Category Archives: Life on a Colorado Farm

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

When We Think the World is Silent—Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Posted on by
21

Just for fun, I put up two, game cameras

These two seem to be hanging out in our yard at night

With two there might be three

This little fox passes by the Butler Bins on a regular bases

Around the corner, he/she runs

That same corner shows another predator ‘come a visiting’

And into our yard, her/she comes

Yes!!!

Even Oreo walks freely around the Butler Bins

And in our yard

Morning…they all vanish.

Making those who move about in the daylight….rather glad they don’t move about in the night.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Wee (But Rather Long) Post About Birds —- Monday, July 20, 2020

Posted on by
24

Spring is delightful,

It full of growth, new smells, the emerging from the long winter’s sleep

But Summer! Oh! My! Summer!

The songbirds start their day

And mine long before the grey light in the sky turns bright

 

The Fragrance in the air is spiked with all sorts of scents

Sometimes with a hot wind to carry things before it

The days are long

The Twilight longer

Life is good.

Which reminds me, does anyone know what bird this is?

Or this bird?  Are they one in the same?

From my heart to your world,

Linda

Too Many Clouds and Too Much Wet and Damp—-Sunday, July 19, 2020

Posted on by
10

“I held a moment in my hand,

Brilliant as a star, Fragile as a flower, a tiny slice of one hour.

I dropped it carelessly, Ah! I didn’t know, I held Opportunity.”—Hazel Lee

I have so wanted to see the Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)

Where I need to “see” it

The clouds are thick (although, very beautiful)

So I settled for this…the moon with a planet—I think is maybe Venus —there was a little red planet next to Venus but it didn’t show up in my shot.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

 

Sherlock Boomer—-What Mom Doesn’t Know Chapter Six, Friday, July 17, 2020

Posted on by
21

Chapter Six

Here is a series of things Mom doesn’t know about—Only Mom’s camera knows—I don’t know where Mom’s face goes when the camera is out, but it does leave.

Her face I mean

Whenever I see the camera on Mom’s face, I turn my head. Just Say’n.

“I turn my whole back to Mom,” Mindy stated

As she left the scene.

Sometimes I just leave.

Anyway

So here we go:

What Mom doesn’t know,

but her camera does—

And, of course,

Mindy and I know

I’ve tripped on these crazy things…they look like snakes

If I could tell Mom…this coyote has a den next to the equipment area…we have GOT to be careful when up there!

The Upper End is home to the family of deer…I like to bay at them

Sometimes they come into my yard at night—I always Hollar when they come in the yard

Mom’s camera seems to always be pointing at birds

Well, that’s it!  The First Alfalfa field and the Back Forty are looking good.

Mom and I   (and sometimes Mindy) just hanging out (oh, yes and camera face)

 

 

As the Summer Day Ripened —-Thursday, July 16, 2020

Posted on by
10

After early morning irrigation

Before the day started to grow into heat

Terry started the process of

Of swathing the second field of alfalfa

We leave the windows open all the time so now our house smells like ‘fresh mown hay’

YAY!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Few Magic Storms Arrived — Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Posted on by
24

If I could choose one single moment to live inside for all eternity, it would be that.  Fredrik Backman, Things My Son Needs to Know about the World

Monday we had storms, off and on all-day

Off and on the rain would blow in, falling in heavy coin-sized drops, then moving on; the ground staying mostly dry.

Our busy days of work continued

Completing one chore

After another

Then the skies would clear and I would think…”I guess that is the end of the storms.”

Back again they would blow in.

But the ending…OH MY, THE ENDING of the DAY!

Was STUNNING!

Complete with the most unusual and delightful Rainbow!

Which grew darker and more red as the night crept onto the land!

WOW!  I kept saying to myself. WOW!  This is an amazing gift from the Heavens!

From my world to your heart,

Linda

 

 

Summer’s Work—Second Cutting of the First Field of Alfalfa —- Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Posted on by
10

In the heat of the High Summer day,

The second cutting of the alfalfa

Has turned into bales of hay

Which is (even as you read this)

Is being hauled into the hay yard!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Ride with Boomer and I to the Upper End and the Back Forty — Monday, July 13, 2020

Posted on by
11

The heat wears on, (which is alright by me); the skies stay bright and clear

So I thought, just maybe, you would like a wee ride to the Upper End

Off we go, past one of the cement ditches, reflecting the brilliant sun and shifting clouds and the tubes themselves

Onto the road to Upper End

Where the pastures are full of lush growth and chirping insects

We see lots

and

Lots of rabbits

Now we move on past the pasture onto the Road to Back Forty

Then we start traveling toward the Rocky Hill

Where we finally get to the top!

The land in the Back Forty is rich with green

A favorite place of all of us.

Back Home —- SHHHHHHHHHH  I saw this from a distance

Through the cornfields

Heading into the cool shade

A quick little ride, from here to the Upper End and the Back Forty,

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

To Have All This is Wondrous Daily Feast—-Sunday, July 12, 2020

Posted on by
16

Although, the days are extremely hot (100-106*f–up to 41.11c)

The nights cool down, way down to 59*f or less (15c)

The sun hot and baking during the day

The cool nights

(plus watering)

keeps everything growing gently

The constant hot afternoon wind rustles the corn stalks, causing the developing ears to be pollinated

Everything enjoying

The move from the rays of the sun

to the cooling

Shadows

Of the shade.

Shade—

bringing a soft and welcome

break — bringing a

Softness to the air.

Hot summer days

Growing crops

Shade giving comfort to beasts and man alike

Rich, flourishing Summer

Making full and happy hearts

Good morning, My Friends!

From my world to your Hearts,

Linda

 

 

The Heat of Summer is Here—Thursday, July 9, 2020

Posted on by
23

A wee tiny bird (I think might be a Starling) is living out it’s beginning life, in a hollow of a limb of the tree in our yard

At the Upper End, we have pheasants. Delightful birds

Over by the equipment area, I saw a fun courting couple

Then on the back road going to the Back Forty twice,

I ran across this pretty handsome feller

Our days are in the 100*s now. That is 37.7c.

At the peak of the heat in the daytime, the little songbirds rest—such wise little creatures

Or come to our chicken yard and try to grab a snack or two…

I’m sure they are thinking “get some food while everyone sleeps, then no one will ever know.)

The hawks and other raptors silent shadows slide over the warm and bright land

The blue sky is alive with life


As so is the earth

Ah  Summer so

Full Life

Full of Joy

Full of Daily Adventures

To me

The most perfect time of the year!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda