A Wee Thought —May 18, 2014

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Dayphoto

Last night as the dogs and I went for our late night walk I got to thinking about dogs and coyotes.

Dogs are pretty good at knowing if there are predators out there…on the edges of where you are working/traveling/going.

Some of the signals a dog will give you are pretty obvious…acting nervous, jumping, or turning around and looking in a certain direction.

The next thing you will know the dogs will be right by you, as close to you as possible—like Fuzzy trying to crawl on me as I was working on the end of the pipe. Dogs have a very good idea of who is there and what they have on their mind. (What I was afraid of was very old dog as supper!–Coyotes are very good at drawing out a dog to attack them.)

Sometimes people have witnessed coyotes and dogs playing together. Usually it is one dog and one coyote playing just like two dogs would play (or two coyotes would play). But for every story of a dog and coyote playing together there are many, many more stories of dogs being attacked and even killed. Usually dragging the dog off to other parts.

Coyotes look like dogs. They can bark like dogs. They can seem as playful as dogs. But one thing you need to remember…they are not pets.

Along towards evening, the coyotes come out and start their day. You can hear them make all sorts of sounds throughout the night. Go here and click on each sound ….the calls of the coyote!

The sound I hate the worst is the the sound of a whole group of them together…sends shivers up and down my spine. Also, makes Fuzzy and Boomer whine and slink really close to me. Or they will sit in the yard, point their noses to the heavens and howl back a very mournful sound. Long and lonely and filled with sadness.

When I hear them in the distance we ALWAYS return home…at a rather fast clip I might add.

When a coyote howls it isn’t in the full of the moon…nope. Right here, where I live, it is always in the dark of the moon. Adds to creepy because it’s harder to see out there in the night.

The coyote yips are usually in great jubilation since they have caught something and are going to have a feast.

I was just sent this clip from Jan. She saw it on the Denver News Station…

Coyote attacks man and dog on campus at Boulder, Colorado. That is on the other side of the Rocky Mountain range from us–on the Eastern Slope. So you see coyotes are everywhere. Please take care if you are in coyote land!

Well, once again I rattled on long enough about coyotes. I guess I write about them so much because…well, they live right here with us. Terry and I have both been warned to stay away from their dens and even stalked until we get into a range they consider acceptable.

One of the good things about the fire we had three years ago was it moved the coyotes out. They had denned up close to the equipment area and at the upper end of the last field making it hard to do our work.

We know they are here, but so far they are at the far reaches of our farm—that is where they need to stay. Or move on. I like the idea of move on!

Your farm friend,

Linda

Third Grade Field Trip — May 14, 2014

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Dayphoto

The field trip was great fun!

Outside of the teacher and the bus driver I was the only other adult on the school bus, the other parent volunteers drove their cars to each site bringing the special needs students on the trip.

Children have untold energy! The bus was LOADED and full of excited talk and lots of smiling faces. I could feel myself smiling back the whole time.

This was my first time to visit Fort Uncompahgre.

You know me…history is my thing… so of course seeing and feeling this time period was a hoot. Made me wonder if I could live this lifestyle…YES!

Well, outside of the fact women were treated rather poorly back then—gambled away, sold off…worked hard…you know…not the best of life…I could do it. At least in my imagination! 🙂

Then on to Indian craft activities, lunch, then another bus ride to the library and the Sheriffs office.

Another cool place the Library– so full of knowledge! The librarians had several activities for the kids, which I found impressive.

Before we walked back to the school there was a nice play time for all the pent up energy.

While Grammy (all the kids called me Grammy 🙂 ) and the other volunteers rested.

Once more I was the only parent who walked back with the teacher. Over 50 children one teacher and one volunteer. What good children they were. No stragglers, no pushing or shoving, some concern from these little tykes that this very old Grammy would have a hard time walking all that way back and up that very steep hill.

But you know what, this Grammy didn’t have any trouble at all. In fact the four little girls that did struggle going up the hill were impressed that Linky’s Gramma could still walk so good. Their concern and surprise put a smile on my face and a song in my heart!

From a very old Grammy, who still feels very young,

Linda

Craig, Colorado — May 12, 2014

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Dayphoto

We made the three hour trip to Craig in rain turning to snow. Not just any snow…lots of snow. But the time we started home around 4:30 in the afternoon there were at least 5 inches on the ground and more coming down.

Yep. That is what I remember about Craig and Hayden (they can have up 8 months of winter) when my parents lived there. I never lived in Hayden, since my parents moved after Terry and I had Evan and had been married for 6 years. I’ve always lived here in Delta county. I grew up in Eckert; married at eighteen and lived right here on the farm for the rest of my life.

But my parents moved to Hayden and lived there for twenty years. How strange it is that my youngest child and her family are moving back to that area. (Lets hope it isn’t for twenty years, but if it is we will all adjust. 🙂 ).

Kelly took us for a tour of the high school (where he will be the Principal), then we toured the town, and we looked at some houses they were interested in. Terry and I were very impressed with the high school…there isn’t anything there that isn’t offered to the kids…and it’s right on campus….swimming, all the sports, tennis, golf, band, vocal music, you name it they have it. The rooms were light and airy and the school very nice and clean. I’m sure he is going to enjoy himself very much.

We came home in a horrible snow storm that turned into rain as we got closer to Grand Junction. Then we got here we have the pleasure of sleet. I had to start the fire back up. The last time I looked this morning it was 34* and it felt like 32*.

Farming has come to a stop. I’ve covered up some of my tender stuff, but I couldn’t cover them all…I just hope the can make it.

I had to bring in the hummingbird feeders but I put them out first light this morning. I have two set of Orioles and 8 pair of hummers. I’m sure they needed food after that long cold night.

I guess this stuff will leave out of here gradually over the week. I’m ready.

Tomorrow I’m taking the day off. I have been invited by Linky to be a parent guest on their field trip. Which means I have to be to school EARLY. I’m up early but I have to do many things before I can get gone…you know how that goes.

Anyway…the kids are moving to a nice community with a very good school district. I hope they can find the perfect house for them and Misty can get a teaching job. All will be well as those things take place.

A friend in Delta, Colorado

Linda

Want’a See? —- May 7, 2014

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Dayphoto

Want to see what Seventy burning candles look like on a cake? 🙂

(Blade said the heat was very hot on his face. 🙂 )

The grandchildren insisted we have seventy fully lit candles for Grandpa. It took a lot of fast starting of candles and a VERY slow walk for Bladen to bring the cake into for Grandpa to blow all of them out.

Linky thought she better bring a spray bottle of water, because she was just SURE Grandpa couldn’t blow ALL THOSE OUT AT ONCE!!!

But he Did!

Tally grabbed Grandpa and looked him in the eye and said, (very seriously) “I knew you could do it, Grandpa.” The faith of a child.

We have finally gotten all the corn ground wet and are watering the alfalfa for the second time this year. Next we will start on the pinto bean ground.

Terry should start marking it out either today or tomorrow.

After the ground is totally soaked, we wait a week for it to dry down, then Terry will got in plant. This is called wet planting.

There are two kinds of planting…dry and wet. In dry planting you get the ground ready and plant the seed, then you water the seed up. We like the wet planting, since the ground is already wet the seed starts to sprout immediately. Weeds are easier to manage, because the planter ‘weeds’ as the seeds are planted. We are in for ease. 🙂

The word from the Ditch Company is the reservoirs are completely ice free and rising quickly. (Except for Taylor Park) The water level at Blue Mesa Reservoir has risen 16 feet in the last few weeks and is expected to fill within 5 feet of the reservoir top! WHOO HOO!!

Although, we are not not drought stricken this year, we will continue, as we always have, to practice good water management. But not having to really worry about the water is —well—nice!

Thanks for stopping by. It’s always good to have a visit with friends.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Heartfelt Thanks—-May 6, 2014

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Dayphoto

My heart and soul is extremely humbled and ever so grateful for all the wonderful, kind, understand and encouraging thoughts over my last post.

Each of you have brought tears to my eyes because of your strength, love and understanding. Each of you have given me even more hope and determination to keep the strength and love of our families as the fore-front of these new far reaching lives!

You are truly my friend as I hope I am yours!

Linda

Away—–Going Away—May 5, 2014

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Dayphoto

Terry’s celebration was really nice…all our children and their mates and our three grandchildren came and ate and played games!

We also learned that the father of our Grandchildren has been selected to be the new principal at Craig, Colorado.

Craig is three hours away from us. Do I laugh with joy or cry with sadness?

Bladen will be in the Seventh Grade next year–a year of huge changes for him.

No more just running across the field (they are heading home in this photo)to see what we are doing, or to get a snack, or to catch a ride with Grandpa.

No more randomness.

We will work hard to keep them close….as time permits we will travel there to be with them. We will bring them home with us, if they want to come, and their new lives will let them.

It’s all too special to let slip away. It is also selfish of us to ask them to not go. We are very proud of Kelly, please understand that, it is the leaving that makes Terry and I sad.

Now our hope is that they will be able to return sometime in the future. I hope this isn’t being a selfish hope! We will work hard to leave it up to what is best for all of them.

Still…I do think you understand.

You also know that time has a way of making everything right. My Momma would always say—‘everything works out for the best–if you will let it.’

So we will let it.

When our son was born, my parents also moved up by Craig, Colorado—they moved to Hayden. Daddy had gotten a job with Colorado Ute (now called Tri-State). So it is, with a touch of irony, that my youngest daughter and our son-in-law, and grandchildren are moving back. Life really does have some odd little jogs and jags in it, doesn’t it?

(Don’t forget you might have to remind of this—that life always works out for the best.)

Sigh,

Linda

Seventy—May 4, 2014

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Dayphoto

On Friday, May 2nd, Terry turned 70! I hope I am as active and energetic and able to work as hard as my Dear Husband does everyday….still!

Today, I’m having our kids and their families over for a Sunday dinner celebration. We had to wait for everyone to be off work.

Happy Birthday, Hubby!

I found this cool little saying:

“Seventy is wormwood,

Seventy is gall

But its better to be seventy,

Than not

Alive at all.”–Phyllis McGinley

Your farming friends!

Terry and Linda

Good Fences and Gates — May 1, 2014

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Dayphoto

Happy First Day of May Everyone!!!!!

For my “Good Fences” post today I have the wonderful, exciting photo of this delightful, outstanding, just perfect for today’s post of a fence and a Rainbow…I just love Rainbows!

I give you our corral fence………….

Yippee! How lucky am I and how lucky are you! A Good Fence and a rainbow!

My white picket fence even looks blue in the evening light. Another cool thing!

For more wonderful fences head over here. Please join up…its really fun to see all the cool gates and fences from all over the place…yours will be just as appreciated as everyone else.

Your farming friend,

Linda

Nature’s Bling —- April 30, 2014

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Dayphoto

The wind is still with us…a very sharp wind, blowing across the snow freshly dumped in the mountains all around us.

We are COLD. In my yard the asparagus has froze, the lilac buds have turned brown and dried on the stem, the fruit trees crisp white blooms are now a brown yucky color. Out on the farm everything is still okay…the alfalfa is cold but green, growing slowly, but still alive. We are still irrigating, nothing has been planted so we have no worries in that department.

Rain and snow occurred off and on all day

The wind pushing storm clouds from the west toward us, then onto the east

At different points the sun shined into the Roubidoux Canyon allowing us to see the geological formations just four miles from our farm.

The tri-colored Red-winged Blackbirds helped us while we changed water, searching for yummy things in the soil.

A hawk looking for super also, watched us while we changed the water, swaying gently in the wind on his tiny branch in the tree. The tree is still waiting for warmth so it can leaf out…waiting, just like us.

Suddenly a rainbow lite up an culvert a neighbor has ready to insert across an arroyo on his land!

We worked on the water until dark, but even the dark offered Bling in the most spectacular of ways!

The Bling of Nature…really, who could ask for more? Not I. I am most comfortable here, on the land…really Terry and I try hard to one with the land and all that shares it with us!

Your farming friend,

Linda

Still Cold and Windy —- April 29, 2014

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Dayphoto

What a cold and windy day we had yesterday…and the day before….and again today! I’m holding onto the hope that calmer weather is heading in by the weekend. It sure needs too.

Some of the sweet corn has already been planted (no, we don’t raise sweet corn), but that that drew the early lottery already have the seed in the ground, just waiting for the weather to warm up before they put the water to the seed. Sweet corn harvest is timed to come off every two weeks starting around the 4th of July and ending in late September. Those that get the extremely early or the extremely late lottery always have a crap shoot going in…weather (the house) can be the winner in most cases.

The wind blew gusts of 40 m.p.h most of the day until late in the night, slowing down some, but back up again this morning. The weather people say to expect 35 m.p.h. gusts today. Freeze warning are in effect until Wednesday at 10 a.m. I’m pretty sure the fruit is all gone…I just don’t know how it could make it through all of this wind and extreme cold.