The Excitement of Water—-Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Posted on March 27, 2018 by Dayphoto

The irrigation water is about to get here!

We are getting the canal repaired and ready for the thundering, crashing, life-giving source called water to appear any time now.

We went for a ride last night to see how far away the water is from us….once it gets here..irrigation starts. Irrigation starts and doesn’t stopped (even if it rains), until time for harvest. Twice a day or even every six hours, if the water is short, we move and set water. Often times through out the day we are checking rows making sure the water is flowing through…going clear to the end, to move to the next field, then the next until it finally flows back into the canal and then onto the Gunnison River….which will connect with the Colorado River.

It’s five miles away. Not long now.

Today or tomorrow!

We are cleaning all the cement ditches (yes by hand), Terry made all the ditches he could with the ditcher

And the waste ditches with the blade

And we repaired the gated pipe. Gated pipe always

Always, seems to pull apart over the course of winter.

The first of the fields to receive water (the alfalfa fields) are marked out ready to go

We just wait….

Any day now…any day!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Farm is Our Heart—-Monday, March, 26, 2018

Posted on March 26, 2018 by Dayphoto

Thankfully we got all the wood cut and piled. Our youngest daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren came and helped us finished up the wood. We are set now for at least a couple of years, depending on the weather.

The signs of spring are here, they are in the air, on the earth, in the fading sun or the rising sun, in the lighting shadows and the lengthening day.

I still feed the Red-Winged Blackbirds, although I’m seeing more and more Song birds in the yard and on the farm

I love their songs and strive to keep them here, as long as they will stay. But as soon as the Upper End and the Back Forty green up…they will be gone to sing and mate in that special wonderland they call home.

Then once they are gone—the hummingbirds come so my little bird kitchen stays steady with the joy of winged-friends.

Everyday now is a call to the land, where work is not drudgery, but jubilation—we are adding to the chorus called Spring.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

By the Gift of Friendship—-Sunday, March 25, 2018

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Dayphoto

This month (March 18th to be exact) I have been blogging eleven years.

I have shared our simple, busy, farm life with you. I have shared my excitement over the fresh green shoots of new grass growing, or the tiny little plants of corn or pinto beans, today I’m showing you the sprouts of alfalfa just starting to arrive in the alfalfa field.

For eleven years you have watch the soul of each and every season—the opening of the land, the growing season, harvest…and the rest– called winter.

You have been with Terry and I as we built and repaired fences, or as in yesterday—took one clear out so we could have a larger field.

You’ve been with me through the joys and wonders of the wild life upon our farm—the last of the Sand Hill Cranes left our farm yesterday—lifting up into the sky with thrilling calls telling us THANK You….we will come again. And I stood there and called back to them….PLEASE DO! You are always welcome.

Coming back into the yard I saw three Robins….Spring is truly here for sure!

You’ve shared night-time walks with me (this is the moon right now…2:00 a.m)

And that amazing sky we live under.

Thank you each and everyone so much for coming along with me, for leaving me your comments so I can get to know you also, and for being readers, even if you don’t leave comments.

Thank you for making my eleven years of blogging so very rewarding.

From my heart to your world,

Linda

The Way to Live Your Life—-Thursday, March 22, 2018

Posted on March 22, 2018 by Dayphoto

“Instructions for living a life.

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.”

― Mary Oliver

The grass is starting to green…that is a huge joy to me. Yes, it means work, weeds, watering and other types of ‘stuff’, but it also means sunshine, rain, and (for me) just plain happiness!

Mindy Min-Min Lou is delighted I finally brought out the summer furniture. Her most favorite spot in all the world to relax—they even beat a warm car hood in the winter.

Then, for Mindy, there is the rolling in the dry dirt, dust bath. Right up there with laying on your back, tummy up soaking in the sun—she is such an odd little cat

Walks with Mom always mean…Mindy walks on the gated pipe…”Why not?” she asks. “I never fall off.”

As for Boomer Beaglie Brown…just being with Mom is all he wants.

Wonder, just look through the eyes of a child or an animal…we can see the world in fresh new ways.

From my heart to your world,

Linda

Heaven is on the Earth in the Eyes of Animals—-Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Dayphoto

Lady is changing by leaps and bounds. She allows the halter to be put on her face, and IF we don’t come at her face, or try to pet her face in anyway shape or form (she had bloody whip lashes on her face when Shannon got her —and old scars on her rear) she is welcoming to our hands

This is a friend’s little kitty….she is very affectionate and loves hanging right by your feet, joyfully purring the whole time.

Then there is that silly, full of personality, Willow, one of Shannon’s cats…he has started smelling like dried alfalfa for some reason 🙂

Animals…they are such an added bonus to our lives.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

And Then it All Happened—Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Posted on March 20, 2018 by Dayphoto

Terry was moving right along, on the last plowed field, when suddenly

The alternator went out. He had to walk home, get me, and another tractor— then we hauled it home.

Thankfully he could get another part in the morning when the freight comes into the parts house, and he has a couple more tractors he can use 🙂

He finished up one field, had to leave the other field, until the part came in, but got out the little tractor and harrowed down the cow patties on the alfalfa field.

Then while fixing supper

I stabbed my hand—that’s what happens when you get in a rush. I couldn’t get the blood to stop so headed to hospital…where I got staples, of all things.

I have found the staples are pretty good at catching and snagging on stuff…shish!

Anyway, we just slowed down for a little bit…the part came in this morning, the hand is healing and we are back in the swing of things.

You have a good one!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

In the Growing Warmth of Late Winter and Early Spring—Monday, March 18, 2018

Posted on March 19, 2018 by Dayphoto

We still have spits and spurts of winter’s blasts. This Sunday was one of those days, it snowed, it rained and we had sleet. Today’s morning was very chill not really burning off —just as if we were still in February.

Still the works goes on…we didn’t receive enough moisture to muddy up the ground.

Since Lady can no longer have the total run of the farm, we also spent a couple of hours fixing her a spring pasture the other afternoon

Thankfully the day was warm, Red winged Blackbirds sang happily in the old trees as we worked

The hawks and ravens haunted the clouds way above us.

Lady followed us with picked up ears and her face full of interest in the glittering light on this lovely spring day.

Our oldest granddaughter played her last game of the year…

And always, always everything we do [now] revolves around the opening of the land.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Our Precious Life — Sunday, March 18, 2018

Posted on March 18, 2018 by Dayphoto

Terry finished rolling all the plowed fields. (Think of plowed fields the same as double-digging up your garden bed—double digging is deeper than using a rototiller), but then it must be rolled (or raked, if you are in a garden) to smooth out the ground again.

Then after rolling comes leveling (in this case putting a slight grade to the field so the water will run to waste ditch. Leveling is akin to taking a board and smoothing out your garden or the cement on a sidewalk.

As for me….well, I’ve been cleaning up all the winter trash (corn leaves) blown around all the buildings and into my yard

Spring works also includes…getting my yard and the farm yard ready for spring! 🙂

Ethel and Thomas Davis (recently here for a wee visit) have a marvelous website Called FourWindowPress, where delightful poems and other things are published.

Ethel wrote a wonderful poem about their visit to our farm. Terry said she captured the truth about why he/we farm—work and joy together!

You have a good day today…spring is in the air.

I saw my first Robin yesterday!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Lulling Drug call Contentment—-Thursday, March 15, 2018

Posted on March 15, 2018 by Dayphoto

On these amazingly nice March spring days, with the Canadian Geese and the Sand hill Cranes winging their way over-head —- going back north to their breeding grounds–Terry and I and

that little beagle helper, took up all the late winter repair work, getting things in place for water to appear on the land. One day we repaired some gateways to culverts,

Then we went down to Shannon’s and cleaned up all the trash, which had accumulated over the winter.

Moved her fifth-wheel camper into her yard and off the farm

We helped Paul

Load up the landscaping rocks he wanted for his place

In exchange he helped us

Move the feed bunk to a better spot in the corrals.

These rich days are actually tranquil…full of productive work,

the quiet accomplish of jobs well done, bodies tired enough that sleep comes rich and deep.

This is where happiness begins and continues,

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Visiting Lady—Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Posted on March 14, 2018 by Dayphoto

After the loss of Romeo, Lady was distraught and horribly depressed. It was painful to watch her.

Terry and I and Shannon all took turns to love and pet her, feed her carrots and apples (which she adores) give her lots of brushing and just plain love.

Still it really wasn’t enough—the shadow cast from the loss of her protector and best friend was huge.

We let her back out of the farm where she ran to every place she and Romeo loved to frequent…crying out as she ran.
(This video will give you an idea of her sound.)

Gradually—over-time—with lots of love and reassurance she came to understand Romeo was gone.

Then came the sad, sad day she found the grave. It really wasn’t far from the barn Romeo loved, but Lady had never given herself time to really notice ‘the spot’.

(Please understand that Romeo was buried in a very deep hole–six feet deep. We love and want to protect his body even in death.)

Shannon said the day Lady found the spot she stood on the grave for a good forty minutes. Then she gradually walked away, going a short distance, then coming back, standing there a little more, until finally she left.

From that point on Lady started to adjust. We felt l she had found him, and had come to the point of truly understanding, so she could move past her grief and despair.

(Lady talking to Terry and I—what a cutie)

Today she is moving forward in her little mule life. She is completely and totally bonded to Shannon (but loves Terry and I also). She and Shannon are going for rides and are taking riding classes.

From a very battered and damaged mule to a wonderful sweet companion…Lady the mule.

Life on a Colorado farm,

Linda