My Eighth Year of Blogging–Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Dayphoto

This month I have been blogging for eight years! Over that time I’ve learned much about blogging…the first posts were so dismal…I just posted a photo with the word (for instance) Terry plowing and under the photo I wrote–plowing.

Over time I began to understand how to blog so it was at least a tad more interesting. 🙂

Although, this started out as a farming blog, in reality it really hasn’t changed much. It still is a farming blog, but it is also a tiny peak into our lives and the lives of the animals that live with us on the farm.

You get to see the struggles, and the successes. Yesterday we worked on ONE of the broken gated pipes (we still have two more to go).

DONE!

You’ve met our children, and our grand children and all the dog grandchildren.

You cried along with me over the loss of my Fuzzy.

And now you are reading a fictional serial with Boomer as the Star.

I have grown older in the eight years

and so has Terry. Every year he says he is going to stop farming…then comes Spring and he begins again. This year he said: “I guess I really can’t stop, I think my blood is really made of dirt”. We had a big laugh at that, but you know something, it just might be true. 🙂

Anyway, thank you, each and everyone of you, those who comment and those who just drop by and visit for a spell. I appreciate you…it makes blogging extra fun.

Very humbly, your friend on a farm in western Colorado,

Linda

Rolling Along—Monday, March 23, 2015

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Dayphoto

Terry has started rolling down the plowed earth. Thankfully the rain and the sun and the wind did not damage to the soil. By damage I mean it didn’t cause our clay type of soil to turn into bricks, ready to be fired. 🙂
It’s always nice to see the soil smooth out and start to look like a seed bed. He will still have to level the field, fertilize, and then mark it out. We always irrigate before we plant–it’s called ‘wet planting’. Some of the farmers around here do ‘dry planting’, which means they plant first then water.

We have also been moving the gated pipe around, we had three pipe break over the winter so now we have to do some adjusting.

You can see the broken pipe on the left, we will set this good pipe in it’s place. (One down two more to go 🙂

We have to have the pipe set before the fields are done with the tractor work—-everything has to be in place to start the water…time is moving along fast now. By the first week in April we hope to have the water on the land.

Our weekend was outstanding! The whole family from Craig, Colorado was here, then on Sunday we were (all) the two sets of kids and their spouses, the Craig family, Terry and I were at our son-in-law’s 43 birthday party. Good food and family, really who could ask for more?

Anyway, off to get some stuff done. I hope your day is a good one.

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

First Blooms of the Season–Sunday, March 22, 2015

Posted on March 22, 2015 by Dayphoto

The apricots are blooming!

All our trees (we only have four) are ancient apricot trees.

The one on the farm road has pink blossoms—it is the only one on the farm to have pink blooms.

The one at our house has white blooms

The other two in the yard of the other house are a cross between pink and white

But the pretties of them all (to me) is the one on the farm road.

Spring has now officially arrived…the Apricots are blooming!

Happy Spring all my friends! Or Happy Autumn if you are now experiencing the cool down — opposite of our warm up!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Good Fences, Spring Farm Work, and Rain—Thursday, March 19, 2015

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Dayphoto

It rained off and on yesterday and then some into the night. The sun is out, our air is fresh and lovely, my lawn(s) are starting to green up, and I have lots of plants popping up in the flower beds! Life is good!

Terry plowed until it got too wet. So far there isn’t enough rain to cause our clay type of soil of harden into bricks.

Years ago we had a brick and tile making company that used our clay soil to make bricks. Today those bricks are much sought after as a collector item. That’s our type of soil…also our worry about rain.

Delta County Historical Society photo Delta Brick and Tile factory showing kilns, drying sheds and stacks of finished brick. This view is taken from a spot on California Mesa and shows Delta in the background.

You can read about it here: Delta Brick and Tile Factory

Anyway, so far so good.

Theresa from The Run*A*Round Ranch Report always hosts Thursday Good Fences and Gates. Sometimes I have neat fence, gate or gate opener to add to the fun postings on Thursday. Today I have one—–

This is a scratching post on our place. Terry put it up for the cows…a nice back scratch is always good!

Head on over to Teresa’s place and see her photos, then visit some of the other participants for a look at their cool fences and gates.

I hope each of you have a really nice day!

Your friend,

Linda

Dwellers of the Land—Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Dayphoto

“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.” — Rachel Carson

Today Terry is plowing…he has the corn fields disked (twice, working until late in the night)— today he plows. We both were stumped whether or not to plow…the weather people say there is a 40% chance of rain moving into our area tomorrow.

Forty percent is a pretty good chance that we will get it right here! Plowed earth is like a sponge…after much pondering (the kind that keeps you up at night) he decided to go ahead and plow. I guess we will see if that was a good decision or not come Wednesday morning. 🙂

I worked on cleaning the house yesterday and then in my yard. My winter weary body is starting to get the hang of spring work, but it’s a slow process.

This afternoon Terry and I will work on the plumbing and wiring down at the other house. Gradually, gradually everything is starting to take shape down there.

We want to have the electricity finished and the hot water heater moved before the last week in March. The kids in Craig, Colorado, are coming for 10 days (Spring break) and want to stay in their old home. We are SO close to being done, we just have to make the time to finish it. I still have to paint one wall in the kitchen then that room is finished. (The the yard work down there starts, but I will think about that later.)

I saw a butterfly yesterday! It was a joy to see. Also, the honey bees were out and about, not to mention the nasty house flies. The house flies are still a little clingy and slow moving.

Spring is arriving! YAY!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Farming has Begun—Monday, March 16, 2015

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Dayphoto

After a wonderful weekend full of family

We had 4-wheeler rides, trips to town, walks on the farm

There were games with Grandpa (they are playing catch the airplane here) and visits with school friends and lots and lots of food.

Sunday they went home.

Today farming started. Terry hooked up the disk and is (even as I write) disking up all the uneaten corn stalks and the giant cow patties.

We have two weeks before the water is turned on. Everything must be done and ready for the first water.

Here we are in another push, but steady is as steady does, so I know we will make it!

Thanks for stopping by. I’ve been really remiss about not getting my comments answered and around visiting your blogs, but I can now get back into a routine.

Routines are always good!

Your friend,

Linda

Moving On—Sunday, March 15, 2015

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Dayphoto

The cows are starting to move out…Mr. Davis took the Mom’s who still have not had their babies on down to another pasture. Monday the older calves and Moms will go—- by the end of week we will be cow-less.

Then today right after lunch the little grand girls and Mom-Mom leave for Craig, Colorado.

I’ve had a really nice weekend, Mom-Mom helped my oldest daughter and myself with our volunteer job… Walking the dogs at the CAWS Rescue Center in Delta, Colorado.

BUT!!!!

Next weekend is our son-in-law in Grand Junction, Colorado’s birthday. Our whole family (including the Craig family) will be going to a birthday bash at their house on Sunday. So I get to have everyone home again.

The cows I will have to visit with next February! 🙂

Tomorrow farming (for us) starts full-time!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Two Jobs Completed–Thursday, March 12, 2015

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Dayphoto

We got all the dirt loaded and dumped. It was an all day thing. It took us both. Seems these big jobs are requiring both of us anymore.

Thank you everyone, for the Magic thoughts, prayers and for crossing your fingers and toes—it all helped.

We have also got the sheet rock up in the kitchen, it just needs to have the seams sealed and for me to paint…then that job is done.

The extra room is taking shape, but it’s slow. I got all the bricks and motor and other things cleaned out of the coal room itself, Terry is now working on expanding the coal room into the extra small room. Once this is done we will move the hot water heater and the —soon to be purchased—furnace into their very own area. After that it will be wiring the room for electricity and putting up sheetrock and laying the floor then we are done.

We found out last night that Mom-Mom and both granddaughters are coming for the weekend. It seems that Tally is homesick also. Mom-mom said she was too, so they are all coming in this afternoon. What a fun time we will have. Although, Terry says he is going to have to stay steady on the room, because he WILL start farming on Monday.

That’s alright, Mom-Mom says she will help and the girls will be happy because there is the treehouse, and kittens, and other fun things to do. I’m sure we aren’t going to work ALL the time…even Grandpa adores snuggles and 4-wheeler rides and …you know, all those things that make life wonderful.

Thank you once more. Two huge jobs down and one to go!

Your friend,

Linda

The Sky—Thursday, March 9, 2015

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Dayphoto

“The sky is the daily bread of the eyes”: —Ralph Waldo Emerson

Oh, how right Mr. Emerson is!

Today Terry and I are driving to Rifle, Colorado, to pick up our oldest granddaughter. Linkin is missing us and asked if she could come stay several days …Thursday through Sunday.

There was NO hesitation on our part! YES! We will be there. Terry was a little concerned with Linkin missing school, but she is top of her class—a couple of days spent with her grandparents won’t hurt her school work. I will just have to make sure she gets her homework done, if she has any.

We will meet her parents back in Rifle on Sunday sending a ‘refreshed’ little girl home until spring break at the end of this month.

The neighbor’s (across the way from the other house) cat has had kitten’s over in the barn at our other house. The three little kitten’s will be four weeks old when we pick up Linky…they are purr-fect for a cat-loving 10 year old little girl to spend lots of quality time petting. The Momma cat is very loving and a nice sharer of her kittens; I thinking the Momma will enjoy lots of loving also.

With great joy,

Your friend,

Linda