Returning of the Red-Wings March 10, 2014

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Dayphoto

When up and about, at the cattail area, we saw huge flocks of the returning of Red-Winged Blackbirds to their favorite nesting area on our farm. The red isn’t showing up right now, but as the weather get warmer and warmer we will be able to see the red stripe.

If you have never heard these delightful birds sing please go here.

We have small flocks now. but by the time the asparagus is popping out of the ground this area on our farm will be full of these little beauties.

The county has started digging up three large culverts that go under the road at the end of our farm today. It will take them four days, in the meantime the little grandchildren must walk down the end of our corn field to get to the bridge (Terry takes equipment into the fields on this bridge) so they can walk across the road and stand by the mailboxes.

In the way of all children everywhere they are seeing this as a great adventure…we should all be that way…not an obstacle but a new adventure.

Kelly and Misty will have to drive down the tractor road to the back of our farm, across the ‘super highway’ (grandchildren name) over to the dirt lane and into our yard to go to work for the next few days.

“COOL!” Our grandson the sixth grader responded, “Way Cool!”

Adventures are everywhere…hope you have at least one today!

Your farm friend,

Linda

Very Busy Saturday — March 9, 2014

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Dayphoto

All our days are seem to be very busy, but now that late winter is here it seems our days are getting much more active.

First thing in the morning we headed off to Loma—outside of Grand Junction to the last consignment sale of the winter (which we attend). It was stunningly packed with people and items to sell. Packed!

After waiting in line, for some time, Terry got a number and we headed off to see if there was something we just could NOT live without.

The place was packed with ‘stuff’, equipment and implements. We didn’t see anything we just Had to Have. After watching a few things sell we headed back home.

That afternoon it was time to start the creation of the water trough. There is a ditch which leaves our neighbors farm onto our farm…once water touches your farm that water is now yours and your responsibility–unless it is in the canal. (The water company has a right-of-way through all farms along the route from the reservoir to the river.)

In order to not have the irrigation water from our neighbor’s ditch wash away the good soil and create large crevasses and groves Terry has created a cement trough to a pipe. It was at the end of the pipe we were starting to get a huge mess.

Yesterday afternoon Terry and I cemented the end of the pipe and built a water trough that will protect the ground around the pipe.

I was in charge of mixing the cement (520 pounds of cement)

Terry was the cement artist.

We got done about dark. This doesn’t look like it took much work, but believe me it was.

Our oldest granddaughter and a little friend of hers walked over to see what we were doing and stayed for a time ‘helping’. Of course, when you are 9 helping means writing in the cement! 🙂 By the time we were ready for the ‘helping part’ they had wandered on home by way of the whole farm — counting baby calves and seeing if they just ‘might’ get to see one being born.

That evening Linky (our oldest granddaughter) and Tally (our youngest granddaughter) came back to spend the evening with Grammy and Grandpa…when asked if Linky and her BFF got to see a calf being born she had to reply no…BUT they did see a calf that had just been born and was getting all the yucky stuff off by the Mom. Her BFF was suitably excited about the whole process. I wonder what her parents thought…..

We took the little girls to eat at Wendy’s and then up to Uncle Evan’s so they could play with his two little dogs, two cats, one turtle and watch the fish swim in the aquarium. Then we stopped by Aunt Shannon’s to check out Tommy the Turkey and his new girl friend/wife, the hens, her three dogs and one cat. Then we headed home to watch cartoons.

Monday Terry starts more tractor work. The cows leave. -Mr. Davis and Theresa have already taken out the ones who still have to calve.- Monday they will remove all the mom’s and the new little ones, leaving us cowless until next February. I will work on the other stuff of getting a farm back up and in the production mode. I guess you could say we will begin in earnest on Monday.

Off now to do all the stuff that is hollering to me to get done!

Have a good one!

Your friend,

Linda

Closer to Real Spring March 6, 2014

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Dayphoto

A few clouds have arrived in our area, the high, way up there, WAY, WAY up in the air winds pushing the clouds from somewhere in the far west…California to Utah and then to us..to fill our sky blocking the warming rays of the sun.

When the dogs and I went for our mid-night walk the stars were out and the sky was brilliant with their sparkling beauty. I almost tripped as I walked along with my head tiled back trying to find the different constellations…there was the Big Dipper (always very easy to see) I use it as my mooring point.

Around 8 o’clock in the evening it is in the east, then after mid-night sinking under the rim of Grand Mesa in the north west.

I really can’t remember the names of any of the others anymore, although, I used to know…way back when I was in high school —centuries ago.

Today we are a cold and cloudy late winter day. A jacket wearing day. At least right now. Maybe later we will warm up…only time will tell.

Yesterday was warm enough that the dogs spent most of it panting (and smiling). Terry and I worked without jackets in the afternoon–it was that warm…if you kept moving. He is building a irrigation box…one of the ditches that enters our place has created a huge hole in the ground…the hole works, but water keeps eroding it so the hole just keeps getting bigger and bigger. A cement box will with stand the constant of water and protect the earth around the ditch. We always want to protect the land. At the same time make our work load a little easier.

I got the wood pile sorted and stacked for next year…green wood here, dry wood there, and all the sticks and weeds and leaves under the wood racked.

I have a old pile of junk wood I need to sort and cut and get it in the firewood pile so I can use it up next winter. The old pile is made up of tree limbs, rotted off fence posts, an old building we tore down…junk wood, but we don’t want to just throw in a heap and burn it sending smoke spiraling into the air…we want to utilize it as heat for the house. So I continue to sort and cut and stack.

Other than ordinary everyday things nothing much going on here.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Signs of Spring March 5, 2014

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Dayphoto

The tiny little bits of fluffy green are the alfalfa plants waking up from a long winter’s sleep.

Terry starts disking today, which means Mr. Davis will be moving his cows out — probably this week end.

The farm work has to start now so the ground will be ready for water on April 1st. The ditch company turns the water into all the canals the last week of March. Therefore, ground work MUST begin now.

The cows have gotten so use to Terry and I riding or walking out to check on them they don’t even get excited enough to move.

Come on Number 22, you need to move over! Scoot!

That is close enough! Now Scoot!! Clap, clap! Sigh!

Finally….

She turned and moseyed on into the corn field!

In two years these little cuties will be back, ready to have some little ones of their own.

As you can see, we will be fixing fence as soon as the cows leave–they are a tad hard on them.

Off now to get some outside work done.

From a western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Guest Photo from Mr. Jim Wetzel March 4, 2014

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Dayphoto

Mr. Jim Wetzel is the curator of the Delta Museum….here is a cool photo of 1906 Delta

Main Street looking south in this 1906-1907 photo / post card. Note the flag pole in the center of the Third Street intersection. It was removed in 1908. There is also a single light bulb suspended from the flag pole. Concrete sidewalks also appear in this photo, but it would be another 15-16 years before the street, itself, is paved. The relative absence of people and transportation suggests an early hour for this photo.

Someone hand-colored it, lending a unique look to an old-time photo!

Your friend,

Linda

My Favorite Cow—February 3, 2014

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Dayphoto

I have a favorite cow. She isn’t really mine, she belongs to Mr. Davis and his daughter. Still she is spending her ‘laying-in-time’ with us here on the edge of California Mesa.

(The laying-in-time for a Queen, would be confined a month prior to the birth and so remain for some 40 days after her child was born.)

Here these pampered cows are given all the fodder they can eat, wonderful vista’s to gaze upon and sparkling fresh water to drink. They will not remain here for 40 days after birth, but they do get to have the whole month of February and 9 days into March.

But I digress…my favorite cow has horns, which is never good—ever. Beautiful eyes, is always dress-to-the-nines (my Momma’s words) and is a new addition to Mr. Davis’ herd.

Yesterday, when Terry and I did our late afternoon check through the cows

We came upon this elegant beauty and her new calf.

Nope, not black! But sporting an half-white tail, just like Mom has.

I’m not sure if the calf is male or female. Of course, for us it doesn’t matter. I was just thankful she had her calf here before the herd was moved. And I got to see it! 🙂

There really are lots of small joys in every day if you keep your mind open to them. This cow and her new calf is just one of those joys from yesterday.

Your farm friend.

Linda

A Delicious Gift March 2, 2014

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Dayphoto

When Terry and I were over getting the equipment ready for the consignment sale, the mailman arrived at our house. That in-and-of-itself is not unusual, we have a really nice mail person who delivers any large bundles of mail right to our doorstep. Usually our mail comes after lunch sometime.

But not this day, which was really strange. Before 9:30 in the morning the mail arrived at our back step. We weren’t home. Neither were the dogs…our mail person is afraid of the really LOUD Beagle :). (The beagle is just loud, not mean.)

When we got back to the house a little after 9:30 there sat our mail and a really nice package.

Full of fresh California asparagus straight from her farm!

In excellent shape!!

I quickly trim the ends, stuck them in water in the refrigerator where they perked right up!

Since then we’ve had asparagus for our lunches (our big meal of the day).

Our asparagus will not start showing up until late April so having this rich, delicious taste of spring is a rare treat!

Thank you so much, Jan!

A very spoiled and happy friend,

Linda

Late Winter Work February 27, 2014

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Dayphoto

Terry worked on the fire road most of the afternoon…. there is one spot that is a huge problem…down a gravel hill that seeps. He got everything fixed up to that road; then ‘we’ will work on the seep road together.

I dread this road, it’s not bad when all the seep has stopped but until then we have the potential of getting stuck, sliding off, the earth shifting….sigh.

He will be on one tractor and I on another tractor…gradually we will make the downhill slant, then around the curve. It is the down hill slant where all the problems lie. But we must work together to keep from an accident or worse.

But not today…or this weekend. But soon. Before the fire season starts in earnest! Sigh!

And no, we can not make a different road in a different spot it must be here, because HERE is where the path of the fires usually take.

We are leaving in 30 minutes to finish loading up the consignment equipment then heading to the sale in Grand Junction. Gradually, we are getting everything done before the spring work begins.

Hopefully next week we will be able to start laying the last of the transmission irrigation pipe. It MUST be done before water starts April 1st and it MUST be in the ground before the tractor work starts close to March 10th. Everything has a hurry, hurry, time is passing feel about it now.

Today it is dark and gloomy with rain or snow or sleet threatening any moment.

Still we must carry on!

Your farm friend,

Linda

Finally Fixed February 26, 2014

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Dayphoto

We finally have the furnace fixed!!!! (Happy Dance)

We even let the wood stove burn out last night and the night before to make sure the furnace would come on and actually heat the house!

It did! YIPPEE!

We will still use the wood stove, but if it were to go out—if we were to travel any place for a length of time — the furnace would come on keeping everything from freezing!

Another thing we have accomplished is getting the equipment moved (in case we get another fire—we had two bad ones two years ago, and a almost bad one last year. Terry is extremely nervous that we will have another fire and NOT be able to save the equipment.) We are already seeing smoke from ‘those that just must burn’, so we knew we had to get a move on.

Terry has also made another road to the ‘other’ point of entry we always seem to get fires from. So it’s been a busy few days here.

Today we will be loading and sorting the equipment we want to take to the consignment sale in Grand Junction this weekend. Busy, busy…but makes the days fly by.

I feel so bad for everyone back East with another horrible arctic air blast coming in…

Northeast (http://www.weather.com/newscenter/nationalforecast/)

– Colder-than-average temperatures are expected across the region for at least the next week.

– High temperatures are forecast to run 10 to 20 degrees below late February/early March averages.

– Actual highs will be in the 20s and 30s north and the 30s and 40s south.

– Light snow and flurries throughout the region Wednesday as a cold front pushes through.

– Accumulations of and inch or two from northern Virginia through southeast New York.

– Lake-effect snow showers and squalls are still likely from northwest Pennsylvania through western New York.

– Additional accumulations of 4 to 8 inches are possible in northwest Pennsylvania and southwest New York and 6 to 12 inches east of Lake Ontario in western New York through Thursday morning.

Midwest

– Arctic air keeps the region downright frigid for at least the next week.

– Temperatures are forecast to be 20 to 30 degrees below average through Friday.

– An even colder air mass plunges into the Plains, Mississippi Valley and western Great Lakes over the weekend with temperatures expected to be 20 to 45 degrees below average.

– Actual highs should be in the single digits, 10s and 20s from the Dakotas to Michigan and the 30s and 40s from Nebraska and Kansas to the Ohio Valley and Kentucky through Friday.

– Parts of eastern North Dakota, much of Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and northwest Michigan could remain below zero all day Thursday.

– Over the weekend highs should be in a -10 to +10 degree range in the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and north Michigan and in the 20s and 30s from Kansas to the Ohio Valley.

– Lake-effect snow showers and squalls are likely to continue across Michigan, north Indiana and northeast Ohio into the weekend.

– Additional accumulations of 4 to 10 inches are likely in favored lake-effect areas through Thursday morning.

– Elsewhere accumulations should be 2 inches or less.

West

– Two significant storms impact the region beginning Wednesday and lasting into the weekend.

– The first storm arrives in California and Oregon Wednesday and spreads into Southern California and the Intermountain West Wednesday night and Thursday.

– Storm number two arrives in California and southern Oregon Friday and spreads inland Friday night and Saturday.

– Combining both storms rainfall of 1 to 3 inches is possible over the interior and 3 to 8 inches is possible along the coastal mountains and foothills of the Sierras.

– Snowfall of several feet is likely in the Sierras when both storms are combined.

– Flooding and landslides are possible in burn areas.

South

– Rain and showers remain likely from central and southern Texas to the central and eastern Carolinas and central Florida as a cold front moves through Wednesday.

– Enough cold air plunges into the north side of the precipitation area to cause a wintry mix of rain and and sleet in central Texas and rain, sleet and wet snow from northern Georgia to northern North Carolina.

– Accumulations of sleet and snow are not expected in the lower elevations.

– Snowfall of 1 to 5 inches is possible in the Appalachians.

– High temperatures in the 30s and 40s are forecast from Oklahoma and north and central Texas to northern Georgia and the western Carolinas.

– Highs in the 50s stretch from southeast Texas to the Carolinas with warmer 70s and 80s in central and south Florida and extreme south Texas

Warmth and the touch of Spring is such a luxury! Magic thoughts Spring comes to everyone soon–including those who need spring rains!

Your friend on a farm,

Linda

The Color of Glitter February 25, 2014

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Dayphoto

When I first married Terry and we moved to the farm (I grew up in a orchard) Mr. Davis’ Dad and the now, Mr. Davis, continued to rent our farm for the calving out of their spring’n heifers. (These are usually two-year old cows having their first calf.)

Those many years ago (46 and counting) the Mr. Davis’ raised Hereford’s. I adore Hereford cattle. It was the cattle of my youth.

Terry and I had Dairy cows and Angus beef cows giving us delightful and wonderful calves.

Over time, as the ‘now’ Mr. Davis took over he started adding in Charolais cattle to his mix. Until he had only Charolais. Now he is bringing back the Hereford bloodline. This has created a variety of beautiful ~~little baby cows~~ calves ranging from buff, to brown, and a mix of Hereford colors.

All little calves are beautiful

…but when you see a brand-new Charolais calf—you really must agree that they just sparkle. The white glitters and glows. While the others will mix in well with the brush or the surrounding countryside these little ones have a hard time blending in.

It won’t be long now until all the Mom’s have calves out–about two more weeks. Once the babies have all arrived Mr. Davis and his daughter will arrive on horses, with a horse trailer, to gather the herd and take them to another pasture closer to their home. (The horse trailer is for the newest little ones to ride in, since walking would be way too much)

Until then Terry and I will walk about searching for little ones, looking to see if they are okay, talking gently to the Mom’s (they don’t even get excited now, even though the dogs are with me) and looking for the color of glitter stuck here and there waiting for Mom to come back to get them.

(Mom cows either leave the babies with a cow babysitter, or they will tell the calf ‘to stay right here, don’t move until I get back’; the calf stays—right there!)

It’s Spring here! The days are lovely and warmer. Terry and I worked outside without coats or jackets yesterday. What a joy to make it through the long-long days of winter

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda