Nodding Thistle or also known as Musk Thistle

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Dayphoto

We have many, many weed here…some are just a pain, but others are really horrid. The invasive species are the worst….nothing likes to eat them, they sterilize the soil so only ‘they’ can grow, and (usually) they are ugly –Russian Knapp Weed, Canada Thistle are examples.

Randomly there is a weed that is just downright beautiful-but still a weed and still an invasive weed. I chop them down the second I see them start to form. Sometimes I miss one or so, before you know it…there they are.

The Nodding Thistle or also known as the Musk Thistle is one of those horrid weeds which is incredibly beautiful.

This one got by my shovel, so I took photos of it for you.

A beautiful weed

Now chopped off.

But I can assure you there are more out there! Invasive species have incredible survival skills.

Linda

June 19, 2013

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Dayphoto

Since it has been so hot we drove up to Lee’s Reservoir for a morning of relaxation.

The dogs loved the swim and everyone loved the break.

Sometimes you just have to get away for a couple of hours. In this case we took three hours out of the day. When we got back the wind was blowing with gusts up to 30 m.p.h.

The weather people are saying we can expect the same again today. The wind should help in clearing out all the smoke which came in over-night from the fire in Utah.

Fire is such a sad part of summer.

Linda

June 17, 2013

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Dayphoto

I have some ‘new’ to me birds feeding at my Hummingbird feeders. I really don’t know what they are so if someone out there does, please let me know.

It is possible these are the Lesser Goldfinch, but I’m not sure.

I am surprised that these big birds like to drink the sugar water…they chase the hummers off and have a go at it; draining the feeder in a very short while.

At first the hummers tried to dive bomb these big birds but they have given up now. If the big birds show up the hummers just move down to another feeder or fly up into the tree branches.

I tried putting out other types of food, but nothing tastes as good as sugar water! 🙂 They just let the oranges turn to cardboard….

If you know please drop me a comment…it would be fun to know who is ‘bellying up to the bar’, so to speak.

Linda

Happy Father’s Day

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Dayphoto

Happy Father’s Day to all of you Dads!

Linda

Get Ready for July

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Dayphoto

July is Butterfly Count Month!

The North American Butterfly Association needs volunteers to count butterflies in a selected are 15 miles wide in diameter, called count circles.

Our milkweed is blooming now and, of course, other really fun food for butterflies.

If you are interested in being part of the butterfly count go here: http://www.naba.org/

Have a nice Thursday!

Linda

Crop Report

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Dayphoto

We only grow three products. That is all we grow. Back in the day…not so very long ago we also raised pigs, goats, and cows. As we aged the raising of the animals diminished. Every year Terry says this is his last year…we had a big laugh about that yesterday. He finally admitted that the only way he is going to stop farming is if there isn’t anymore water or the Good Lord calls him home.

He says there is dirt in his veins instead of blood 🙂 Probably. He’s been farming (helping his Dad) since he was tall enough. He tells a story of the first time he got to go help his Dad…his Mom drove he and his little brother and smaller sister out to the field that his Dad was working in –his job was to harrow the field behind his Dad who was on another tractor. He said he felt really big and grown-up —although he couldn’t sit on the tractor seat and could only stand.

His Mom drove up…he got out…got on the tractor….Mom, brother and little sister stood by the side of the pick-up and watched him…he turned and waved, they waved back ..he then gave the tractor gas and drove off…..leaving the harrow behind.

He was so embarrassed because he hadn’t even thought to check to see if everything was hooked up and ready to go.

They all had a good laugh at him…he backed up and his Mom helped him hook everything up and off he went.

Anyway, everything is looking good…the corn is almost as tall as MY kneecap, the pinto beans are growing taller every day and the hay is sold. The Delta Elevator told him they wanted everything he had, don’t even unload and stack up…just bring it right down to them NOW!

This is the last load to take — sure is nice to just move it once!

The heat is on here…early for this time of year BUT I’ll take this any day over winter! I love the long days, the warmth (heat) and the color that surrounds us.

I need to get outside and get the hedge clipped before the wind starts!

Have a nice day!

Linda

I Should Have Known

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Dayphoto

And with the 4010 also!

The Doctor said it was a torn muscle…it will heal, the tear doesn’t seem to be real bad—so with ice, rest, elevating the leg in two weeks it will be good to go.

Sure!

Two weeks –an eternity–so off we went.

I made sure the bales were straight so he wouldn’t have to get off the tractor; he did the rest.

Today he says his leg feels a lot better and he will soon be back in shape by the weekend.

I sure hope so! He is going to make sure it is.

I guess I’m not surprise.

Linda

Monday, June 10, 2013

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Dayphoto

The hay is looking good! We need to haul it in soon…either today or tomorrow, Wednesday at the latest.

This might be the last time we get a cutting off this field since the water is short. Terry will decide after the hay is hauled in.

I know I keep going on and on about the water (I’m sure it is becoming and old song by now) but that is where our thoughts are. Moving water, making sure everything gets wet, always asking the question “can we make it?” Everyday we ask, everyday we work it a little bit more and ‘whew’ we are through those rows.

Terry is off to the Doctor around 9 this morning, which will tell us more about his leg. He is DETERMINED that HE WILL haul in the hay…

sigh

Sigh, sigh!

I decided I will just have to see it though, and if I can pick up the slack I will.

We finally had to break down and hook up the air conditioner. 93* was hot and today it is supposed to be 103* It was time

Besides coming into a cool house was nice after the blistering heat in the fields. The wind is predicted to rise today so having the cooler on will help keep the dirt out of the house.

Well, not much going on here, just taking it one day at a time, one field at a time and waiting to see what the Doctor has to say.

Thanks for stopping by,

Linda

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Dayphoto

Thank you to everyone who wished Fuzzy a Happy Birthday!

Terry and I have been making siphon tubes. We always have a few that split and/or crack during the year.

We first heat up a PVC pipe, cut to length, then put the soften tube into a homemade mold to let the plastic cool back down in the shape we want. After we get whatever it is we are needing for whatever field we are working on, we take them out and put them right to work.

The days are hot….really too hot for June, more like July hot…tomorrow we are supposed to hit 102*, yesterday it got to 99*. Today we will hit somewhere around that again.

Our heat is nothing like the areas that have high humidity with it. We are considered High Mountain Desert so our heat is a dry heat.

What is nice about desert heat is is does cool down during the night. Mornings are nice! When Terry and I went out to change the water this morning at 5:30 we both wore a light jacket…that won’t be the case later in the day or this evening.

Last night Terry stepped wrong and tore his calf muscle. What a mess…poor guy! It’s his left leg so I have to do the driving where there is a stick shift and do the walking up and down the ditch bank. Now we work as a different team…he supervises and I tote and fetch and carry and lay and start the tubes.

I think I liked the other team better—you know like teamwork. 🙂

I’m a little concerned about hauling hay, as I’ve never ran the loader… ever! I can pick up and move bales by hand, but the loader…..

Maybe he can hook up the loader to the 730 as it has a hand clutch—we will see. Tomorrow he will go to the Doctor and then we will figure out how to haul the hay.

As they say—where there is a will there is a way!

We will get there, he just needs to take it easy and let the muscle reattach itself.

This is pretty grainy because I was way too far away.

Have a restful and fun Sunday!

Linda

June 6, 2013

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Dayphoto

Boy! It is hot here! The wind is even hot…pant, pant! Wheeze!

Good for growing crops, a tad hard on us.

( you can see the canyons of the Escalate and Dominguez as the sun sets)

The mornings are nice until around 10 o’clock then we bake until around 10 o’clock in the evening. Makes for nice sleeping.

The birds are up and at’em at 4 in the morning…we agree with them…early shades of grey and cooler air helps get lots of stuff done.

As the heat and the wind wear on…a nice little siesta (some cultures understand good living-that is for sure!) works wonders for the brain and the soul and the body.

So far the water hasn’t been cut back anymore—knock on wood! We are moving it every 12 hours, depending on the field. Some fields we move the water every 6 hours. If the amount of water can stay just like it is we will make it…fingers crossed.

The day is waiting and I’m sitting so must run now.