes I’ll find a yummy bone or two buried in the deep reaches of the pile just waiting to be brought out for a nice chewing. 🙂

So off I go to get some things done before the weather blows in here wet and nasty. The Farmer’s Almanac says “As November 21st is, so is the winter”. Looks like wet and nasty just might be predicted for our winter. (I say this because the storm is here until Saturday, then leaves and we have nice weather for a few more days. — Just storms for the 21st)

Your interested to see how the winter turns out friend,

Linda

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Dayphoto

Yesterday we had a huge mine accident in Ouray, Colorado.

Once more my heart goes out to all the friends and family and loved ones!

Accidents are always hard at anytime –during the holidays they always seem worse!

With heartfelt sadness,

Your friend,

Linda

Monday, November 18, 2013

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Dayphoto

My heart goes out to everyone who was caught in those horrible storms in the mid-west!

I know that there really isn’t much I can say that will help

Know one really understands or even knows what it is like unless they walk in your shoes

But I care! And I know many, many others care!

Your friend,

Linda

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Posted on November 17, 2013 by Dayphoto

While working outside Friday a huge Sun Dog lit up the western sky, foretelling of a cold front soon to be arriving in our area

The day was rather warm for a November day so we kept on

checking the fences and rebuilding where they had been torn down

That is Terry the tiny dot on the gray looking hill. He will check the fences between our neighbor to the south

Here he is again almost to the top.

While he is doing that the dogs and I headed down to the west of the place. The most damage will come from those two areas and the north.

Yep! Right on time! Saturday the cold front came in…rain, bitter wind, and snow in places. We only had a sprinkle of rain and the sharp wind, but it looks like the mountains collected lots of white stuff. Come next spring we will be able to water our crops with melted snow! 🙂

Today the clouds are lifting and a small chill breeze is pushing them away clearing the sky.

It looks like a promising day!

Your friend on the western side of Colorado,

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — The Car Wash

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Dayphoto

Mom took us to the car wash!!!

I super love the car wash!!!

First off we got in the back of the pick-up and headed to town…that in and of itself if just W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L!

Lots of great smells, things to see (in a flash), dogs to bark at along the way and WIND IN YOUR FACE!!!!

Then we got there!

YIPPEE!!!

Mom got out and put us up front! Once she did that we KNEW something really neat was about to happen—most of the time we ride in the back, unless it’s winter. But it isn’t winter right now and we were already in town.

She then drove us over to the car wash spot. She drove real slooooooooow to the door; we had to wait for the car in front of us….

I COULD HARDLY WAIT! I LOVE the car wash!

Boomer says it’s not his favorite but he likes to be there with Mom and me.

Then we were inside

Oh! Good! Here it comes…first the water, that goes on for a couple of times, then the really creepy SOAP!

(The soap is the best part – I bark at the soap!)

Then more water, and more water, then stop for the blow dryer!

I think it’s funny that the truck gets a blow dry just like Boomer and I at the Groomers. That is the part I hate the worst at the Groomers…the BLOW DRYER! So I think it’s pretty neat the pick-up has to have a blow dryer also!

HAHAHAHAH

Done!

We drive for a ways, and then Mom stops and puts Boomer and me in the back again…

Wonderful!

(That’s water spots on the mirror, makes my eyes look just right for Halloween, don’t you think?)

We head for home!

I ADORE going to the car wash!

Fuzzy

Thursday, November 14, 2013 — The Sandhill Cranes Have arrived

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Dayphoto

The winter birds have arrived….we are seeing daily crows and ravens (Although, those birds live here year-round they don’t stay close to the farms) and the ever present flocks of sparrows and starlings. We have others but these are the majority of the birds. The owls are back in the tops of our trees sending their soft hoo-hoos into the night.

Cranes-1

The air is full of the sound of Sandhill Cranes…we have lots and lots of them —-I mean lots!

They are looking for certain fields, landing in one and then leaving and then landing in another

Where the Canada Geese used to be we now have the cranes.

I’m not complaining…I enjoy both of the bird types.

As winter progresses we will start to see the birds species mixing, but for now…for the beginning of things they won’t share. Most of the Canada Geese are hanging out at the water places, the rivers and Confluence Lake and small ponds.