A Winter Storm- January 12, 2014

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Dayphoto

Terry, I, and Boomer went for a walk yesterday to check out the equipment Terry is wanting to take to the consignment sales coming up. (Fuzzy and Tommy stayed at the grain bins waiting for us.)

We were really surprised at how dry the ground is, although there are still patches of worn-out and tired snow

Mostly on the north side of things.

The four-wheeler road is a tad messy with melt so we all walked in the fields. The fields were actually dry.

Over at the equipment area he decided to take the bulldozer blade, the three-bottom plow, and a couple of more items. We looked at some stuff we have to load up and take to the metal salvage place.

We measure winter by the consignment sales, one in a week, one the first of February and one the first week of March. Once those are done it’s time for spring work.

That evening we could see the promise of snow clouds starting to blow in from Utah.

Although, this morning we woke-up to nothing–just thick cloudy skies, when I went out to do the morning chores

The wind started kicking up and the snow started falling

The sort of wind that takes your breath away.

It was also shoving and pushing and tugging snow along with it

By the time the dogs, myself, and Sam the Cat made it back inside we were wet and grateful for the warm fireplace.

Now, as I sit here, in my upstairs office, I can see that the storm is moving on toward Paonia and the Gunnison Mountain Range. Bringing life-giving water to the land.

Off to haul in some wood, now that I can see again.

Your friend,

Linda

We Took the Plunge — January 8, 2014

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Dayphoto

Before I tell you about the ‘plunge’ Terry and took I want to tell you that Fuzzy and Boomer were featured on PeaceLovinWhisker’s blog on the 30th of January.

She does a really nice blog featuring furry friends from all around blog land. If you get a chance to hop over there I think you will find your time well spent.

Yesterday Terry and I decided it was time to ditch the house phone and just move the house phone over to his cell phone. He doesn’t like to use the cell phone so it sits in his truck, or in his coat pocket, or out on the tractor seat usually dead.

Lots of people (our ages) have moved their house phone number to a cell phone and just take it with them everywhere.

Now you and I know that we don’t ever really GO anywhere, but we do go around our place, sometimes to Grand Junction or Montrose, but really we don’t travel.

The move was to save money. These fixed incomes seem to have a way of making you always looking at ways to save money. So we took the plunge. No more house phone bill, the same cell phone bill, and I have to get used to having a phone close by at all times.

I rather stopped that when I retired…my phone at the office sat right next to me and rang it’s little bell off all day long. When I went home at night the ringing phone was NOT something I wanted to deal with.

But that was three years ago, so I think I can deal with the random call we get now. Just a call here and there…nothing like work.

So we did it! We are now a cell phone only family! My 6th grader grandson’s comment was: “Cool! Just like us!”

Terry and I looked at each other and smiled…we have ARRIVED!

Off to help Terry with the furnace. We work a little bit every day. He is at the point now whereby he can get the Baso valve off so he can see what the problem is with it. Everyday we are little bit closer.

After he is feels confident about the furnace he wants to take a trip to Minnesota to look at a tractor there. A 4040 John Deere–I think it would be nice if he could find one much closer. He found this one through a tractor site and at this time it’s still for sale. (I’ll bet we don’t go, but everyone needs to dream).

He is also wanting to go over to Brush, Colorado to the tractor sale there to see if they have a John Deere 4040. That one would be ever so much better and easier to get too. Still he knows there is one in Minnesota as he talked to that guy.

Well, off to actually get the house cleaned today!

Your friend,

Linda

Winter Adds a New Color to the Mix, January 7, 2014

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Dayphoto

Just as I was getting used to the winter colors…marveling at the colors that consist of pale blues, the shimmery lavenders, the twenty shade of pink…

The heavens blazed with forgotten shades of orange and yellow

Lighting up the canyons and the Uncompahgre Plateau…(Un-come-pah-gray, with the accent on the ‘pah’)

Even the blue of the sky reminded me of the blue of summer.

I think the heavens send us these visual reminders that spring and summer really does come…the skies will be full of warm colors and blue skies…hang on…hang on…

So I shall.

“The best things in life are unseen. That’s why we close our eyes when we kiss, laugh and dream.”–Unknown

Your friend,

Linda

The Trees in Winter January 6, 2014

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Dayphoto

I’m always surprised to see that the trees in winter have leaf buds waiting patiently on each and every branch and stem. I read somewhere that the bud is full of starch waiting for water from the roots system to reach them. Cocooned in a lovely sack of food. Once spring comes, the snows melt, and the rains descend, water is available for the roots.

Then, when the wind blows, all the systems come together…the wind shakes the trees, the roots drink up, the inner workings carry inch by inch the leaf producing water to the starch. The bud starts to feed and drink and grow until we get to see LEAVES! Beautiful, new, spring green leaves! That ripen into lush dark green summer leaves.

Until then we wait…along with the trees and the leaf buds…. for spring.

While we wait the winter skies fill our days with brilliant showy colors!

It’s still cold here…woke up to 2 above Zero (F). -16 C. But the weather person says a warm up is on it’s way. Thursday we would wake up to 12 f (-11 c).

Although, we are cold it is nothing like some of you are experiencing. Sending Magic Thoughts your way for warmer temperatures soon!

You Farm Friend,

Linda

Winter’s Frozen Lap — January 5, 2014

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Dayphoto

After a day of wind and scattered snow showers the clouds started to blow away leaving us with a stunning sunset!

Then during the night the dark mid-night blue sky brought forth a silent, frozen, glittering heaven.

Today we woke-up to brittle blue skies with clouds etched along the edges of our horizons. The side-ways sleet that flung into our eyes and our faces didn’t even stick or make a glittering dune to enjoy after the storm moved on.

If I look at the mountains they are showing white, which is good…water in the making!

Still the sun is shining and the day has grown longer! (although we are very cold, 27* as I write this with a windchill of of 17*

I hope you are all warm and safe from the messy arctic storm covering most the U.S. map.

Your friend,

Linda

Day Length January 2, 2014

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Dayphoto

Once we get to December 21st I eagerly await the moment that our time…the length of the day starts to grow visibly longer.

We are NOT at the point…yet! But it won’t be long now :)!

On December 21st our day was a SHORT 9 hours and 27 minutes.

(Yes, I know that day length is relative to where each and everyone lives, but for me and those who live close to me…this is our day length)

Gradually the day has added 5 minutes of time to the day! We now have 9 hours and 32 minutes of daylight. Rich, rays of sun, even if they must filter through frozen air.

On January 31st our day will consist of 10 whole hours and 12 minutes of daylight.

But, alas this is still winter…not only that it is January. From January we will slide into February…two of the coldest months of the year…

But here is the thing…I can handle the cold if I can see the sun! I can handle the knowledge of winds from the north, winds that tear your skin off your face—- if I know that in 59 or so more days winter will start to abate.

So while we are gearing up for more layers upon layers of clothing those of you enjoying summer will see the temperatures rise. You will walk along beaches, or in forests, you will sit outside on veranda’s an slip ice tea or a cola.

I used to be so selfish I only wanted to go right from Christmas to SPRING! Not any more. Now I have wonderful friends from all over the world from the top side of the equator and the bottom half of the globe… this knowledge makes me stop and whisper to myself—

“Share” They also enjoy summer! I can go and visit their blogs and see tropical gardens in bloom, I can watch others playing in the warmth and I can rejoice for their good.

The gift that now comes to all of us in the northern half of the world is the slowly, but surely shifting of the mighty earth as it swirls and twirls around the sun allowing more light into our long cold days!

Therefore, I rejoice for these longer day!

Your Friend on a farm in Western Colorado,

Linda

IT’S HERE!!! 2014

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Dayphoto

Like a jet stream 2013 has turned to vapor and blown away!

2014 Has arrived announcing itself with banners of red, orange and pink

Together you and I, and all our loved ones, will embark on another year. The year will be full of excitement, plans, new things, trips from here to there. At some point we will travel through darkness; only to arrive again at the light!

Our dreams and goals and accomplishments will lead us to places hereto unknown, our past will open the way to either close a door (or two) or to widen the narrow little trail we have started to blaze so we can travel faster.

To my companions of this little farming blog I send to each and everyone of you wishes for prosperity, wealth and happiness!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

2013 in review

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Dayphoto

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed about 99,000 times in 2013. If it were an exhibit at the Louvre Museum, it would take about 4 days for that many people to see it.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Dayphoto

We have begun the second part of the repair on the furnace—the first step is to get TO the furnace

Terry can get to the furnace by crawling on his belly, and has done that for years. But, now, since we are both old and the crawling seems awful he is digging a trench, by hand, under the house. This way he won’t have to be on his belly but can have space to too and fro, from there to here

This really is a ‘big deal’ requiring lots of work…first he goes in (with my old scoop shovel)

Fills up the shovel,(with another shovel that has a broken handle) hands the shovel back out to me, I load it into the wheel barrow

After the wheel barrel is full (another favorite tool of mine–the wheel barrel! I have two of them and I use them for everything) I haul it to different spots along the canal, or the road, or next to a ditch to fill in holes.

We work until we can’t work any longer, then it takes two to three days to recover. YES, I know that a young person could get this whole thing done in a day…but we aren’t young…Terry will be 70 in May and I will be 65 in three weeks. So we trudge along. Gradually it will get there.

Terry has replaced all the pipe to the furnace already, so that job is out of the way. Once we get the trench dug then it will be time to go to Grand Junction to see if we can find a new valve for the furnace. If we can’t then we have to dig even bigger trench and drag the old furnace out; replacing it with another furnace, which we will have to drag in an put in place.

It will take time, we will do it in stages, there isn’t a rush because we have the wood stove and lots of wood.

We worked the day after Christmas; this afternoon we will start again. We wait until it’s warmer outside—I don’t know why, we get so hot we have to shed our layers of coats before we are done.

SO off I go to help him now! Everyday we gain a little bit more!

Your friend,

Linda

Sunday, December 29, 2013–My Christmas Present

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Dayphoto

I know I promised you I would show you my completely delightful surprise that Terry gave me for Christmas.

All the kids were here and their families; we had just opened all our gifts and watched the kids open their gifts (we don’t give lots…one gift a piece). Terry and I exchanged our presents…Carhart jackets. Perfect for those cold but not over the top cold days.

When Terry went outside for a short while and then came back in.

He walked over to me and handed me

THIS!

A NEW Scoop Shovel!!!

I so desperately needed one, but figured I would just have to use Terry’s Grandfather’s

Until I could pick out the one I want. It’s a nice old shovel, but it’s heavy. Still I was glad I had one to use.

(I’m really picky about my shovels…there are lots of scoop shovels and shovels out there, but I want one with a solid wooden handle, the scoop or the shovel bolted into the wood and the size of the shovel not too big or not too small.) You can buy those things just about any place, but they are cheaply made, the scoop comes off the handle after a couple of uses — I think you get the picture.

My other shovel broke in two…too much use this fall after years and years of use already. (Remember we had to scoop out the pinto bean hopper and the corn hopper because of break downs. Then our neighbor, Sam, wanted us to grind corn for him. He forgot to bring his scoop shovel so I threw him mine—the first scoop finished it off.

I was sick. I almost cried. I didn’t, but I sure thought about it.

I know, it’s just a shovel. But it’s the shovel I use the MOST!! I use it for all sorts of things. I thought about just replacing the handle, but I’ve done that before and it’s never really a good as it could be.

I decided to wait.

******************************************************

Terry said that when he pickup the shovel. When he went to pay for it our oldest daughter was with him and she asked if the cashier could wrap it since it was a Christmas present for her Mom. Terry said that caused LOTS of conversations: one man said he would never give his wife something with a handle on it as she might use it on him. Another man said if he gave his wife a shovel he might as well move on out.. the jokes were rapid and wild.

Shannon asked again if the shovel could be wrapped…the poor checker said she wasn’t sure what to do, then reached down and stuck several bows on it! The customers clapped!

Terry said it didn’t bother him what was going on because he KNEW I really wanted a new scoop shovel! No diamonds for me–nor a fur coat –nothing of that nature, but I will fall for a scoop shovel, or a pitch fork, or a new wheel barrel!!

There you have it…my gift of the year! Have a good one everyone!

Your friend on the farm,

Linda