The Sounds in the Sky—Sunday, November 30, 2014

Posted on November 30, 2014 by Dayphoto

Even as I write this the sky is loud with the sounds of the Sandhill Cranes (above) on the east of us and the Canadian Geese on the west of us! Both species group together in great numbers, filling the air with distinctive cries...the Sandhill Cranes have a rolling sound

the Canada Geese sound close to their calls but more honking in tone.

The Sandhill Cranes are staying in the field just above ours, but across the canal…there are hordes of them. I wish I could have gotten a good photo, but it just wasn’t possible. When I’m outside and both species are flying the sky is full of sounds.

The Canada Geese seem to be on the Buttermilk Creek…spending the night (it really isn’t safe down there—coyotes and big cats and other types of predators also live around the Buttermilk. But so do Mr. Davis’ cows and calves. The geese flock close to the cows, then in the morning rise up and head toward Delta and Confluence lake and the two rivers that converge there—The Gunnison and the Uncompaghre.

I’m sure thankful for the birds; makes the dreary days a little bit brighter. We also have fun little hordes of brown birds, of which the Junco seems to be a part …then the big hunting birds…Owls and hawks, ravens and crows. The birds of winter—there are more, but for today I share with you the Geese and the Cranes.

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone—Thursday, November 26, 2014

Posted on November 27, 2014 by Dayphoto

Wishing each and everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. For those who do not celebrate the American Thanksgiving, I wish for you a day of Thanks for the blessings and gift of another day, another year, another joy.

Your Friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

The Clouds have Left–Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Dayphoto

Oh the joy of a sunny sky! Albeit a weak wintery sunny sky, but still storm and cloudless!

I’ll take it! The temperature is even a small bit warmer! I dance for joy!

Today Boomer and I will walk right after lunch and enjoy the high point of the warmth of the day…we will walk down all the corn fields and over toward the hay field. Which reminds me, today I really need to take the four-wheeler out and gather up all the siphon tubes….sunshine and warmer temps flood my soul!

I also need to finish up all my Thanksgiving baking…now THAT is going to be a chore, because the out-of-doors is calling to me!

Your Friend,

Linda

Where to Find Canada Geese—Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Posted on November 25, 2014 by Dayphoto

I find it interesting the Sandhill Cranes are taking over the farms and the Canada Geese

Are hanging out down in town by Confluence Park/Lake and the rivers.

Terry and I ran to town to see how long the line was at the Elevator (to unload the corn) and we ran into to masses of Geese

Masses! 🙂 It made me smile!

Look at all that fertilizer on the road….can you just imagine what the grass and banks of the river looks like?

We liked having them in the fields just for that reason. But now the Sandhill Cranes have come (I’m not complaining); and the Canada Geese have left—it is extremely rare to see the two species in a field together. If you are lucky enough to have those beautiful birds on your field I’m sure the fertilizer is just as much and just as big—if you want to know. 🙂

Thank Heaven for winter birds…they are a bright spot in rather dull days!

Linda

Storms and More Storms–Monday, November 24, 2014

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Dayphoto

The weather people were right…storms and more storms following each other right on each other’s heels…

Our neighbor got his corn field baled just at the miserable winds arrived. Although, the loose corn leaves would not have bothered us, it would have made a huge mess for the Church of the First Born on the corner by the corn field.

The the rain and the sleet descended blocking our view. That’s okay, the corn fields have blocked our view until just last week. 🙂

Then the flurries started bringing snow to the foothills of Grand Mesa, the Uncompahgre Plateau (Un-come-pah-gray), and the area of the Black Canyon, and rain to us.

Sunday was a good day to sit by the fire!

Last night the storm left and

another one arrived around 4 in the morning. The sunrise around 6:30 was a promise of more storms—which is true, it’s snowing as I write this.

Later on today we will travel out and gather more corn for sampling the moisture. A tedious routine now, but necessary. Just as soon as the meter hits 14% the combine will roar into the life and the big orange truck will find it’s way out to the proper field, waiting for the corn to be loaded into the back. As soon as the bed is full, the truck will head down to the Elevator…hopefully! That’s the plan anyway. Finger’s Crossed and Magic thoughts we can start again (I think I’ve said that at least two times before this time…shish!)

Your friend on a very cold western Colorado farm,

Linda

Checking it Twice—Sunday, November 23, 2014

Posted on November 23, 2014 by Dayphoto

Some of you have asked if the corn is tested at the elevator…for it looks like unscrupulous souls could just truck in wet corn and drive away laughing, if the workers at the elevator didn’t check.

You are so right!

The new combines all have computers in them—monitoring everything from the time the seed is put into the planter to when the corn is harvested. The operator knows what the moisture is when he puts it in the truck. BUT it doesn’t matter what the farmer says the moisture is…it matters what the workers at the elevator say the moisture is. They are the last word…it is their product once it goes out of the truck into the silos. Depending on the size of the truck probes are inserted into the load and samples of the each and every load is taken before the corn is approved for purchase.

YES! there are always those that try to slip in a wet load….but they always get caught and the word is out on them. Who wants that type of reputation?

Our combines are not computerized (at all); we use a moisture meter at the house. Sometimes Terry drives samples on down to the elevator, but mostly it’s done here.

The best time of the day to take the test is in the afternoon, before the sun starts to set and the air starts to chill down. We –Terry, Boomer, and I drive to all the different fields and get two or three cobs to test from each one in different locations of the field.

The cob is shelled and then dumped into the tester, if we get a consistent count (14%) we are good to go. (Dry corn will take on the moisture of wet corn raising the moisture content within the truck bed–so we aim for the 14%).

Still too high…now what?

We went shopping! (and lunch out)

Surprisingly just what he has been looking for was right there waiting for us to write a check.

Not bad for a Saturday trip to Grand Junction, Colorado!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda 🙂

Storm Heading In–Thursday, November, 20, 2014

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yesterday afternoon the clouds started to skim across the sky stretching and cooling down everything under them.

Gradually they thickened and thickened, long frontal cirrostratus(is that the correct name for snow producing clouds?) clouds giving Terry and I the feeling that snow was about to happen. Although, the weather people were saying not.

This morning we woke to clear skies and the ever present cold 17*. But a storm is predicted to be in here for the weekend.

Today we are bright and sunny! Still I can see those same frontal cirrostratus clouds being pushed toward us over the Uncompahgre Plateau. (Un-come-pah-gray—a Ute Indian word meaning: (take your pick; rocks made red by water, rocks that make water red, or just plain dirty water. 🙂 ) A winter storm is predicted to arrive here Friday night bringing with it snow for Saturday, Sunday and Monday. After that our daytime highs will shift down a notch from the mid 40’s to the mid 30’s. The slide into the long, dark days of winter has begun. And it’s early! Those of you getting slammed with snow are very aware of that —-winter has arrived; albeit several weeks early.

The corn is still checking out dry on the top end of the field and very dry in the middle, but the bottom end is W.E.T.! 17%. We continue to wait. If this snow goes around us and isn’t too wet (right here) possibly the ends of the fields will dry down enough we can start on Monday, or Tuesday, or Wednesday…hummm, next week sometime. 🙂

I thank each one of you for your continued concern and encouraging words and magic thoughts that soon, very soon, the corn dries down enough we can get this years harvest in.

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

A Very Strange Harvest —Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yesterday there were 40 trucks in line to unload their corn. The wait was long, long, long. Most of the trucks are semi’s with belly dumps so it goes fast ONCE they get there.

BUT….the corn harvest has turned out to be another one of those terribly hard to ‘dry down the corn’ years. Everyone is struggling and frustrated. The joke is we will be doing corn in January —OH! LET US HOPE NOT!

A field will test dry then as they get to different area, within the SAME field, the moisture content zooms up and the harvest has to stop.

So we do what we can, then wait until the moisture drops and start all over again. Terry is out checking all the fields now…a sample here and a sample there…at the end of the field, in the middle of the field, in a random spot. You sure don’t want to combine wet corn, have it turned down at the elevator and then lose the whole load because it molds. We could get the drying granaries ready, but Terry much prefers to haul straight the elevator. Keeps the crop costs down (electricity to run the big dryer) and we don’t have to load the bins, then get back in and unload them. Unloading a grain bin is TONS of work—we’ve reached an age where back breaking work is something we don’t want to do anymore.

Yes we use a auger to get the corn out of the bin, but you still have to get inside and scoop out the last of of the corn.

Anyway…life goes on. The other house is done, until the furnace is put in; now we will need to look for a renter. But that process won’t start until we get the furnace in. It will be nice to find just the right person who would like to live in the country, take care of a lawn, and maybe enjoy an animal or two in the corrals…our daughter and family had goats.

Today I’m still setting up Christmas…I’m thinking the tree…it’s fake so I can set it up anytime and enjoy the lights. (It’s the lights I love). (Or I’ll be helping Terry…we will see)

Your friend on a western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Stunning Sundogs from Milan—Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Dayphoto

Look at these outstanding Sundogs!!!! Charlotte’s husband was on a fishing trip and shot these amazing photos of two sundogs.

Aren’t they just awe inspiring?

We are gradually warming up here. Which is a very good thing!

We got the house winterized….THANK HEAVENS!!!! Terry and I were really getting tired of that house and the pressure it was creating. YAY!!!!

Tomorrow we will begin to combine all over again. It will be nice to have the pressure of the house and the harvest overwith. Two more weeks….(I hope).

Well, off now to get something around here done…I think (I know it’s early) I will get my Christmas stuff out and start decorating…heck why not? I’m not having Thanksgiving Dinner (we will be going to our daughter and son-in-law in Grand Junction. 🙂 ) so I can start slowly decorating. Getting in the Sparkle of Christmas——– NICE!

Your friend,

Linda

A Cold Bitter Sunday, November 16, 2014

Posted on November 16, 2014 by Dayphoto

It was 16* with a wind chill of 8* when I got up before first light. The wind is STILL whistling and howling and it cold. I know cold is relative, but for us…this is cold!

Yesterday was so miserable with spitting snow and rain and sleet blown in sideways (although it didn’t stick —just miserable) Terry said enough and parked the truck and the combine. Of course today we do nothing but what has to be done.

Two of our grandchildren and their Dad are here—JOY!!!! But will be leaving after lunch sometime today. Their weather showed -15* when I checked this morning….whew! That is cold!

We had another sadness in our fur pack–Balou, our oldest granddog joined Fuzzy ‘in the land-beyond’ this weekend. Balou had been with our oldest daughter for a long long time. It;s always, always, always hard to to lose a fur kid. Balou…a most kind and gentle Rottweiller!

Off now to gather in firewood and put a ham in the oven. I always like to send everyone back home with a good meal, and enough food for lunches for a couple of days. The little family will be back for two weeks at Christmas; it will good to have the house across the way full of life again. The corn will be gone by that time, so Hank can sit at the back fence and talk to Boomer, he might even ramble over for so good dog conversation. There will be lights on at night and a warm fire going…during the days I’m sure the kids will be with us off an on and even spend the nights. Just like old times. For two weeks it will feel ‘normal’ again.