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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 Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday—Boomer, My Bestest Friend

Boomer is my bestest friend in the whole-wide-world! (Well, outside of Mom, that is).  I really don’t like other dogs, never have, never will!  But when Boomer slipped into my doghouse one night I knew he and I would be friends for ever more!

Hot-Dogs

Now that you know that I adore Boomer we take naps together, we bark the mailman down the lane together,

Dogs-1

we ride on the four-wheeler with MOM, chase the squirrels and bark at the birds.

We do lots of stuff together.

Fox-1

We make sure the fox stay away,

Fox-2

or at least does a fast run through our place.

Zip

We do NOT bother the porcupines, the badgers (Boomer was chased by one once) or the coyotes.

skunk

We both have decided the Mom and Dad are on their own when it comes to the skunks, that is just all there is too it.  A dog who gets sprayed by a skunks gets BATHS…lots and lots and lots of baths!  (Hank-the grandkids dog, doesn’t care he will take on a skunk anytime. And he still goes after any all porcupines.)  PHEW!

HOWEVER!!!! I draw the line as some stuff…like eating milk duds (`!)  I just can’t do it.  I just can’t.

The other thing I don’t get is Boomer is a beagle…purebred the Vet says.  Beagles are bred for hunting…RABBITS!  (I’m a cow dog…always have been, always will be!)

Colorado has a Beagle Rescue if you are interested.

Bunny-3

You know what?  Boomer NEVER chases our rabbits….ever!  I use to…they hop really fast so it’s fun to follow them into their hiding places.  But I never hurt them; the only things I hurt are mice and snakes….anytime…anyplace…anywhere! Bite, snap, done!  There ya go…no more mouse or snake! Of course, Boomer doesn’t understand why I like to feel that crunch and snap in my mouth. (I can’t swallow what he likes to slurp down…)

Bunny-1

Boomer doesn’t even give chase to the rabbits ever…just keeps on sniffing around on the ground, he even sniffed right by one of the rabbits.  How strange is that?

Sleeping

Well, anyway…in the scheme of things … I really don’t care.  You see Boomer is my bestest friend in the whole-wide-world.  If he doesn’t want to chase a bunny…you know what?  He doesn’t have too.

Fuzzy

Closer to Real Spring March 6, 2014

A few clouds have arrived in our area, the high, way up there, WAY, WAY up in the air winds pushing the clouds from somewhere in the far west…California to Utah and then to us..to fill our sky blocking the warming rays of the sun.

SunsetWhen the dogs and I went for our mid-night walk the stars were out and the sky was brilliant with their sparkling beauty.  I almost tripped as I walked along with my head tiled back trying to find the different constellations…there was the Big Dipper (always very easy to see) I use it as my mooring point.

Around 8 o’clock in the evening it is in the east, then after mid-night sinking under the rim of Grand Mesa in the north west.

SunlightI really can’t remember the names of any of the others anymore, although, I used to know…way back when I was in high school —centuries ago.

LightToday we are a cold and cloudy late winter day. A jacket wearing day.  At least right now.  Maybe later we will warm up…only time will tell.

SmilesYesterday was warm enough that the dogs spent most of it panting (and smiling).  Terry and I worked without jackets in the afternoon–it was that warm…if you kept moving.  He is building a irrigation box…one of the ditches that enters our place has created a huge hole in the ground…the hole works, but water keeps eroding it so the hole just keeps getting bigger and bigger.  A cement box will with stand the constant of water and protect the earth around the ditch.  We always want to protect the land.  At the same time make our work load a little easier.

I got the wood pile sorted and stacked for next year…green wood here, dry wood there, and all the sticks and weeds and leaves under the wood racked.

I have a old pile of junk wood I need to sort and cut and get it in the firewood pile so I can use it up next winter.  The old pile is made up of tree limbs, rotted off fence posts, an old building we tore down…junk wood, but we don’t want to just throw in a heap and burn it sending smoke spiraling into the air…we want to utilize it as heat for the house.  So I continue to sort and cut and stack.

Other than ordinary everyday things nothing much going on here.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

 

 

 

 

Signs of Spring March 5, 2014

SpringsThe tiny little bits of fluffy green are the alfalfa plants waking up from a long winter’s sleep.

Terry starts disking today, which means Mr. Davis will be moving his cows out — probably this week end.

The farm work has to start now so the ground will be ready for water on April 1st.  The ditch company turns the water into all the canals the last week of March.  Therefore, ground work MUST begin now.

cow

The cows have gotten so use to Terry and I riding or walking out to check on them they don’t even get excited enough to move.

cow-1

Come on Number 22, you need to move over!    Scoot!

cow-e  That is close enough!  Now Scoot!!  Clap, clap!  Sigh!

Finally….

She turned  and moseyed on into the corn field!

Fences

In two years these little cuties will be back, ready to have some little ones of their own.

As you can see, we will be fixing fence as soon as the cows leave–they are a tad hard on them.

Off now to get some outside work done.

From a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

A Guest Photo from Mr. Jim Wetzel March 4, 2014

Mr. Jim Wetzel is the curator of the Delta Museum….here is a cool photo of 1906 Delta

1906 Delta

Main Street looking south in this 1906-1907 photo / post card. Note the flag pole in the center of the Third Street intersection. It was removed in 1908. There is also a single light bulb suspended from the flag pole. Concrete sidewalks also appear in this photo, but it would be another 15-16 years before the street, itself, is paved. The relative absence of people and transportation suggests an early hour for this photo.

Someone hand-colored it, lending a unique look to an old-time photo!

Your friend,

Linda

My Favorite Cow—February 3, 2014

I have a favorite cow.  She isn’t really mine, she belongs to Mr. Davis and his daughter.  Still she is spending her ‘laying-in-time’ with us here on the edge of California Mesa.

(The laying-in-time for a Queen, would be confined a month prior to the birth and so remain for some 40 days after her child was born.)

Here these pampered cows are given all the fodder they can eat, wonderful vista’s to gaze upon and sparkling fresh water to drink. They will not remain here for 40 days after birth, but they do get to have the whole month of February and 9 days into March.

But I digress…my favorite cow has horns, which is never good—ever.  Beautiful eyes, is always dress-to-the-nines (my Momma’s words)  and is a new addition to Mr. Davis’ herd.

Black-2

Yesterday, when Terry and I did our late afternoon check through the cows

black-1

We came upon this elegant beauty and her new calf.

Tail

Nope, not black!  But sporting an half-white tail, just like Mom has.

I’m not sure if the calf is male or female.  Of course, for us it doesn’t matter.  I was just thankful she had her calf here before the herd was moved.  And I got to see it!  🙂

There really are lots of small joys in every day if you keep your mind open to them.  This cow and her new calf is just one of those joys from yesterday.

Your farm friend.

Linda

A Delicious Gift March 2, 2014

When Terry and I were over getting the equipment ready for the consignment sale, the mailman arrived at our house.   That in-and-of-itself is not unusual, we have a really nice mail person who delivers any large bundles of mail right to our doorstep.  Usually our mail comes after lunch sometime.

But not this day, which was really strange.  Before 9:30 in the morning the mail arrived at our back step.  We weren’t home.  Neither were the dogs…our mail person is afraid of the really LOUD Beagle :).  (The beagle is just loud, not mean.)

When we got back to the house a little after 9:30 there sat our mail and a really nice package.

Gift-2Full of fresh California asparagus straight from her farm!

GiftIn excellent shape!!

I quickly trim the ends, stuck them in water in the refrigerator where they perked right up!

Since then we’ve had asparagus for our lunches (our big meal of the day).  

Our asparagus will not start showing up until late April so having this rich, delicious taste of spring is a rare treat!

Thank you so much, Jan!

A very spoiled and happy friend,

Linda

 

 

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday—I Do Not Understand You, Boomer!

Well, just for today …THIS IS THE LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY!!!  Mom and I are doing the happy dance here there and everywhere!

Blue-skies

The Day is 11 hours and 16 minutes long!  On Sunday, March 9th,  we will switch to Daylight Savings Time and the day will grow LONGER!

YIPPEE!   Mom, myself, and the Little Buff Hen like Daylight Savings Time the Best.  Why?  Because we get up with the sun anyway!

Yesterday was a huge busy day…first rattle-out-of-the-box we all headed over to the equipment hill to load up ‘stuff’ for the consignment sale this coming weekend.

Mom drove the truck and trailer over with Boom and I in the back of the truck.  Dad brought over the tractor with the loader.

It was cold outside, sharp wind, spots of frozen ice, lot of cool smells.

Loaded-2

While Mom and Dad worked on getting the ‘stuff’ hooked up and loaded onto the trailer, then shuffling around some of the other ‘stuff’ Boomer and I checked out everything going on around there.

Smells

Hummmmmmmmm the skunks are out-and-about.  I think….snuff, sniff, snuff…yep, mating season.  Oh!  The badgers are waking up and doing some house cleaning….

Hey, Boom, don’t head over here… the badgers are out and about…you know how cranky they can get.

Here-1

‘Snuff, snuff,ummm, yumm, swallow.’  Okay, Fuzzy.  I’ll just stay up here where the cows and calves stay…smack, slurp.

GO-Fuzzy

Oh…hummm….yes!  Oh, look a patch of Cheat Grass…the cows are going to love that.

The deer have come back…here is a great deer wallow.  Oh, my…I think I’ll just head on back to Mom…COYOTE poop…not, good…not good at all.  At my advanced age they would find me perfect for breakfast.

Boomer?

Here-2

Slurp, slobber…(mouth-full) Yes, Fuzzy?

Let’s go back to Mom, it doesn’t seem, like, um, we had better hang out here much longer…I found evidence of coyotes!

COYOTES!!! Yikes!

Let’s go back to MOM!  Beat you there!!!!!

WHEW!  I’m glad we are back!

Looks like Mom and Dad are all loaded and ready to go.

Off-3

This time Dad has the truck and Mom the tractor.  You go ahead and ride Fuzzy, I want to run back to the house and check out the fields as I go.

Check out the fields for what, Boomer?

Yuck

MILK DUDS, Fuzz!  MILK DUDS!

Boomer, you really are something, you know it?

Yeah, Fuzzy.  I keep the coyotes from getting close to the house!

With-Mom

Ackk!  I guess so Boomer!  Gag!

Fuzzy

Late Winter Work February 27, 2014

Terry worked on the fire road most of the afternoon…. there is one spot that is a huge problem…down a gravel hill that seeps.  He got everything fixed up to that road; then ‘we’ will work on the seep road together.

I dread this road, it’s not bad when all the seep has stopped but until then we have the potential of getting stuck, sliding off, the earth shifting….sigh.

Road-2

He will be on one tractor and I on another tractor…gradually we will make the downhill slant, then around the curve.  It is the down hill slant where all the problems lie.  But we must work together to keep from an accident or worse.

Road-1

But not today…or this weekend.  But soon.  Before the fire season starts in earnest!  Sigh!

And no, we can not make a different road in a different spot it must be here, because HERE is where the path of the fires usually take.

We are leaving in 30 minutes to finish loading up the consignment equipment then heading to the sale in Grand Junction.  Gradually, we are getting everything done before the spring work begins.

Hopefully next week we will be able to start laying the last of the transmission irrigation pipe.  It MUST be done before water starts April 1st and it MUST be in the ground before the tractor work starts close to March 10th.  Everything has a hurry, hurry, time is passing feel about it now.

Today it is dark and gloomy with rain or snow or sleet threatening any moment.

Still we must carry on!

Your farm friend,

Linda

 

Finally Fixed February 26, 2014

We finally have the furnace fixed!!!!  (Happy Dance)

We even let the wood stove burn out last night and the night before to make sure the furnace would  come on and actually heat the house!

It did!  YIPPEE!

We will still use the wood stove, but if it were to go out—if we were to travel any place for a length of time — the furnace would come on keeping everything from freezing!

Spring-1

Another thing we have accomplished is getting the equipment moved (in case we get another fire—we had two bad ones two years ago, and a almost bad one last year.  Terry is extremely nervous that we will have another fire and NOT be able to save the equipment.) We are already seeing smoke from ‘those that just must burn’, so we knew we had to get a move on.

Terry has also made another road to the ‘other’ point of entry we always seem to get fires from.  So it’s been a busy few days here.

Today we will be loading and sorting the equipment we want to take to the consignment sale in Grand Junction this weekend.  Busy, busy…but makes the days fly by.

I feel so bad for everyone back East with another horrible arctic air blast coming in…

acttemp_600x405

Northeast (http://www.weather.com/newscenter/nationalforecast/)

– Colder-than-average temperatures are expected across the region for at least the next week.

– High temperatures are forecast to run 10 to 20 degrees below late February/early March averages.

– Actual highs will be in the 20s and 30s north and the 30s and 40s south.

– Light snow and flurries throughout the region Wednesday as a cold front pushes through.

– Accumulations of and inch or two from northern Virginia through southeast New York.

– Lake-effect snow showers and squalls are still likely from northwest Pennsylvania through western New York.

– Additional accumulations of 4 to 8 inches are possible in northwest Pennsylvania and southwest New York and 6 to 12 inches east of Lake Ontario in western New York through Thursday morning.

Midwest 

– Arctic air keeps the region downright frigid for at least the next week.

– Temperatures are forecast to be 20 to 30 degrees below average through Friday.

– An even colder air mass plunges into the Plains, Mississippi Valley and western Great Lakes over the weekend with temperatures expected to be 20 to 45 degrees below average.

– Actual highs should be in the single digits, 10s and 20s from the Dakotas to Michigan and the 30s and 40s from Nebraska and Kansas to the Ohio Valley and Kentucky through Friday.

– Parts of eastern North Dakota, much of Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and northwest Michigan could remain below zero all day Thursday.

– Over the weekend highs should be in a -10 to +10 degree range in the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and north Michigan and in the 20s and 30s from Kansas to the Ohio Valley.

– Lake-effect snow showers and squalls are likely to continue across Michigan, north Indiana and northeast Ohio into the weekend.

– Additional accumulations of 4 to 10 inches are likely in favored lake-effect areas through Thursday morning.

– Elsewhere accumulations should be 2 inches or less.

West

– Two significant storms impact the region beginning Wednesday and lasting into the weekend.

– The first storm arrives in California and Oregon Wednesday and spreads into Southern California and the Intermountain West Wednesday night and Thursday.

– Storm number two arrives in California and southern Oregon Friday and spreads inland Friday night and Saturday.

– Combining both storms rainfall of 1 to 3 inches is possible over the interior and 3 to 8 inches is possible along the coastal mountains and foothills of the Sierras.

– Snowfall of several feet is likely in the Sierras when both storms are combined.

– Flooding and landslides are possible in burn areas.

South

– Rain and showers remain likely from central and southern Texas to the central and eastern Carolinas and central Florida as a cold front moves through Wednesday.

– Enough cold air plunges into the north side of the precipitation area to cause a wintry mix of rain and and sleet in central Texas and rain, sleet and wet snow from northern Georgia to northern North Carolina.

– Accumulations of sleet and snow are not expected in the lower elevations.

– Snowfall of 1 to 5 inches is possible in the Appalachians.

– High temperatures in the 30s and 40s are forecast from Oklahoma and north and central Texas to northern Georgia and the western Carolinas.

– Highs in the 50s stretch from southeast Texas to the Carolinas with warmer 70s and 80s in central and south Florida and extreme south Texas

Warmth and the touch of Spring is such a luxury!  Magic thoughts Spring comes to everyone soon–including those who need spring rains!

Your friend on a farm,

Linda

The Color of Glitter February 25, 2014

When I first married Terry and we moved to the farm (I grew up in a orchard) Mr. Davis’ Dad and the now, Mr. Davis, continued to rent our farm for the calving out of their spring’n heifers.  (These are usually two-year old cows having their first calf.)

Those many years ago (46 and counting) the Mr. Davis’ raised Hereford’s.  I adore Hereford cattle.  It was the cattle of my youth.

Terry and I had Dairy cows and Angus beef cows  giving us delightful and wonderful calves.

two

Over time, as the ‘now’ Mr. Davis took over he started adding in Charolais cattle to his mix. Until he had only Charolais.  Now he is bringing back the Hereford bloodline.   This has created  a variety of beautiful little baby cows calves ranging from buff, to brown, and a mix of Hereford colors.

All little calves are beautiful

1…but when you see a brand-new Charolais calf—you really must agree that they just sparkle.  The white glitters and glows.  While the others will mix in well with the brush or the surrounding countryside these little ones have a hard time blending in.

New

It won’t be long now until all the Mom’s have calves out–about two more weeks.  Once the babies have all arrived Mr. Davis and his daughter will arrive on horses, with a horse trailer, to gather the herd and take them to another pasture closer to their home.  (The horse trailer is for the newest little ones to ride in, since walking would be way too much)

Until then Terry and I will walk about  searching for little ones, looking to see if they are okay, talking gently to the Mom’s (they don’t even get excited now, even though the dogs are with me) and looking for the color of glitter stuck here and there waiting for Mom to come back to get them.

(Mom cows either leave the babies with a cow babysitter, or they will tell the calf ‘to stay right here, don’t move until I get back’; the calf stays—right there!)

It’s Spring here!  The days are lovely and warmer.  Terry and I worked outside without coats or jackets yesterday.  What a joy to make it through the long-long days of winter

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda