Today is Yard Work — March 24, 2014

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Dayphoto

Every day we move closer and closer to the time of what I call ‘true’ spring. A time when all the trees are bursting forth with either leaves or flowers, the grass is green, truly green-not a brown clump with a hint of green hiding within it. And the fall planted bulbs are in full bloom sending spots of color here and there.

To me ‘true’ spring is when everything is ramp-up into full-throttle of leaves and blossoms: peonies, lilacs, pansies, tulips, daffodils, all the lovely happy riot of color so missing since the last hurrah of the autumn leaves.

Just the thought of what is to come makes me feel giddy.

But for now, today, I rejoice in the sprigs of green I find growing here and there, lovingly remove the leaf litter around the hedges and shrubs, clean off the flower beds to uncover the new growth of Iris. Not too soon.

Not too soon. In our high mountain desert if I uncover things to quickly they will dry out, wither and die. But soon….April 1st we will have water in the canal, which will give me water in our yard. So I am getting ready…raking here and there, setting up fallen bricks and stones, preparing for that day when everything bursts forth.

Today I’m working in my yard. The stuff I help with on the farm is now put-by and Terry can do the tractor work. The continual boredom that winter creates in me is now gone, fleeing quickly in the path of the March wind.

The dogs and Sam the Cat will follow me about as I rake and load the wheelbarrows, walk to the compost area, walk back, they will gradually get tired of going back and forth and just stay at the spot I’m working and wait patiently as I walk back and forth.

I off now to get my housework done so I can go outside and start all the fun yard work.

Have a good day everyone!

Your farm friend,

Linda

A Lovely Spring Day March 23, 2014

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Dayphoto

After a nasty cold blustery day yesterday we woke-up to a lovely early spring day this morning.

Just perfect!

Yesterday Terry and I (and Boomer–Fuzzy stayed out the house and rested) — got the very last of the pipe put into the ditch and the pipe covered back up. Two days of hard, intense work, but we made it! Sure is a nice feeling.

(I loved how the sun captured the dust)

After supper Terry went back out and rolled for a couple of hours. He has a few more acres to roll, but he is gaining on that project as well.

My foot is healing…slowly, but surely. The swelling has gone down enough I can see where the nail went in and where it came out. Night is the worst, but by morning I can get to going again.

I thank all of you who have written to ask how I am doing.

The worst of the HUGE projects are now starting to get done. This time of year is always the hardest. For ranchers the hardest is when they start calving (at least I think it would be the hardest)….for us it is the late winter/early spring— get the ground ready to start water and to plant. Of course once you plant you have the concern of getting the seed up and making sure it gets a good start. Deadlines, deadlines…in any job any place anywhere, it is always the deadlines. Nine days and the water is supposed to be in the canal. Nine days left to get the ground ready to start water….

If ‘the creek don’t rise and the wind don’t blow’ (as my beloved maternal grandfather used to say) We will make it! (Is there a song like that out there somewhere, seems like there is.)

Anyway…today is lovely!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Just for Fun March 20, 2014

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yesterday, Fuzzy, Boomer and I took a walk about…I needed to get out and do something..Fuzzy needed some exercise and Boomer really wanted to go check out some smells.

Once out on the land I thought it would be a fun little sidebar trip to show you the difference in plowed and rolled land.This is what plowing does to the land. These huge clumps of dirt are horrible to walk in–I’ve had to chase many an escaped animal through these cliffs of soil. They have a way of slowing you down. One nice thing about slowing you down, is they also slow down the sheep, goat, cow or horse that is making their way through them.

Then the roller comes along and smashes everything–now it’s easy to walk on the land again. It won’t stay this way long as the next steps have to move along quickly so we can be ready to start water around the first of April.

A person could NOT plant anything in here, the soil would not sub and the seed couldn’t get a hold, but all the humus is now turned under to start rotting. Adding to the richness of the soil and giving more food to the plants.

The dogs and I checked some of the work that effect us…cleaning out the ditches! Huge job. I much rather clean out the cement ditches than the gated pipes though.

Then we looked at the alfalfa field — its starting to green up nicely.

In about an hour I need to head up to where Terry is working with the back hoe. He is having a trench dug for the very last of the transmission pipe to our place. After we get that in place we will have all our transmission/distribution pipes underground–less weeds, less loss to subbing and evaporation.

My foot is coming along nicely. I did too much yesterday, but after a good night’s rest I’m able to use it again. Sure wasn’t a good time of the year to get a hurt.

Off now to head up to the ditch!
Your farm friend,

Linda

Endings—-March 19, 2014

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Dayphoto

The storm left last night….pushing itself up and over the mountains in the north and the north east…the setting sun cast lovely lights of pink as the rain or snow showers played across the foothills

Terry worked late plowing.

When it comes to the soil everything has to come together in a perfect dance….right now the soil is ideal for creating soft malleable soil. Time is of the essence….plow up the land, let it freeze then go back in with the roller, smash the plowed dirt, then run the disk over it so it’s all nice and soft, but also firm. Capable of holding water. Then mark out the furrows.

After which we will pre-irrigate…wait one week, then plant.

The irrigation water will start down our canal April 1st. The onion farmers have already asked for water and have received it this week.

Winter is ending. (Thankfully) We may have more snow and we will have more wind, but the ground is saying NOW. Now is the time to prepare for planting.

So for Now the ending of our last storm has happened. The soil is perfect for farming.

Today is cold, but clear with a hint of the true Spring yet to come.

Your friend,

Linda

Right on Time— March 18, 2014

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Dayphoto

We had a pretty amazing wind yesterday. Ripped the plastic off my chicken house pen, flung some of the lawn stuff here and there. The weather people said the wind would come up at noon and die down around nine in the evening. They were close…the wind came up about one o’clock and died sometime way after I went to be around ten.

Yesterday morning we had this

Yep!

There are always those who think they must burn….always.

That afternoon we had dust and smoke and wind, mixed with some clouds coming in from the west. You can still see some of the smoke drifting around in the hollow just below our mesa.

Sigh!

So far nothing on our farm burned and as far as I can tell no one around us lost anything. I did hear the firetrucks go out in the late afternoon. Thank Heaven for the Volunteer Firemen!

Poor old Fuzz-Dude about blew away. He also was a huge magnate for all the trash that was flying in the air.

It’s still blowing today. It also looks like storms are playing around in the mountains. Storms made up of rain.

Wind is so very important to help the plants bring the sap up from the roots that I work really hard with myself to not get too carried away with Not Liking the Wind. I even have been known to stand out in it and pretend I know what kite feels like. For today, we have a sap rising wind, a few very cold storms and a small cold front which leaves tonight sometime.

I hope you all have a good day….

Your Western Colorado Farm Friend,

Linda

Saint Patrick’s Day– March 17, 2014

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Dayphoto

Our morning dawned all pink and rosy with highlights of yellow which quickly disappeared into a thick veil of clouds. The weather guys are saying that a huge wind to come in by noon today and stay well past nine o’clock tonight. This huge wind is supposed to have gusts around 45-55 m.p.h. Bringing with it a cold front for tomorrow.

Now that the weather people have warned us…I’ll just bet the fire departments will be busy with those individuals that think a little wind can’t hurt if you burn your ditch….burn off your field…or burn your garden patch. Heck, a little wind will just help things move along nicely!

fire-22

We have entered the ‘fire season’ here. (that says it all—so I shall stop here and not continue, enough said, so speak.)

(The above photos are from the fire which was started several miles from us and ran through our place two years ago)

My foot is healing…still swollen and hard to walk on, but the redness is gone. Healing is progressing nicely. I thank all of you for your comments and concern for my health, it does mean a lot.

Today is traditionally my day (and maybe others) to plant English garden peas and Sweet flowering Peas. These plants love cooler weather, so putting the seeds in the ground now always make for nice eating later in the late spring/early summer. And lovely blooms for the early summer table. But I shall not be doing so this year.

Today is also the day for celebrating the Irish in us. And today everyone has a little Irish in them! 🙂 🙂

Sadly the Irish were the poorest of all immigrant groups that arrived in the United States in the nineteenth century (1800’s) , and many women especially suffered as a result of being abandoned or widowed. It’s nice we have moved a long way from those times!

My maiden name is Doyle…all my life I have heard that we were Irish. I have not found when my Doyle lineage arrived in America. I do have my Doyle family line to 1775 Ohio. So I guess I can take a little bit of Irish upon myself as the surname Doyle IS a true Irish name, sometime after the Danish Vikings landed. (Say with tongue in cheek 🙂 )

Therefore, I wish upon all of you a very Irish Day!

Your Friend,
Linda

Small Set-back– March 16, 2014

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Dayphoto

Terry has started rolling the plowed fields

What that means is he is smashing and breaking down the plowed clumps of sod into nice soft soil. He likes to wait until we have had several freezes on the plowed fields; softening the clods so they break down into lovely crumbles. You can see the crumbles here. He’s checking something (I don’t know what) as I was taking this photo.

Big clumps of hard dirt are hard to work with, those of you who garden understand, so getting the clumps into small loose dirt is the goal.

Everything is going well in the farming department.

My woodpile is getting smaller, chunks of old wood have been sawed into burnable lengths and the the longer stuff left until next fall when we start the wood stove back up again.

All of those things are moving along nicely. The small setback is myself. In cleaning up the woodpile I stepped on a 6″ nail, stabbing it about 1 1/2″ into my foot. (Feet really aren’t very tall, I found out as I pulled the stuck nail out of my shoe and foot). The wound bled very well (was sort of a mess) so I thought everything was good.

I continued working until late in the afternoon, came in washed up, decided to soak my foot in Epsom Salts to help the healing process along-which I did for about 20 minutes. And decided that I had better go to the hospital for a Tetanus Shot.

Our Doctor only works Monday through Thursday so I knew I would be directed to the hospital anyway. Gathering up my information, putting on some soft Crocs I hobbled out to the car and drove myself to the hospital 20 minutes away. Terry was still in the field but I told him I would fix supper when I got back. But for him to not worry as Emergency Rooms are actually a very slow process to get anything taken care of.

At the hospital I checked in, showed the nurse, she showed me into a small room, had me get up on the bed, looked at my foot again and went ……….hummmmmmmmmm. And left. Back she came with cleaning things and cleaned all around my foot and said the Doctor would be in shortly to check the area. I said okay, but all I really need is a tetanus shot as I can’t remember the last time I had one….way over 10 years ago, I think.

I settled back and opened my Kindle and started reading. I sure was glad I brought it along to help pass the time.

Enter the Doctor…we chat for a bit, he sits down and looks at my foot…I told him what happened, requested a shot, and yes, it hurts, top and bottom.

To make a long story short I had to have a small surgery to open the area back up, he dug around for a spell, cleaned out a part of my shoe and rust from the nail and some specks of dirt.

That was Friday, today is Sunday…many shots, pills and pain medication later my foot is still red and swollen. I am sure it is healing as I don’t have to use a cane to walk with today, which is a blessing. I had to go back yesterday for a check -up and re-clean the area. And I’m now able to wear my own shoe on my foot, instead of Terry’s, if I need to walk anywhere.

A small set back…I’m sure.

Your friend,

Linda

Another Good Day– March 13, 2014

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Dayphoto

Late winter, which is really Spring work for us, is going good.

Terry and I worked on the big canal right by our yard…we are terrified the ditch company will come along and burn our whole house down…they haven’t been very good about controlling the fires they start these last four or five years. So now we take care of everything even remotely close to our house, barns, corrals and haystack yards.

I don’t really understand the work ethic of many people anymore…my maternal grandfather always told my brother and I: work hard, do a good job, respect the other person, and never take away a man’s (or woman’s) dignity. My Daddy always said that the customer is always right, if you want to have a good business you take care of the people who purchase from you.

Somehow, somewhere those things have slid far, far away, from how people think of others and to be truthful–customer, member/users have no respect for the store, company or business anymore either.

It’s all a shame really.

But enough of that—-as we were working away we saw the little grandchildren get off the bus and start hiking home. Our grandson ran by our lane as fast as his twelve-year-old legs could carry him—the I pad was calling I’m sure. But the two little girls trudged down our lane to hang out with us as we worked. They even helped by spraying Grandpa with water. Of course, he had to spray them back…it was a jolly good time!

Gradually, we got done with that project. In the house we went to get snacks then Terry and I loaded the girls up on the four-wheelers and took them home—THE LONG WAY! They had huge smiles when they got off.

Back home Grandpa headed out to start plowing (yes we plow–our land requires the deep plowing to bury the shredding corn stalks so the earth worms can start to work on them. We do have some acreage we don’t plow, just rip and plant.)

I’m still working on my trash woodpile. I hope to get it thoroughly sorted today so chain saw can be applied. This summer we have to do a better job of not just dumping everything into one heap and actually sorting as we go. (I hope. One can dream, I suppose. 🙂 )

Your farm friend,

Linda

A Look at the Sky — March 12, 2014

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Dayphoto

I have noticed as the seasons change the colors of the sky change with them. Winter skies are colors that consist of pale blues, the shimmery lavenders, the twenty shades of pink

The colors scream of silence, hibernation, frost and snow and the deepest quiet of winter.

Now the sunsets with blaze with colors of yellow and orange

Mixed in shades of grey and black…hinting…just hinting… of the warmth and the heat of summer.

Even the sunrise is is pinker, more robust, mixed with yellow to lend a cast of orange

Then blazes forth the day!

Your Friend,

Linda

A Big Day — March 3 2014

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yesterday was a Big day!

First was the BIG culvert pipe that was removed at the end of the farm-very rusted and crumpled and wore-out, that is for sure.-

Then the second big thing was the new culvert pipe–

All shinny black and very new looking lowered into the waiting trench.

This took most of the day. This morning, at the crack of almost light, the little children and their Mom walked the 1/4 of mile to the mailbox at the end of our land. (Terry and I watched from the warmth of our living room 🙂 )

The pipe was still uncovered and a huge hole still in the road, but with much daring and great feats of jumping the two oldest (12 and 9) jumped into the open trough, onto the wonderful big shinny pipe, and scrambled up the the other side….I’m sure they went to school dirty but happy. Mom-mom and the little Kindergartner had to walk clear around the huge hole, walk across a smaller white pipe to get to the other side, then RUN—RUN–RUN to the waiting bus down by the mailboxes.

Then last evening the little kids and their Dad stopped by to say HI. Then they were on their way through the fields to their house…Tally (the youngest) wanted to see if she could beat them to her house by running across the fields. You know what? She DID!!

Yesterday Terry started disking up the corn stalks. He worked until nine in the evening and has started the process again today.

We are not fond of large corn stalks creating little dams in the water furrows. Terry also like to have the rotting organic matter in our clay soil…lots of humus significantly influences the density of any soil and contributes to moisture and nutrient retention. We are always, always, always working to protect the land we farm.