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

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Dayphoto

Terry got the hay all in and most of it sold…orders came in Friday. Come Monday the most (of the rest) of the hay will leave.

The dogs and I got our part taken care of so Terry could finish up his. Aren’t they a hoot ‘helping’ me?

It’s raining here. The rain is nice. It started around 8 in the evening and has only stopped around right now. All the dogs are outside, which I like and so do they. The other nice thing about this rain is our temps have dropped to the high 70s, most enjoyable.

Our youngest grandchild is delighted with all the hummingbirds…she keeps hoping if she stands really still one will land on her.

Saturday afternoon I went with Terry to one of the 4-H and FFA annual livestock sales where Terry was representing a company he is on the board as a buyer. It’s been a long time since I sat in a sales ring watching kids bring their animals through for the sale. I found the experience lots of fun. I would post the photos here but I didn’t do a very good job taking them, they all turned out poorly.

Since it’s too wet to do anything outside I think this day is going to one of catching up and taking it easy all at once.

I hope you enjoy your Sunday…it is really nice here!

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — The Liv’n is Easy

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Dayphoto

Mom and Dad have been really busy almost to the point of … way too busy. But life for Boom and I has been EASY!

There isn’t a thing about every day that we don’t like even the heat isn’t bad, we just lay in the shade or lay under the pick-up or go inside and lay around in the cooler air.

There are squirrels to chase
Little girls to follow here and there
And hay to help with
where Boomer and I help Mom fork the ends on the hay

Dad is waiting right now for the dew to start leaving so he can go bale. Then Mom and Boomer and I (oh, yes I forgot—Bella and

Zooker are spending the week with us so they will also go help) will go up and help Dad load hay.

Yep, the everyday I sing to myself—It’s Summer time and the Liv’n is Easy.

Fuzzy

July 25, 2013

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Dayphoto

We are gradually getting back to a ‘normal’ life routine. I am still a tad bit over-whelmed, but I am making headway.

Terry checked the alfalfa this morning — it’s looking like maybe, just maybe, he can start baling tomorrow morning. (Fingers crossed since another storm is due in here in Saturday).

Today we have to go get wood for the winter. At some point soon, I hope, I can get my house cleaned and my yard weeded. We will see, some things just have to wait.

Have a good one everyone…it’s a beautiful day here.

Linda

Four Pair on July 25, 2013

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Dayphoto

I have four pair of Bullock Orioles, although only three females are sitting here. I liked the photo because each one was on a different feeder!

A summer storm has blown in last evening. Although, it cooled things down (which is really nice) it also has brought with it the potential for rain.

We really would NOT like to have rain right now…after the hay is up and stacked — rain would be nice. Keep your fingers crossed that we make it. We have people either calling or driving down the lane to ask if we are ready to sell.

Not yet. But soon if the weather holds off.

Terry is working on the 630 John Deere to get it ready for the pinto bean harvest. Boy, that seems to be coming fast. He thinks by the last week in August we will be able to start harvesting the pintos. Whew! Time is flying.

Well, off to get many, many things done as I have let stuff slide since the 6th of July. Things are starting to even out now so I hope to get past ‘maintain’ into fix.

Linda

Hummingbirds July 23, 2013

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Dayphoto

I’m going to post some photos of the huge amount of hummers we have now…at least 40 visit the feeders all day long. We have the Black-chinned Hummingbird, the Broad-tailed Hummers, Ruby-Throat, Rufous so far!

I’ve tried to get a photo of all of them at once, but it is proving futile.

But still I try

I saw a rainbow …

they always give me a good feeling of…well…

I guess HOPE!

Off to water my plants before the heat sucks us down to nothing. It’s supposed to be 101* today.

Linda

July 22, 2013

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Dayphoto

The Moon last night was outstanding!

We were in town for a little drive…the day had been hot and we were a little tired so we loaded up the dogs and headed to town.

Our little town is creating a by-pass for traffic that wishes to not drive down Main street or wait for the many trains that travel through several times a day. Every day the construction changes so we thought we would ‘go see’ what it looks like.

We looked at the by-pass, drove around town and looked at the houses up for sale, some very pretty yards and then headed on home — the long way–going by Confluence Lake and Park.

The moon was outstanding and the sunset over the lake stunning.

Today we are expecting company around noon, so I much get myself busy.

I am still very behind on answering comments and visiting your blogs…gradually I am getting caught-up. Please know that I really do appreciate your stopping by and leaving comments. I also enjoy very much seeing what is going on in your lives. Do not give up on me for I am gradually getting a routine back into my life.

Your Friend,

Linda

July 21, 2013

Posted on July 21, 2013 by Dayphoto

Terry’s family had a family reunion at Ouray, Colorado starting Friday night and ending today. We went up for Friday night. Ouray is just an hour and a half from here, a short drive.

While up there we got to go in and have a very brief tour of the Beaumont Hotel...I must say that it appealed to my sense of historical interest.

If you ever get a chance to go to Ouray and you love old things please try to spend a night there. If you don’t like historical things The Ouray Victorian Inn is a great place to stay also. Those folks are very nice and the Inn is even dog friendly. The complimentary breakfast is served on real dishes with behind the counter waiters. I very much recommend this Inn as a place to stay.

I have been a little behind on getting all my comments answered. Please forgive me, my life has been extremely over-whelming lately, but I hope to get back to a comfortable routine. As I get older I realize that routines are not dull and boring, but nice…they help keep a person steady and keep everything going forward.

Today, Sunday, is seeing the last of our consistent monsoonal thunder and lightening storms. We will start to move out of this tiny little monsoon toward hot August weather.

Terry got the alfalfa cut last night to start drying. I always know we are in the middle of summer when that happens. If the heat stays and a small drying wind springs up, by Thursday we should have the hay baled and hauled in. The weatherman says we should be in good form for another round of nice rich hay. Magic thoughts that he is right!

The third and last cutting of alfalfa should be around the first of September, in 6 weeks.

Off now to visit you and answer your comments!

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — The Bean Field

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Dayphoto

We’ve been helping Mom cut corn in the pinto bean field. She takes the cut corn stalks down to Misty’s to feed the goats…sometimes we go down on the four-wheeler with a load of corn, other times the corn is loaded in the back of the pick-up and hauled to the goats.

Once we get to the goats Hank Puff comes back with us. Hank LOVES riding in the back of the truck! So do Fuzzy and I.

We all just LOVE TO GO anywhere at any time!

The days have been really hot and muggy, but we still go out and help.

Dad helps us also…we go out early in the morning for a few hours. Then we all go back out around 7 in the evening. Fuzzy and I hang out and wait for them…Fuzzy stays in the shade by the four-wheeler and I wait by looking around and smelling what I can smell.

A couple of evenings the grand kids, their Dad and our Sister Misty came out and helped. Our other sister, Shannon did too. Things went faster that way. Hank came along to help me check out things.

Last night Mom and Dad and Fuzzy and I were all out in the field—the clouds were nice and fluffy when we went out

Then a storm blew in

The folks talked about heading in, but there was always just one more row to finish

So we stayed

It was awesome!

Storms here and there all around us!

Then suddenly we saw it —-

A beautiful rainbow

From one end of the field to the other end

Complete with the middle!

Mom and Dad kept on working until almost dark then they went and changed the water

As we were coming in I realized

THE PINTO BEAN FIELD WAS CLEAN!

No more corn!

Dad said, “It looks real nice, doesn’t it?”

Fuzzy and I barked yes and I whapped my tail on the ground. Fuzzy tried to wags his but he only has a little stump.

WE DID IT! Mom, told us “Thanks, boys! Everyone did a good job.”

Farmer Dog,
Boomer

July 18, 2013 Sweet Corn Theft

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Dayphoto

A little of this and a little of that — our corn is starting to tassel and to make baby ears. Our corn is NOT sweet corn. We have corn that is used for corn meal and to make into feed for animals.

Not sweet corn.

BUT the sweet corn harvest has started in our area….you should be seeing western Colorado sweet corn arriving in your grocery any day now. This area’s sweet corn is raised for two companies, Tuxedo/Olathe Sweet and the other company, Mountain Fresh.

The sweet corn farmers around here are having trouble with people stealing the sweet corn — this whole story is really sad.

What happens is in the dead of night the thieves drive into the sweet corn field, drive to the middle of the field then take the pick-up and start driving through the middle of the corn…they strip the rows they knock down with the truck (someone must be in front of the truck picking — then the truck drives forward and knocks the rows down) while there must be people on either side of the truck because they strip the two rows on either side of the truck…they go through the whole field this way, evidence shows that they have a small fleet of trucks so as one if full the other one gets full until they get to the end of the field.

Then they drive off to who knows where, once they leave the field there isn’t a way to prove that that sweet corn in the back of their truck is stolen. The perfect crime.

This doesn’t seem like much, since the cost to you is in pennies or nickles or dimes or, possibly, quarters. But that is money to the farmer, for every ear of sweet corn a farmer sells he makes anywhere from $.02 -(at the most) $.05 an ear. Truck loads of luscious sweet corn leaving is either the break even point for the farmer or the profit, most times it’s the break even point.