The Rhythm of My Days—-Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Dayphoto

Sometimes I’m asked if I ever get bored—now that I’m retired from a paying job.

(A past photo)

No actually, I never get bored! I do get restless, sometimes. But never bored.

There always seems to be something to do or to see or to experience—-right here on the farm. Those small little creatures which keep my mind from wandering into dullness.

Winter will ‘do me in’ with it’s terrible cold and long dreary days. But I’m not bored. The frozen outside has stilled the voices of trees and water. The winter animals and birds are desperately on the hunt for food and survival, the sounds chill on the air with the low slung arc of the sun.

I bought my bedding plants yesterday and will plant them today. I will work digging the little holes needed for each small plant listening to the voices murmuring in the trees and the water of the canal, as I carefully water and fill in the soil around each plant. Terry and I will repair the outside furniture, set an arch he made for me, and I will start painting the trim and benches in the gardens. I will paint, then weed, and trim, and prune as the sun travels across the sky.

With love from my world to your heart!

Linda

A New Storm Comes In—Monday, May 16, 2016

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Dayphoto

After a time of warm a new storm arrived on a stiff breeze, almost wind.

The wind was fragrant full of green things growing, moisture in the clouds and the sharp tang of Chico’s and Rabbit Brush.

It’s cold today, with scattered sighting of sunshine. The gift of moisture and life!

Love,

Linda

The Enchantment in Work—Sunday, May 15, 2016

Posted on May 15, 2016 by Dayphoto

There is tremendous satisfaction from pulling weeds out of the soil. Backbreaking and endless the chore, but it always gives me a sense of triumph.

My yard is a series of rooms..flung around the edges of the lawn. Tearing the roots of thistles, bind-weed, wild grasses single-minded in the sun and the heat. (I love the sun and the heat. Love it!)

I ripped and tore with tremendous concentration–covering 1/2 acre…stopping only at the end of the day.

feeling the soil give up the stubborn root; the foe lying defeated in my wheelbarrow

The farm yard felt calm and empty as I worked. Pleasant, peaceful, healing!

(some of the above photos were taken previously, as is this one)

I still have the east side of the house to do, but today is Sunday. And it’s trying to rain. I played hookey (just this morning) from changing water, letting Terry get the early morning sets! I’ll be back out there at noon and beyond. Right now I’m taking a wee break!

I love the silence of solitude.

Love,

Linda

One of Those Long Restless Nights—-Thursday, May 12, 2016

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Dayphoto

I had one of those long restless nights last night.

You know the kind, whereby you toss and turn, your mind going over all the things you need to do, things you wish you could have done better—everything and anything…

Things that make you wake up in alarm, even though you didn’t think you were sleeping.

Even a walk in the dark with Sam and Boomer left me restless and wide-awake—as if I had drank too much tea.

Gradually along about 4 in the morning peace came over me. The quiet of the night pushing me past the edge of restless dreams into real sleep. Of course first light was in an hour. 🙂

I get up at 5 in the morning. Always. Always.

Things are so much worse in the dark!

Routine is such a part of contentment; night fears fade away.

From my world to your heart!

Linda

Earth, Air, and Water—-Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Dayphoto

The wind shredded the clouds late last evening, leaving the setting sun to send streaks of color through the spaces in the racing cirrus.

The farm and the farm yard were quiet, but in a way of gratitude; from life giving water, and for the burst of sunshine coming from the descending sun.

Walking outside I breathed deeply…taking in big draughts of fresh, wet air. The sun, the leaving storm, the sweet smell of green plants, the thick odor of fresh turned earth; all interlaced with the smell of the storm; a subtle hint of lingering ozone.

Here I stood in all the elements of power, and goodness, and beauty.

Twilight was rising from farm to the plateau, then onto the canyons in the west. Night started swallowing the ground, but still Boomer and I stayed; walking along the muddy farm roads watching the earth join the brilliance of the evening sky!

From my world to your heart,

Linda

Corn Dinner Pheasant Style—-Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Dayphoto

Terry, Boomer and I walked out to the middle field, to check on how the corn was doing. I lugged along my yellow bucket of soaked corn. We soak up dried corn; making it soft so the pheasants and deer will eat it instead of eating the sprouted seeds.

I missed a couple of days due to the rain and extreme mud. That is all it took…see those holes…that is pheasant beaks pecking into the row looking for just sprouting corn.

This is an up close and personal hole…you can even see the little roots left after those starving pheasant cobbled up the soft corn.

Sigh!

Anyway…I scattered 40 pounds of nice soft corn everywhere I could see pheasant poop. It will keep them busy for two days, after which I will take more up to them. Once the little leaves make it to the surface the pheasants will leave the corn alone.

The next worry won’t occur until the corn starts to grow an ear, then the deer come out in force…nothing yummier to deer than the corn silks.

I saw this delightful little Gambol’s Quail when I was scattering seed. These little birds will enjoy some soft corn also. I love hearing their calls. Go here to hear them for yourself.

The rains are leaving today. The earth is green and rich and lush. The time has come for me to get busy outside again.

I hope your day is a good one!

Your friend,

Linda

Our Days are Full of Gray-Blue Light—Monday, May 9, 2016

Posted on May 9, 2016 by Dayphoto

It’s raining here. Has been for two days. The weather people say it will rain at least until Tuesday.

Today Terry turned the irrigation water off. It’s too muddy to walk on the ditch banks. To turn the irrigation water off is a very strange occurrence once it is turned on.

It’s extremely chilly outside, the air so fresh it will make you cough, if you take a good lungful of it. The trees are dripping, water sits on everything; running in rivulets off the eaves.

We only have four little hummingbirds. This photo is on May 13th a couple of years or so ago. We have aways to go to reach this level of activity.

The sky is still lowering as I write; clouds black in the west and dark grey in the morning east. It’s cold enough I want to start a fire in the fireplace, although we do have the furnace up and going.

Oh well, rain is good for so many things I will just enjoy it. The weather people also say major heat is following these series of cold rain storms.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Freak Spring Hail Storm—-Sunday, May 8, 2016

Posted on May 8, 2016 by Dayphoto

Early Saturday morning, around 3-or 4, I don’t really remember now. We had a terrible hail storm

It came in swath straight from the south

Tearing through the farm yard and damaging the trees

We have little leaves stuck everywhere.

Although, we feel we were lucky because none of the plants set out under freeze covers were damaged, the covers stayed in place…and the corn is not up in the fields.

The sunrise looked like this! Stunning isn’t it?

Then the rain clouds came back in…only rain clouds. We are still changing water through all of this rain, mud and cold. Irrigation doesn’t stop once we start.

By sunset Saturday evening the clouds started parting. It was glorious!

Today is cold and only partly cloudy. Once more I’m very thankful the corn isn’t up yet and my covered tomatoes and other things are still doing fine.

Happy Mother’s Day everyone!

Linda

A Visit from Another Spot on the Planet—Thursday, May 5, 2016

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Dayphoto

Riding through the Upper End to the Back Forty we came across something odd stuck in last winter’s dried out grass!

Boomer and checked it out…he was in defense mode, me just curious. When we got there we found a Happy 30th Birthday balloon! It must have flown away or they released it for good wishes. No matter how…it landed next to the little creek between the Upper End and the Back Forty and We found it!

Of course it was pretty flat so I threw it away.

Still…I enjoyed finding the balloon!

From your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda

The World Paused—-Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Dayphoto

Yesterday was a good day, the air was warm, the sun shone, and the clouds started drifting away.

As the sun sat it seemed as if the world and the sky and even the air stood still–breathless, it seemed.

The birds paused in their evening song as if waiting.

The sunset started out as a small apricot glow, then gradually burst into a brilliance untold. The shadows seemed to grow darker and deeper in seconds as the sky blazed with perfect point of balance of light before dark.