The decision has been made
To continue farming again.
Every year, at this time, we talk about it and talk about it—then Terry gets on the tractor
A big smile spreads across his face.
The tractor roars to life
And ‘we’ begin.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
We have Doves—Mourning and Ring-necked and once in a special while white Doves.
We have Pheasant and Quail and some other types of birds who run lickity split and scatter all over the farm.
We also have those Giant birds—Canada Geese and Sandhill Cranes.
While speaking of birds: There are Owls, Hawks (all shapes and sizes),
and once in a great while Eagles. Not very often Eagles, but there has been one or two who land in the old Weeping Willow trees.
Then we have all those delicious, oops, little birds: Robins,
Western Meadowlarks, Finches of all sorts, all types of Sparrows, Barn Swallows, the list is so big and so long I can’t tell you all of them.
AND there are the Hummingbirds! Now, if I really want to get in trouble, all I have to do is stalk a hummingbird.
Mom said she isn’t going to feed the birds (any birds) because I am a tad naughty about birds.
I don’t see how I’m naughty—really, I don’t.
Mom does
and what Mom says goes.
So, I have to change my diet to a ‘clean’ diet forgoing BIRDS!!!
Only mice from now on out for me.
TLC Cai-Cai
The sky bright with the joy
The big birds (Canadian geese and the Sandhill Cranes)
Uncomplicated happiness of pure delight
Gathering and sorting themselves into long pointed arrows
Heading home again toward Spring and Summer and new little chicks.
Jubilation, determination, happiness, all filtering down to us…here on the earth.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Busily moving through the clouds
Floating so close I think I could reach out and touch it
March’s Full Moon Showering Moondust on us, in the setting of the Sun.
From my world to your heart,
Linda
We have BIG animals—BIG:
First, we have DEER!
I try to hide when I see Deer. We have big Daddy deer, called A buck, who comes trotting into the yard randomly. Sometimes bringing along his wife, called a doe. They hang out in Mom’s yard and eat all the apples and apricots and cherries and—I think you get the picture.
If we don’t get Dad and Mom deer, we will get Mom and kid deer. Remember Mom is called a doe and the baby is called a fawn. Sometimes the doe has twins.
In the winter everyone (of the Deer family (called a herd)) likes to hang out together.
Sooo come winter we can have a HUGE group of deer in the yard (MY DOMAINE) or out on the farm itself. 
In the fall hunters hunt the deer, but our deer live with us on the farm, which is private ground, therefore no hunting. Unless the hunter gets a special ‘private ground’ hunting license.
But our deer…well, our deer seem to disappear about the time the cows show up. It seems like if we have cows on the farm, the deer migrate someplace else.
Don’t ask me why I don’t know.
Then come Summer—always in Summer the deer come back and hang out in the cornfields, where they build little round beds in the middle and snack on the corn silks.
At night, when it is dark outside, then they silently slip to the yard and SNACK away!
The next big animal is the COWS! But you already know about the cows.
Since I’m not going to rehash cows, I will tell you about bears who sometimes walk on the farm.
They also like fruit and will come in—but mostly they don’t come because they have lots to eat wherever they live in the canyons. BUT they have come when the drought is so bad all the wild cherries and berries dried up and didn’t produce.
Then we get a bear or two.
Talk about SCARY! I mean S.C.A.R.Y.! Mom and Dad call the Division of Wildlife and have an officer come out to tranquilize the bear and take it back up to the Uncompahgre Plateau.
Mom said a couple of years ago (I didn’t live here then, I wasn’t even a thought in my parents’ brains, at that point.) The bear came down in droves.
Then they found the sweet cornfields.
They sent back scouts to let all their bear friends know about the fields full of CANDY!
Mom said we had many, many. One bear even tried to break into our elderly neighbor’s house.
That was a long-time ago —I don’t think I will have to worry about bear on the farm.
Dad doesn’t plant sweet corn, although our neighbors do.
OH!
I hope I don’t have to worry about the bear!
I HOPE!
Shudder! Shake! DASH TO THE HOUSE!
TLC Cai-Cai
This is Wilson. He is a hospital therapy dog! He is HUGE! And SWEET! and just plain wonderful!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Well, let’s see you’ve learned about what a farm is
and how a farm works;
you’ve learned about the weather on our farm, and now—
You get to learn about the animals who share the farm with US!
We have big animals—
some wild and some who are domesticated (sorta kinda),
we have birds—lots and lots and lots of birds (slurp),
(it is HOT already)
we have small animals (like mice—YUM)
and animals who leave some sort of mark,
we have things that slither,
and bugs of all sorts,
and, that most awful animal of all the animals;
the animals who spell D.A.N.G.E.R. the second thier paw sets down on the ground.
So, for a few days,
you and I will check out “the wildlife who share the farm with us!”
TLC Cai-Cai
The cranes are leaving now. They stop by in the evening
Then lift up into the sky
Joining with others pointed North every morning.
Good-bye big birds!
Come again this next winter!
We will be waiting for you!
Linda
The Sky is falling!
THE SKY IS FALLING!
Oh, good heavens…just chill out. The sun is warm the wood is warm…nothin….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 