Despite the heat
The sun spreading warmth
Like warmed honey….
There is always magic
In a place
called
paradise
home.
Your friend,
Linda
Paradise—Monday, July 27, 2015
19
Category Archives: Life on a Colorado Farm
Some Things Just Make Me Happy—Sunday, July 26, 2015
That fun little star shaped balloon
And a grandson who wanted to paint the trim on the upstairs window!
Your friend,
Linda
Catch a Falling Star — Thursday, July 23, 2015
After Terry cut the alfalfa and I stopped painting for the day–meaning after supper, we went out and worked in the pinto bean field.
WE FINISHED!!! The pinto beans are free and clear (for a spell)
There will be weeds appearing again, but for Terry and I— we are done. The pinto beans are starting to shoot the feelers. These little vines will grab onto to each other and cause the rows to grow shut.
The sun had set and we were heading back home, when I noticed something flashing and twinkling in the late evening sky.
Drifting down, down, down we saw it land gently in the upper part of the pinto bean field. Hopeing it would NOT get away I hurried to the upper end of the pinto bean field, to see a helium balloon shaped like a star resting among the pinto bean rows.
A fun little gift from the heavens!
I nestled the star on the four-wheeler, laying a large rock on it’s string, tucked my weeding knife securing under the bars and brought the falling star home.
Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,
Linda
Ella had it Right—Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Blue Skies, nothing but, blue skies…(Ella Fitzgerald)
The rains have gone, soon to be replaced with triple digit heat.
I’m painting on the this side of the house today.
Yesterday and the day before was up here! One thing about it, I could see for miles. Although, I tried NOT to look down.
In the evening Terry, Boomer and I weed the pinto bean field. It’s not toooo huge, only 20 acres. We work at it morning and evening. Once the beans shoot the feelers and the rows grow shut we won’t be able to weed anymore. Weeding is terribly important…if you get too much trash in the pinto beans the elevator docks you for the cleaning of the beans.
We take a break; sipping iced tea outside, in the cool of the shade. Resting a spell and listening the bees hum as they gather pollen.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
A Soft Morning–Tuesday, July 21, 2015
It rained during the night, leaving the earth moist and damp with a faint chill of autumn in the air.
Fall is just an illusion, for tomorrow the heat of summer returns, gradually bringing with it triple digit weather—perfect for cutting the alfalfa to make into hay.
But today …. today Terry is cultivating the pinto beans and I am getting closer to finishing painting. (I have the top of the house done and part of the north side. All that is left is the large area of east side and a section of the front/north porch.)
A very ordinary day! But the sheer ordinariness is comforting in and of itself.
Your friend,
Linda
A Space to Fill Forever—Monday, July 20, 2015
On Sunday the work slows down to just the things which must be done
We changed the water in the pinto bean field (that is our house and barns in the distance)
And changed the water in the smallest corn field. (Grand Mesa is in the background)
That is all.
I walked through my yard, watering the pots and deadheading some of the flowers.
It was like walking through a cloud of perfume, in some places. The low hum of the bees filled the air along with the chirps of the birds.
The peace was strong enough to fill forever.
I am blessed beyond measure.
Your friend,
Linda
Up on the Roof Top—Sunday, July 19, 2015
The west side of the house is done!!!
YAY!
And the south side was finished last night after supper. Terry had to come help on a couple of scary (for me spots).
Now all that is left is 3/4 of the east side (with a very scary part surrounded by the metal roof…I don’t know if I can do all threes sides of that upstairs jut-out! I just don’t know. I can do the east part, by hanging out the window…the two sides will require I am in a safety harness. That alone has me trembling in my flip-flops.
Then there is the north side of the house…sigh!
Double sigh!
It is the tallest part of the house and the steepest. Terry doesn’t even like working up there. The scaffolding will work on part of it….I just have to get my head around the whole process before I can tackle the front of the house.
Today I’m taking the day off. My painting arm is exhausted so is my back and my knees. One day off will do me good. 🙂 Besides we always take of Sunday…a day of rest.
One nice thing is it hasn’t been hot. Lovely cloud cover most days, OR the day starts out sunny then the rain clouds come in cooling everything down.
Sure has been nice…roof tops are HOT and so are blinding white houses.
As Red Skelton used to say as he closed off his show: “May God Bless [Good Night]”
Your friend,
Linda
The Open Heart of my Life—Thursday, July 16, 2015
First light—-one would think that the air is silent but it isn’t, not at all.
The are birds calling, water rushing in the canal–
10:00 a.m. There is a rich green smell of the alfalfa field as the day heat up.
The birds and the insects are full voice, by this time, and the air dances with life.
Clouds scuttled over the top of us, causing the sun to highlight Hay Stack Mountain way at the end of Roubioux Canyon. When Terry and I were young the old-timers would tell that Hay Stack Mountain was scared to the Ute Indians. And (if) you were to climb to the top there you would see many Indian artifacts. Neither Terry nor I have ever been on Hay Stack Mountian. The road is closed to motorized vehicles, one must either walk or ride a horse.
Coming home (from a magnificent meal with our daughter and son-in-law who live in Grand Junction, Colorado) we drove in a rainstorm complete with a rainbow.
Colorado rainstorms can be abrupt and vigorous—the wind blows in black clouds– then they break dropping water in a rush.
Quickly the storm moved toward the north and the east…leaving us with a sky full of vivid color.
Your friend
Linda
Nothing New or Different—Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Everyday, every four hours the water is checked and possibly changed.
I’m still painting on the house…most of the west side is done, I’m working on the eves. I have part of the south side, but still need to CLIMB up on the roof to do the next level…after than I have the east side (You are looking at the east side) and the north side.
Terry blading the ruts and holes out the driveway
There are always little joys, through out the day.
So from morning until
dark we just keep truck’n on. (At our ages we are very, VERY, thankful we can still truck-on, just as we always have.)
It’s still clouding up and raining here and there and all around. It’s nice because the rain IS keeping the heat at bay.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
A Fun Photo—Tuesday, July 15, 2015
Main Street in Delta, Colorado (shown in 1893), has two banks at the time of the McCarty heist. Despite the depression that has cleaned out many financial institutions across the country, both banks were solvent.
Jim Wetzel’s latest literary effort, a book titled, BANKS, BULLETS & BODIES; A Failed Robbery in Delta, Colorado, is available for purchase.
It is the story about the 1893 robbery of the Farmers and Merchants Bank on Delta’s Main Street in which two members of the McCarty gang were killed by Delta hardware merchant, W. Ray Simpson, during their attempted escape to safety. During the robbery, bank cashier, Andrew Trew Blachly, was also killed by one of the outlaws
This book not only tells the story of the bank robbery, but provides lots of background details about the people who were caught-up in the event. In addition, Wetzel has disclosed many details never before provided in previous writings of this event. Finally, he offers strong evidence that there were more than three gang members involved in this robbery, leading the reader in directions never imagined.
This book is the culmination of twelve years of research, and many hours of studying this event with the goal of correcting the written history of this story, so much of which has not been very accurate with regard to some details. As Wetzel says, “I question everything that doesn’t make complete sense, and that is very clear in this book.” Regardless of such questions, the stories surrounding the event make for fascinating reading, and this book tells it all.
The book retails for $16.95 and can be purchased at the museum or by mail.
MUSEUM DIRECTOR / CURATOR Jim Wetzel MUSEUM: (970) 874-8721 deltamuseum@aol.com
I must say—this is a VERY interesting book! If you like history, I highly recommend BANKS, BULLETS & BODIES; A Failed Robbery in Delta, Colorado to you.
Your friend,
Linda
