First Blooms of the Season–Sunday, March 22, 2015

Posted on March 22, 2015 by Dayphoto

The apricots are blooming!

All our trees (we only have four) are ancient apricot trees.

The one on the farm road has pink blossoms—it is the only one on the farm to have pink blooms.

The one at our house has white blooms

The other two in the yard of the other house are a cross between pink and white

But the pretties of them all (to me) is the one on the farm road.

Spring has now officially arrived…the Apricots are blooming!

Happy Spring all my friends! Or Happy Autumn if you are now experiencing the cool down — opposite of our warm up!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Good Fences, Spring Farm Work, and Rain—Thursday, March 19, 2015

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Dayphoto

It rained off and on yesterday and then some into the night. The sun is out, our air is fresh and lovely, my lawn(s) are starting to green up, and I have lots of plants popping up in the flower beds! Life is good!

Terry plowed until it got too wet. So far there isn’t enough rain to cause our clay type of soil of harden into bricks.

Years ago we had a brick and tile making company that used our clay soil to make bricks. Today those bricks are much sought after as a collector item. That’s our type of soil…also our worry about rain.

Delta County Historical Society photo Delta Brick and Tile factory showing kilns, drying sheds and stacks of finished brick. This view is taken from a spot on California Mesa and shows Delta in the background.

You can read about it here: Delta Brick and Tile Factory

Anyway, so far so good.

Theresa from The Run*A*Round Ranch Report always hosts Thursday Good Fences and Gates. Sometimes I have neat fence, gate or gate opener to add to the fun postings on Thursday. Today I have one—–

This is a scratching post on our place. Terry put it up for the cows…a nice back scratch is always good!

Head on over to Teresa’s place and see her photos, then visit some of the other participants for a look at their cool fences and gates.

I hope each of you have a really nice day!

Your friend,

Linda

Dwellers of the Land—Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Dayphoto

“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.” — Rachel Carson

Today Terry is plowing…he has the corn fields disked (twice, working until late in the night)— today he plows. We both were stumped whether or not to plow…the weather people say there is a 40% chance of rain moving into our area tomorrow.

Forty percent is a pretty good chance that we will get it right here! Plowed earth is like a sponge…after much pondering (the kind that keeps you up at night) he decided to go ahead and plow. I guess we will see if that was a good decision or not come Wednesday morning. 🙂

I worked on cleaning the house yesterday and then in my yard. My winter weary body is starting to get the hang of spring work, but it’s a slow process.

This afternoon Terry and I will work on the plumbing and wiring down at the other house. Gradually, gradually everything is starting to take shape down there.

We want to have the electricity finished and the hot water heater moved before the last week in March. The kids in Craig, Colorado, are coming for 10 days (Spring break) and want to stay in their old home. We are SO close to being done, we just have to make the time to finish it. I still have to paint one wall in the kitchen then that room is finished. (The the yard work down there starts, but I will think about that later.)

I saw a butterfly yesterday! It was a joy to see. Also, the honey bees were out and about, not to mention the nasty house flies. The house flies are still a little clingy and slow moving.

Spring is arriving! YAY!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Farming has Begun—Monday, March 16, 2015

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Dayphoto

After a wonderful weekend full of family

We had 4-wheeler rides, trips to town, walks on the farm

There were games with Grandpa (they are playing catch the airplane here) and visits with school friends and lots and lots of food.

Sunday they went home.

Today farming started. Terry hooked up the disk and is (even as I write) disking up all the uneaten corn stalks and the giant cow patties.

We have two weeks before the water is turned on. Everything must be done and ready for the first water.

Here we are in another push, but steady is as steady does, so I know we will make it!

Thanks for stopping by. I’ve been really remiss about not getting my comments answered and around visiting your blogs, but I can now get back into a routine.

Routines are always good!

Your friend,

Linda

Moving On—Sunday, March 15, 2015

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Dayphoto

The cows are starting to move out…Mr. Davis took the Mom’s who still have not had their babies on down to another pasture. Monday the older calves and Moms will go—- by the end of week we will be cow-less.

Then today right after lunch the little grand girls and Mom-Mom leave for Craig, Colorado.

I’ve had a really nice weekend, Mom-Mom helped my oldest daughter and myself with our volunteer job… Walking the dogs at the CAWS Rescue Center in Delta, Colorado.

BUT!!!!

Next weekend is our son-in-law in Grand Junction, Colorado’s birthday. Our whole family (including the Craig family) will be going to a birthday bash at their house on Sunday. So I get to have everyone home again.

The cows I will have to visit with next February! 🙂

Tomorrow farming (for us) starts full-time!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Two Jobs Completed–Thursday, March 12, 2015

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Dayphoto

We got all the dirt loaded and dumped. It was an all day thing. It took us both. Seems these big jobs are requiring both of us anymore.

Thank you everyone, for the Magic thoughts, prayers and for crossing your fingers and toes—it all helped.

We have also got the sheet rock up in the kitchen, it just needs to have the seams sealed and for me to paint…then that job is done.

The extra room is taking shape, but it’s slow. I got all the bricks and motor and other things cleaned out of the coal room itself, Terry is now working on expanding the coal room into the extra small room. Once this is done we will move the hot water heater and the —soon to be purchased—furnace into their very own area. After that it will be wiring the room for electricity and putting up sheetrock and laying the floor then we are done.

We found out last night that Mom-Mom and both granddaughters are coming for the weekend. It seems that Tally is homesick also. Mom-mom said she was too, so they are all coming in this afternoon. What a fun time we will have. Although, Terry says he is going to have to stay steady on the room, because he WILL start farming on Monday.

That’s alright, Mom-Mom says she will help and the girls will be happy because there is the treehouse, and kittens, and other fun things to do. I’m sure we aren’t going to work ALL the time…even Grandpa adores snuggles and 4-wheeler rides and …you know, all those things that make life wonderful.

Thank you once more. Two huge jobs down and one to go!

Your friend,

Linda

The Sky—Thursday, March 9, 2015

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Dayphoto

“The sky is the daily bread of the eyes”: —Ralph Waldo Emerson

Oh, how right Mr. Emerson is!

Today Terry and I are driving to Rifle, Colorado, to pick up our oldest granddaughter. Linkin is missing us and asked if she could come stay several days …Thursday through Sunday.

There was NO hesitation on our part! YES! We will be there. Terry was a little concerned with Linkin missing school, but she is top of her class—a couple of days spent with her grandparents won’t hurt her school work. I will just have to make sure she gets her homework done, if she has any.

We will meet her parents back in Rifle on Sunday sending a ‘refreshed’ little girl home until spring break at the end of this month.

The neighbor’s (across the way from the other house) cat has had kitten’s over in the barn at our other house. The three little kitten’s will be four weeks old when we pick up Linky…they are purr-fect for a cat-loving 10 year old little girl to spend lots of quality time petting. The Momma cat is very loving and a nice sharer of her kittens; I thinking the Momma will enjoy lots of loving also.

With great joy,

Your friend,

Linda

Best Dressed Cow and Calf—Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Dayphoto

My favorite cow had her calf. It’s so pretty.

Isn’t it a cutie? It has a black nose!

Your Friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Waning Moon—Monday, March 9, 2015

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Dayphoto

The moon is starting to morph into a different look, not as full, coming up later in the evening and much later in the day.

It’s still really beautiful. The early dawn gave the moon a slight pink shade as it slid under the rim of the Uncompahgre Plateau. (Un-come-pah-gray—-accent on the pah.)

You can see more of the houses on the flat lands just before their ground drops off into Robideaux Canyon…you can also see the edge of our mesa (and farm) at the end of the corn field.

It’s up there clear above the snow packed slick canyon walls Mr. Davis and his daughter’s cows will spend their summer days.

Off now to go work in the old coal room. Soon it will become a much different room. (Terry and I hope). If we don’t go down there, we will start hauling dirt to build ditches with and to level out some of the fields. Seems like we have way too much stuff to do right now.

Hope your day is a good one!

Your Friend,

Linda

Gradually, One Step at a Time—Sunday, March 8, 2015

Posted on March 8, 2015 by Dayphoto

Gradually —- one step at a time we are getting the projects down at the other house done. The refrigerator and the stove are now in their new position in the kitchen and the kitchen is rewired to accommodate their move.

The new sheet rock is up ready for Terry to mud in the seams and for me to paint–sometime this week.

The old coal room and the pantry are starting to take shape as one room. Friday and Saturday Terry and I started removing the very well built coal furnace chimney…it is no longer in use and stuck in the middle of the new room to be.

Our oldest daughter helped us on Friday and

Saturday our son and his wife came out and helped take most of the chimney down. Terry and I will get the rest.

Things still left to do, before farming starts:

Build an entry under the house so repairs are easier
Finish the plumbing on the tub
Move the water heater to it’s new spot
Wire the new room for electrical plug ends
Hang the new walls

The furnace and duct work will occur sometime this summer.

Our goal is to have everything finished by the end of next week. Please keep your fingers and toes crossed that we make it! (Magic thoughts and/or prayers would be nice also. 🙂 )

Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda