Sunday, September 29, 2013

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Dayphoto

The last Sunday in September…sometimes it seems like time really gets away from me.

Last Friday’s mail brought to me a wonderful surprise! Well, not just me, but a surprise for Terry and I…

Jan, from the Poodle and Dog Blog, sent Terry and I here hand-crafted Christmas stockings.

The workmanship is just outstanding! Terry was, also, impressed with the amount of detail in crafting each sock. If anyone is interested she has an Esty store where she has many more socks and many different colors and designs.

I humbly Thank You, Jan!

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — Crossing the Canal

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Dayphoto

MOM!!!!

MOM!!! ARE YOU READY!!!!

MOM!!!

Can we go for a walk now?

Huh, Mom?

We are ready!!!!

Good! Here we go!

Houston is getting ahead….wait up Houston!

We have to wait for Fuzzy, Mom said.

Oh. Fuzzy is going to wait by the combines….that’s okay, Fuzz.

Whap, whap, thump. We’ll come back and get you.

LET’S GO!

COME ON HANK! We have to catch Houston!!!

Hummm…the canal. We’ve made it clear around the place and now there is the canal.

We HAVE to cross the canal to get to the other side!

Houston says she will go first—

Now Mom—

That’s good.

Now our Sister, Shannon.

Okay…ME!

Good now we are across… LET’S GO! Fuzzy is waiting!!!

WAIT!

Where is Hank?!?!

HANK PUFF!!! WHERE ARE YOU?

Hank?

You are STUCK?

You can’t cross the pipe?

Yes, you always fall in but you don’t have to fall in. Just walk really fast and you’ll make it.

Come on Hank!

Give it a good try!

Hank, come on.

Oh, you won’t come unless Shannon walks with you….but there is only room on the pipe for one dog at a time.

“It is okay, Hank, not a problem, just one paw in front of the other and you can do it” says Houston.

KEEP ON DOING IT….You are making it!

YAY, HANKIE PUFF!!!

We made it back to Fuzzy and everyone was good and tired. Ready for a break after that really hard walk across the pipe.

Have a good rest all. See Hank and Houston are already napping.

Yawn.

That really was a good hike!

Boomer

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Dayphoto

We are warm today, 67* right now. We have a high wind warning starting at noon today as another cold front blows into our area. But for right now, we are nice…Friday we will be wet again. (I hope it goes around us–we are way too wet as it is and need some drying weather for the pinto bean farmers in the area to be able to get their pinto beans out.)

Anywho….

There is a really cool program through Cornell called Project Feeder Watch. Go Here to Sign UP.

This is a program of a winter long survey of birds that visit backyard feeders across America. Watchers count they birds they see at their feeders from November through April and send in their reports. The program tracks invasive species as they move across the continent, like the Eurasian collared-dove (or ring-necked dove), and measures the decline of species such as evening grosbeaks and the population increase of other birds such as Northen Cardinals, Tufted Titmice and Carolina Wrens. Oh, yes and I think the Redbellied Woodpeckers.

I will probably have one million counts of House Sparrows and Starlings, but I’m going to give it a try.

Your friend on a California Mesa farm,

Linda

From the Past—August 22, 1913

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Dayphoto

From the Past

Compiled from Delta Newspapers by the Delta County Historical Society

251 Meeker Street, Delta, Colorado, 81416 (970) 874-8721

From the Delta County Independent

August 22, 1913

During a heavy thunder shower accompanied by frequent flashes of lightening in the Cedaredge district last Thursday evening, one of those sharp flashes connected with stacks of hay on the farm of Dr. H. K. Gibbs and soon all was a solid mass of flames.

There were spectators to the lurid scene, it is reported, but nothing could be done to check the blaze and in a very few moments 110 tons of hay, one or more sheds and considerable fence, was in ashes. The loss is conservatively estimated at between $800 and $1,000.

The residence and other buildings on the Gibbs farm were at sufficient distance from the fire to escape unscathed. Mr. Gibbs many Delta county friends and acquaintances will regret to learn of his misfortune.

This is something we rarely hear about anymore. Although, when I was a child I remember playing in our front yard when our neighbor across the road had one of their three haystacks burst into flames.

Everyone close by rushed to help Mr. and Mrs. Shock put out the fire, but nothing could be done to save the three haystacks. By the time the Cedaredge Fire Department arrived all three stacks were on fire. Cedaredge is a good 20 minutes from where we lived so the time it took to call the operator (yes we still had telephone operators back then) have her alert the volunteer fire department and personnel, for everyone to arrive at the station and then drive down there a goodly amount of time had past. A goodly amount of time.

Momma watched with my brother and I while all the men did what they could. When questioning her “WHY?!?!” She explained that the hay stack had gotten so hot inside that the fire started, which was a amazing thought to a small 6 or 7 year old.

Gradually I began to understand that when hay is stacked up still wet (or too fresh or too green, however you like to think of it) the heat will build until a fire will self-start. A fire like that is called spontaneous combustion.

It was an amazing site and one that still stays with me even now. Terry is very, very careful to never put up hay that is too wet for just this reason. Also wet hay can mold, which is not good for animals to eat causing many air born and other illnesses. It’s a matter of timing for good rich hay complete with the little leaves still attached to the stem. The little leaves are the rich source of protein perfect for maintaining good health in animals.

Today is groomer day for the dogs…I’m sure Fuzzy isn’t going to appreciate where we are going. But he will enjoy the ride (until we get there, that is!:))

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Flight of the Monarch Butterfly

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Dayphoto

Yesterday, about 11:00 a.m. I was outside without my camera, of course. When I saw Monarch Butterflies (about four) flying very seriously toward the West. I knew if I ran into the house and got the camera, brought it out, they would be gone so I stayed and watched.

What a gift!!

It is so stunning to imagine the very long flight those four (and all the many others) have undertaken to their home in California . Western American Monarch Butterflies head to California and Eastern American Monarch Butterflies head to Mexico.

My photos above are taken from the Wikipedia site about the Monarch Butterfly.

Today we are in the beginning of a fast moving cold front and fall storm, complete with flash flood warnings of over-saturation levels causing dry-washes filling up and running. I doubt very much if we will see the types of flash floods those in the corridor of the state sadly experienced, still it is wise for people to stay away from flash flood prone areas here. Plus snow is predicted for the high mountain places….like Vail, Aspen, Independence Pass, destinations of that nature.

Moonflowers

For the first time ever, in my 30 years of trying to grow them, I have Moon flower blooms!

The harvest moon was delightful last night!

Maria, the mother of Felipe, has asked if I would like to come to her house and learn how to make her Posole…YES! I hope to do so very soon! Maybe next week or the following week. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Welcome to our first day of Autumn!

Linda

From the Past — August 22, 1913

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Dayphoto

From the Past

Compiled from Delta Newspapers by the Delta County Historical Society

251 Meeker Street, Delta, Colorado, 81416 (970) 874-8721

From the Delta County Independent

August 22, 1913

L.R. Wigram, city commissioner, caught a trout in one of the Grand Mesa lakes this week which weighed 6-1/2 pounds, and measured 24 inches in length. This is said to be the largest rainbow trout caught this season.

That big blue mountain is Grand Mesa.

When my brother and I were growing up we spent lots of time with our parents and grandparents who loved to fish. We ‘went fishing’ on Grand Mesa mostly, but I think my brother would go with Granddad and they would ‘head-up the Muddy’ and go fishing.

When I saw this little news story in the August 22, 1913 Delta County Independent it brought back many happy memories of times with my dear parents and beloved grandparents.

Happy Fishing,

Linda

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Dayphoto

A late summer storm crashed all around us last night around mid-night. The lightening held all three kinds…sheet, cloud to cloud, and cloud to earth. The cloud to earth ones are always, ALWAYS the dangerous ones. The dogs don’t mind the lightening it’s the loud booming thunder that sends them under my bed. Fuzzy has taught Boomer to be afraid, be VERY afraid of thunder. Not a good thing. Boomer didn’t ‘know’ he was supposed to act goofy when the thunder sounded until he figured it out from Fuzzy.

The field corn, aka: pick’n corn, feed corn, maize, is getting riper by the day.

I’m still feeding the bees, although I moved their plate away, away from the hummingbird feeders

I like it much better. As you can see the yellow jackets have also found the sugar water

These tables we aren’t using anymore because the bees where to thick in the Russian Sage anyway. A win-win for all of us involved!

Just for fun…here is the west side of our place looking toward the canyons and Highway 50 to Grand Junction.

Your western Colorado friend,

Linda

Birthday PARTY!!!

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Dayphoto

What an honor!

We have made friends with the owners of the Fiesta Vallarta restaurant in our town of Delta.

Our grandson also plays soccer with one of the owners sons…this boy has a wonderful ‘leg’ he can kick the soccer ball from half-court right into the goal…stunning for a 6th grader.

On Sunday we were invited, along with Bladen and his family, to Felipe’s 12th birthday party!

What a hoot! We had a great time! The food was outstanding! (I really want to learn how to cook true Mexican Food) Maria had made posole with chicken and lots of yummy additions to the soup. Two cakes, one chocolate and one tres leche cake!

Our two granddaughters were asked to help break the pinata…they are gracious people to include us one and all.

I tried to speak Spanish, very shyly I might add…causing good-nature laughs and lots of help to say it right.

We had a small sprinkle or rain with some thunder then the storm left going on to other parts unknown.

What an honor to be considered ‘friends enough’ to be invited to a special party.

Your most humble friend, ¡gracias,

Linda

Monday, September 16, 2013 Pinto Beans

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Dayphoto

I cooked up some of our pinto beans…I just couldn’t let them sit in their bucket any longer! Nothing is nicer than fresh pinto beans!

Lots of time the pinto beans on the store shelves are at least two years old or older. The darker the pinto bean the older the pinto bean is…a fresh or one year old pinto bean is light in color and takes only a couple of hours to soak. Older pinto beans have to soak over-night before they have reached a level by which they can be cooked and eaten.

Once you eat a fresh pinto bean you will understand what you have been missing—tender, moist, non-mealy, yummm.

When I was growing up pinto beans were cooked with ham, then served on the plate by themselves and the ham with a bread, with chopped onions on top. My Momma was a southern girl, who was raised in New Mexico so our family enjoyed a nice mix of Texas, New Mexican (and yes there is a difference) and Colorado food. (Daddy was born in California but was raised right here in our part of Colorado).

We had pinto beans and bread for one meal…usually Monday. After that we had pinto bean sandwiches for lunch, pinto beans as a side dish, then maybe a break from them, then pinto beans in a stew or a soup, and sometimes as baked beans.

I still do the same. Although, Terry isn’t fond of the whole plate of pinto bean meal, I am. I grew up that way so of course I still like it. I also served my growing family pretty much the same way as my Momma did, only I have since added in pinto beans in my tacos or as tostadas.

I like to smash the beans and pour ketchup on them. Terry puts on picanti sauce.

When I went to school the school hot lunches would feature pinto beans in some sort of nasty butter sauce…I still don’t like it, but others might.

I’m sure there are lots of good ideas out there maybe some of my followers would like to leave all of us a recipe or two.

The sun is shining today and the air feels fresh and clean…

Your farming friend,

Linda

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Dayphoto

More flash flooding is predicted for our part of Western Colorado.

Although, we are NOT getting what the Boulder, Colorado Springs, Longmont, and Greeley area are having. (They are in the Corridor of our State) Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone in those flood damaged areas. 😦

Our rain puddles are starting to grow slime

Even the trees are showing signs of moss

We are so wet it is hard to find a spot to walk without sinking up to your ankles.

An old-timer called this the ‘100-year rain’.

This morning we had some scattering of blue skies

Just seeing the blue made me happy.

Last night there was also a break in the clouds

The sunlight was outstanding! It caught the rim of Black Canyon. You can’t see the other mountains behind Black Canyon because the clouds have them covered.

The sunlight also produced a rainbow

Rainbows always make me think of hope.

According to the weather channel today is the last horrible day of torrential rain, then the slow moving storm will move on…which means it will move toward the east possibly hitting Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and/or parts of Texas, it just depends on the the jet stream. I sure hope you don’t get the floods, but lots of really nice ground soaking rain. 🙂

I hope your Sunday turns out well my friends,