Spring has Sprung—Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Yesterday was one of those amazingly lovely days…the air was soft, with a gentle warm breeze.

Dayglow

The canal bubbled and sang, being fed by the Blue Mesa Dam.

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It leapt and danced, beyond my little orchard, roaring past, exuberant with drops of spray

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The air smelled of fresh green things

Leveling-the-hay-field-to-bTerry is  leveling the field in front of our house….this six acres will become one of the new alfalfa fields

LFH

It was one of those days that makes a person yearn to run free upon the earth

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The earth,the sky, the very air beckoning—‘come, feel your blood humming in your veins—come rejoice with me this awakening–come.’

Spring is finally here.  My soul is full of joy!

With Love,

Linda

An Old Friend Returns—-Monday, April 4, 2016

WATER'S-HERE

Our ditch rider and other ditch riders opened our canal, bringing with it water for the new seasonDitch-RiderThey must use a back hoe to lift all the trash which comes roaring down the canals, threatening to plug up and split water everywhere.

(You can see the trash in the first photo, being pushed and gathered in front of the water.)

Our water, for irrigation, comes about because of the Uncompahgre Valley Water Project.  The project has one storage dam, several diversion dams, 128 miles of canals, 438 miles of laterals and 216 miles of drains.   

The project canal runs right by our road and is the source of all water for our crops and my yard and garden.

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I love the canal, I love hearing the music of the water as is trips along on its way to the states of Arizona and Nevada and California.  I think of it as a friend, one who goes away for the winter and then comes back bringing life to our farms.  A watery snowbird!  🙂

Your friend on a western Colorado Farm,

Linda

 

In Between Farming—-Sunday, April 3, 2016

I have been in need of a new fence for a long time.  The old corral fence had fallen in and was in horrible disarray.

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So in-between other things, Terry and I started work on repairing and improving the old corral fence, which separates one of my gardens from the work shop and the old corrals.

Fence-1The tumbled down jumble of old boards and rotted off posts gradually became new posts and better boards.

FenceComplete with cleaning up all the junk from the junk pile—One pick load to the dump!

Other-sideI don’t know what it is about us, but we keep stuff thinking we might use it someday.  We do use it, but not to the level of the ‘keeping it’.

New-FenceThen we were done! YAY!  I was so happy and pleased with the result. It still has that rustic charm, of which our farm is made of, but is now strong and sturdy.  It should last the rest of Terry’s and my life!

Love,
Linda

There in the Midst—Thursday, March 31, 2016

Spring-Storm-1Boomer and I took a walk-about yesterday, even though the wind was blowing sharp with a face stinging cold.

As I dropped down over the hills of the Upper End I stopped in wonder.

Dropping down to a sitting position, backing myself up to a crop of Chico and rabbit brush, I held my breath… the sight was a gift to behold.

The wind stirred the brush, and rustled the cattails in the marsh behind me, above me a Murder of crows passed their shrill cries loud, but part of the whole.

WaitingEven though the wind whined around me, flipping dust and little particles of debris on to my face and clothes, it was hard to leave. The clouds continued to thicken overhead, the spring storm I watched gather on the Uncompahgre Plateau, then move into the Rubidoux Canyon, was making it’s way toward Boomer and I.

Hunting-EagleStill I stayed.  Boomer was somewhere over on the Sage Brush Hill, I could see him moving through the brush and weeds nose to the ground.

What sunlight we had was quickly darkening from all the heavy clouds boiling up from the Roubidoux Canyon, and spreading rapidly across my part of the sky.

Boomer and I were going to get drenched if I didn’t start moving soon!

 

Still I sat— until large wet, almost snow,— drops began to plummet from the clouds. Calling out to Boomer I picked myself up.  Stowed my camera in my pocket.  Raised my hand toward the Eagle and called, “THANK YOU! You Made my day!”

storm.jpgRushing back home, Boomer and I…we both sorta ran, walked, ran, panted a lot …arriving before we were totally drenched.

Wet, but not too bad.

Just watching the huge spring storm washing it’s way toward us, then being gifted with the sight of that magnificent bird— lifted my heart!  What a wonder to be so close to the wilderness, to be able to share in a small moment of time.

With love from my heart to your world,

Linda

 

A Smile and a Nod of Understanding—-Wednesday, March 30, 2016

“Bee to the blossom, Moth to the flame, Each to his passion, what’s in a name?” —Helen Hunt Jackson

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A friend of mine ‘shared’ with me the above photo…(double click if you want to read all the little spots)….on my FaceBook page.  I had to actually laugh-out-loud when I saw it. Someone really does understand that need to create everyone has.  (Sometimes the names have to be changed, but it’s still the same.)

Then I saw on Pinterest this little saying:  “The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.” — Jessica Hische

4I had to stop a moment and ask myself what DO I do when I’m not WANTING to do anything.  It’s a rather fun thing to ask yourself.

We woke up to a skiff of snow this morning. Things are turning green, the earth is too wet to farm, but it will dry.  Friday is APRIL…of jolly!  We are moving right along to warmer weather.  YAY!

With joy, your friend,

Linda

Silence—March 29, 2016

EasterEaster was ever so lovely.

Easter2

Jolyne and Evan did an amazing job with the meal, the egg hunt and the celebration of our son-in-law, Cliff’s (he and Kimberly live in Grand Junction) birthday!

Then sadly the time came

9When everyone loaded up and headed back home…the little family to Craig, Colorado.  Jason’s dad, Paul, back to Alamosa, Colorado..everyone else scattering back to their homes and lives.

Ride

Then it was just us again.  Back to the everyday of Terry’s and my lives.

It’s okay.

The sound our our life  is not blank or a void.  It is made up of tiny noises: the tractor in field (Terry is leveling now), the clothes washer cleaning all the bedding, the tiny sounds of far away cars and trucks, as I hang-out my laundry on the clothes line, the cats meowing at my feet begging for food, a cold wind flapping the towels on the line, Boomer’s feet padding into the kitchen then out the back door, bacon sizzling on the stove.  Everyday sounds the bring me peace and contentment.

“Thank you,” I mentally pray to God.  “Thank-you for everything and so much.”

From my heart to your world,

Linda

Building Gates—Monday, March 28, 2016

Gate1Early, early Terry, Boomer, and I were at one of the cement ditches putting in new gates for the coming year.  The old ones were broken and/or crumbling so they needed replace.

Gate-2The shadows were long, ever so long, and the air brisk and chilly when we went out.

GateBy the time we finished the shadows had shorted to almost represent solar noon.

Still… we are done now.  Set for another year.

A good feeling.  Water should start around the second week or the third week of April.  (for us)

The water is already in the canals heading our way.  I guess I could say this another way…we will start water on our place the second or third week of April.

The ditches are now ready!  Which is a very good thing!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

HAPPY EASTER Everyone! —- Sunday, March 27, 2016

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(A Facebook gif)

I hope you have a lovely Easter Sunday!  And if you don’t celebrate Easter I still hope you have a most wonder day!

From the Joy of my Heart to the Joy of your Heart!

Love,

Linda

Sunshine Here Today—March 24, 2016

The snow is gone!  Well, almost!  And the wind has moved on leaving behind a cold front.  But WITH the cold front is blue skies and big white puffy clouds, and SUNSHINE!

Beautiful, beautiful sunshine!

Please forgive my whining yesterday.  I really do try to see the positives in my world and try very hard to limit the negatives…although, I don’t always make it. Oh. well…moving on.

delta-county-fair-1940Randy from San Antonio, Texas sent me a very cool photo of the Delta County Fair around 1940.  How much fun this is to ‘step back in time’!

Anyway, to borrow from another blogging friend, Marlene—Herself, I end this short post

from My heart to your heart!

Linda

Post Script…I’ve off to enjoy the sunshine!  Love you!

 

Winter Returns—March 23, 2016

SighWhat more can I say!  How discouraging (although pretty).   The temps will be dropping to 24* tonight and for the next several nights.

It’s still snowing…coming in sideways with a stiff wind.  It’s supposed to slow down and turn into those big fluffy flakes so loved in December, January and February.

Oh, well…nothing to do about the apricots.  They are done again this year.  There is a saying among the orchard people: “If you plant apricots, plan on only getting a crop ever five or so years.”  It sure seems to hold true.

All farming has stopped and will stay stopped until after we pass mud season (again.)

Still…warmer weather will get here and stay soon, April is just around the corner.

Love,

Linda