Just as I got the wood hauled in last night a nasty cold wind blew up
(Looking toward Grand Junction)
Bringing with it clouds and more snow.
(Looking at the Uncompahgre plateau and beyond that Utah)
So while Terry and a good friend of his are on thier way to Arizona to see Terry’s brother and go to a car show…
I’ll keep the farm from blowing away. 🙂
Linda
Oh, Joy, Joy, Wonderful! Our temperatures have reached 41*! Finally the January thaw.
Boomer just plain delights in stirring up Sam
This was taken a couple of days ago, but Fuzzy loves sitting here in the sun.
Monkey never likes to go out so she can’t enjoy our January thaw.
As for me….I’m one happy camper!
Linda
We have/had a HUGE Chinese Elm tree that was getting WAY out of control and had developed many dead areas and areas of weeping and dripping.
Although, we have had it topped at least twice, and Terry’s Grandfather had it topped at least once that we know of, the tree had reached its end.
After talking to several tree services the company we had to finally hire wanted $4,000.00 to cut and clean up the tree.
It took two days to cut it down. (We even had sunshine on one of those days)
In order to get a good look at the size of the trunk we had the girls stand by the downed tree trunk
An enormous tree!
Since we have lots of help we decided to save the $2,200.00 it would have taken to clean up the tree. And save the wood for our own use.
We were stopped by the snow. But most of the branches and trunk were gone.
As soon as the snow melted enough the clean up crew arrived again
Until there were only two pieces of the trunk left
Terry hauled those off today
Now I have to figure out what to do with the stump and get use to having lots of hot, western sun.
Oh, and I need to either re-plant my very damaged hedge or build a fence or…..
Linda
Today I am 62 years old!
Well, not really until about 11:57 p.m.
So sometime around mid-night I’ll be 62. 3 minutes doesn’t give a person a lot of time to celebrate so we just go with the whole day. Only my Momma and Daddy had to wait until three minutes until mid-night after that we all started counting the whole day.
It was snowing as I drove into work this morning. At least it wasn’t -15* it was right up there with enough warmth the snow could come 21*. I’ll take it! Now if the sun would come out….oh, heck I need not complain. It is warmer.
When I was born and when I grew up things sure was a lot different. I truly did not see a television until I was in the third grade…it took my Dad awhile to save up to purchase one.
(Mice searching for food in the bean straw)
That was a ‘very good’ year for the coal furnace was put in and the warm morning heater taken out…toasty house all the time.
The year I was in the second grade, just about time for the holiday’s Daddy, also got Momma an electric range. She was more than delighted. I was excited because in the oven was a complete set of RED dishes. I still have a few pieces of those dishes. I think I loved those dishes more than she did.
(Boomer the beagle searching for mice in the bean straw)
Back then dishes came in all sorts of things….oat meal, dog food…you name it. For me, dishes in the oven were the ultimate.
Times were different then. It seemed that everybody worked including the kids. There were always more chores to be done than time in the day. It wasn’t just our family; it was the neighbors as well. (You were judged first and foremost by your work ethic and then your honesty. This was critical because if you were found wanting in either department, the extra jobs that might pay cash money for you or the kids, or possibly a quarter of beef or a hog would not be available.) Further, the cooperation with your neighbors was the only assurance that if you needed help, you would get help. Nobody in the farming communities could get by strictly on their own. A few tired. When they left, nobody missed them.
Times are unusual now…we have the world at our fingertips – through the internet, blogging, facebook, world news, and other means of ‘instant’ connection to peoples from around the globe. It’s harder to go help your neighbor or friend, but the sense of community is just as strong. Every time we connect a new pleasure or joy is created in the sea of everyday living.
Thank you everyone…I enjoy these days of technology and for being alive for 62 years.
Linda
Now I must say we are cold!
Even the sky seems frozen!
Still the dogs and I went for a walk. It was only -3* so that was doable.
Linda
We are very cold here. Lots of people are experiencing broken pipes and huge heating bills.
It was -11* when I drove into to work this morning with the windchill factor.
We have snow, but not enough to insulate things. Still the morning sunrise was pretty in a pink/blue and yellow sort of way.
Linda
While out checking on my trees I noticed this. Deer damage? Porcupine? Only the mulberry is harmed, it’s bark is a little more fragile and the trunk very straight.
Sigh!
On the other hand another Jasmine from my tiny collection is blooming. I don’t know what one this one is, but it blooms yellow instead of white. AND it smells just like a warm summer’s eve!
Wonderful!
Linda
For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character . . . For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America . . .
—Benjamin Franklin, 1784
Running down the road was this really cool wild Turkey. I don’t know which type of wild turkey he/she is-more than likely a Merriam. (Rio Grandes have tan tail feathers) There are several wild turkey varieties in Colorado but the Merriam is more than likely around where we live.
I wasn’t fast enough to get a photo of the send off (flight) but I did get the bird’s tail as it came down.
Two species, the Merriam’s and the Rio Grande can be found in Colorado; although the Merriam is much more prevalent, comprising nearly 90% of the 25,000 wild turkeys in the state of Colorado.
The Merriam prefers scrub oak and juniper/pinion areas.
A pretty cool sight for a chilly afternoon walk.
Linda
Its cold here. Very cold! -6* this morning as I was coming into work.
This time of year I always get restless. I miss color, the world is so all one color in the winter. I also miss the sunshine.
I drove in to work in a thick fog full of ice crystals.
I miss heat, not from the wood stove, but the out-of-doors kind of heat.
The sun is just coming up when I get to the door of my office, but when I get home the day is longer…no more getting home in the dark, so that is gift.
The dogs and I go for a walk, even if it’s cold (9* last night when we walked). It does my ‘trapped at a computer’ mind and body good to get outside.
Look at this tree on our place…it was FULL of birds….birds, birds, and more birds! They filled the air with loud bird song, bird squabbles, and many flapping of wings.
The whole experience was a major delight!
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 
