Opening the Land/the Smell of Rich Turned Soil—Thursday, March 8, 2018

Posted on March 8, 2018 by Dayphoto

Terry finished disking up all the old corn stalks then started plowing Monday.

He will plow up all of last year’s pinto bean field, the two corn fields and the small little field at the upper end.

Turning the earth over, waking up the soil—-yes, farmers still plow in our area. Off and on different farmers (us included) have tried the no-till, or the medium-till method, but it just doesn’t work for our area.

Our soil and the method of irrigation we use, does not support lack of plowing.

Therefore, in the bright, clean light of spring..alone on the waking earth,

The tractor tranquilly moves back and forth upon the land.

For a spell now the wind has been still. Not even a breeze wandering by to fluff up the clouds or shake the branches of the trees and bushes.

Our days (of late) have been blessed with sun and warmth bursting forth in clear light–the air all around us smelling of fresh turned soil…laying warm and mellow in the golden sun.

Spring work has begun!

YAY!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Gift of Friendship—-Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Dayphoto

Thomas Davis and his lovely bride, Ethel Davis (long time readers of my blog) called to say they were in town and would love to meet.

Delightedly we met them at Fiesta Vallarta Restaurant in Delta, where they brought us gifts—

They arrived with a beautiful gift of wine and

Some of their published books.

What gracious, lovely people Tom and Ethel are!

Thomas has been a President at several Navajo controlled colleges all throughout his career, and is still Provost for a Navajo Tribal College. Thomas is a poet, scholar, playwright and so many more things.

Thomas’ books lift us into a place where words become real places and people reach out to us and beg us to become part of them.

Ethel Moretenson Davis is an accomplished artist and published poet–her work appearing in many magazine, literary journals, and anthologies.

Ethel’s work is stunning, she speaks of the winds, the gentle loveliness of the earth; the magic through the door, of which poets lead us.

And here they sat, in our humble home, very interested in us, the farm, our life.

We found out the Thomas lived here (Delta), until the 6th grade, went to school with Terry’s brother, his parents owned and operated a grocery store in town, and Terry’s mom and dad were friends of theirs.

The Davis family moved, after that year, to Orchard Mesa, close to Grand Junction, and opened another Grocery Store, which is still in operation today.

Terry remembered, through his child’s eyes, the Thomas family grocery store, then he remembered his family stopping many times at the Orchard Mesa Grocery Store to visit with the Davis Family.

Isn’t the world a strange and marvelous thing?

The beauty of blogging is making friends near and far.

If you are interested in Thomas and Ethel’s blog go here. Also, if you would like to order and read their books this is a good place to get one or many.

I am constantly humbled to the amazing gift of friendship this tiny little blog has brought to Terry and I.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Finding Your Place in the World—-Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Dayphoto

(a coyote running quickly through the yard)

I have wondered and wondered, for years, what is my purpose in life, what am I good at doing, is there anything I really can say is me? Any talent? Any real skill? Anything….?

So thinking about what I like–what I really like–is to be one with the natural world. There isn’t any money in it, nor is there power or prestige….but there so much joy for me.

What I really love to do is point out to you my observances of the natural world.

Even as a child I spent hours by myself, playing in the creek behind our house, sitting in the Silver-leafed Maple in the back yard, laying in the ditches in the fall (I put my coat in the ditch, than lay myself down on the coat and watched the leaves of the Cherry trees tremble and flutter in the autumn winds), reading in the sand box — feet propped on the the trunk of the Silver-leafed Maple, Queenie, our Border Collie at my side, my hair getting dirty in the sandbox…

I love sharing with you that joyous immersion of nature we, as farmers, experience.

To help you stand with me, along the margins of that line between earth and sky

To help you breathe in the warmth of our day

Or the scents of the night wafting on the breezes

To show you that stunning moon stretching fathomless away, — way among the spheres of stars, in worlds that gods walk, and starlight showers down, like petals falling from over-blown roses

I want to draw your eyes and hearts upward, beyond those thoughts that farmers are dull and stupid and dumb…tillers of the soil with no real ablity in their heads, no real ambitions, no real interest in living.

I hope that I can, with this daily blog, lift your hearts, your minds, and your souls to the music of the earth, the light of the sun, and the moon in the tree shadows.

(Some of my photos on today’s post are from my past photos.)

From my world to your heart,

Linda

A Snowy Sunday in Ouray, Colorado—-Monday, March 5, 2018

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Dayphoto

Not wanting to ‘do’ anything really. Terry and I headed up to the Ouray Hot spring Pool, in Ouray, Colorado.

When got there at 1:30 in the afternoon, but 2:30 it was snowing…by 3:30 we decided we had better take our snow covered heads and go get dry and head home.

I forgot to take a photo of the life guards in complete snow suit and ski googles, or the snow coming down so hard you couldn’t even see the pool…but I did get

the snow as we drove back home.

We drove through snow, until Montrose, then rain around Olathe, by the time we got home. Nothing.

Just clouds and the setting sun.

It was stunning!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Lion of March Enters—-Sunday, March 4, 2018

Posted on March 4, 2018 by Dayphoto

The hard frozen ground of winter is giving way to spring.

The crunch of leaves is gone…leaving soft leaves of mush, and long-ago brittle twigs even drier than when they first fell from the trees

The big birds are migrating now.

The large flocks, which slept on the farm over-night, are starting to shrink to smaller flocks. The air, in early morn and late evening ring with sounds rippling through the air –the songs of their flights

All the snow is gone…the wind having dried the ground.

Only patches remain here and there.

Although, the wind today is strong, I never mind the wind. I actually I am one of those rare people who likes the wind. I love feeling it on my face, in my hair, swirling around me in all directions.

Once, when I was a child, I took the black plastic that covered ensilage pits; tied each end to my arms and legs (behind me) and turned myself into the wind—I became a human KITE!

The wind blows most of spring, in our area (March through June), —we are surrounded by mountains on all four sides—wind is necessary to melt the snow, stir the sap, dry out the ground, open the earth for growth.

Today my heart lifts with the birds in the sky—I can feel the faint movement of velvet Spring not far off now!

From my Heart to your world,

Linda

Now One with the Moon, the Stars, the Wind and Universe—-Thursday, March 1, 2018

Posted on March 1, 2018 by Dayphoto

With tremendous sadness for each member of our family….Shannon (who Romeo belonged to), Jason, Terry, and myself, and for Lady the Mule,

Romeo left us to travel pain free in the wind, run in green pastures, trot and gallop among the clouds and live his beautiful wonderful horse life across the rainbow bridge.

Romeo Brown

2002-2018

(We were so lucky to have known you, Romeo!

Our hearts are breaking. You were one of a kind!

Love you sweet horse. Love you)

From my world to your heart,

Linda

Leaving Winter —-Wednesday, February 2, 2018

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Dayphoto

(I am posting some older photos today)

The geese are now living next to us in droves…um, rather huge flocks! I just love it.

The Sandhill Cranes are also in massive flocks behind our house in last years cornfield.

I have been seeing small flocks of Bluebirds…wonderful little bits of sky announcing spring is almost here. They will leave our area as the days and nights get warmer.

Then for the last few days I have been seeing flocks of Western Meadow Larks rushing about along the fence lines looking for left over seeds to eat.

What a joy this transission time is:

The sounds of birds large and small, swift and colorful, gossiping and talking as they gather themselves for flights to the north, or come winging in from the south.

All the while taking one season with them, or bringing in another season as they arrive.

This is such a magical time, a herald of the marvel called Change.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Within Dazzling Traces of Excitement—Tuesday, February, 27, 2018

Posted on February 27, 2018 by Dayphoto

I am gradually (very gradually) getting up to speed on my new computer, the Windows 10 application, my new office suite, and the new Adobe Photoshop.

I haven’t figured out how to download apps yet, or get rid of all those insane games that came with the computer, but maybe soon I will.

Raj,the very friendly man at the Canyon Convenience store, gave to Terry and I a box of tasty sweets he ordered from an on-line company specializing in treats from India.

I finally finished up my latest project..I want to find something else to do—not liking the stash I have in my drawer. But keeping to the thought I need to finish all those ‘not liked very much projects’ needs to be accomplished or it will be a waste of money.

Then last night, neither Terry or I couldn’t sleep…the clash and rustle, the murmur and noise of our brains not letting our minds escape into solitude and silence

Boomer is with us…he just travels in bursts of speed…sniffing here and there and then running quickly to catch up and pass us.

Standing in the light of the growing moon, we talked and walked our way back to sleep

And the beginning of a new day.

I hope each one of you have a good one!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Rocky Chaco Man is a ROCK STAR—-Monday, February 26, 2018

Posted on February 26, 2018 by Dayphoto

The Reading Program in Mesa County (where Rocky “Chaco” Man is a Reading Service Dog) made the news….

In the local paper

In the Denver Paper

And in The New York Post

Rocky “Chaco’ Man…you are a ROCK STAR!!!

And you make a great Tick!

Boomer and Mom!

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Ablaze with Industry—-Sunday, February 25, 2018

Posted on February 25, 2018 by Dayphoto

We have been experiencing wind; lots of wind…picking things up and flinging them here, there, and everywhere…even trapping a weed on the guy wire of the electric pole. 🙂

The winter birds and the spring birds are swarming the feeders…we have gone from late fall weather all winter…to suddenly January weather complete with very cold temperatures.