Dear Friends–Sunday, February 15, 2015

Posted on February 15, 2015 by Dayphoto

Dear Friends, my kids from Craig, Colorado are here today so I’m taking a small break. I will visit your blogs and answer all your emails and comments right after everyone leaves.

Thank you for understanding — these grandchildren are growing so fast…why just yesterday I noticed that our Grandson is almost as tall as I am. I suppose that is what happens when you get into Jr. High…you grow! Since I feel like I’m missing out on lots of stuff I want to hang out with them as much as possible.

Your Friend,

Linda

Day Length–Thursday, February 12, 2015

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Dayphoto

Everyday the length is growing longer and longer. Such a huge relief to me.

Here, in our part of the world, the sun is rising close to 7–today 7:08. Of course it starts to get light earlier, around 6:40.

Then the sun sets at 5:45 with twilight lasting a spell.

The joys of a longer day! For us…10 hours and 38 minutes (today).

These longer days, coupled with the warmer weather is making February go fast.

Looking at the weather maps there is a huge line drawn straight down the United States, terrible cold and snow on one side, unusually warm on the other half. What a study in contrasts!

For now, though, I am enjoying the longer days and the beautiful skies!

Your Friend,

Linda

A Front Row Seat—Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Dayphoto

I really am not understanding this crazy warm weather we are having…70* yesterday with a wind out of the west.

Terry and I finished working on the fence around the place–it would not do to have cows moving beyond our farm, into someone else’s place or out on the road.

I also worked upstairs getting ready for company. Our kids and grandchildren are coming from Craig on Friday; they have a three day school break.

Plus it’s Tallin’s 7th Birthday! Tally wanted to come to Grammy’s and Grandpa’s for her birthday–‘because that is where we always celebrate our birthdays’ she said.

You know that has her Grandpa and I very pleased!

But back to this incredible light from the sky lately…one night we were surround in rose, then last night a golden light filtered through the wind driven clouds.

We loaded a trailer of hay as the sun started setting…during a break I rushed around taking photos to share with you. Rose to Gold sure is amazing.

We are concerned about this extremely warm weather we are having for February, it feels more like the second week in March. The skies (though) are showing colors of summer. There really isn’t anything we can do about it; just sit back and enjoy and trust that good will come for all.

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

A Spot of History—Monday, January 9, 2015

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Dayphoto

Before I move forward

The dome building behind the cows is someone’s house. Our farm is the edge of California Mesa, then it drops down into what the old-timers call ‘No-Man’s Land’. No-man’s-land is the flat land just before the next drop into Roubidoux Canyon. No-man’s-land is very poor ground, not fit for good farming back in 1882 when Delta was incorporated. Farming was hard enough in our area, although not so bad in the town of Delta and North Delta…they had water. Water the lifeblood of man.

Here you see the edge of the mesa better. You also see more of the flat land.

Today the flatlands have been subdivided allowing people to live ‘out in the country’. Also, water is available, which always helps any ground improve. I could go on and on about the history of our place, but I think I will stop here.

On a sidebar note—those gigantic transmission power lines are on the OTHER Side of Roubidoux Canyon…The blue/grey is the foot hills of the Uncompahgre Plateau, and the blue is The Uncompahgre Plateau.

I’m sure I’ve bored you long enough. I thank you for stopping by and asking questions. I love to go on and on about the history of this area, but…enough, really is enough!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Friday and Saturday’s Update—Sunday, February 8, 2015

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Dayphoto

Friday was so nice Terry and I decided to get the roof on the Tile House…this is a little house that was once used to bottle milk and then became Grandma Brown’s wash house for laundry. Over the years I’ve used it for many things, now it stores all my canning, food dryers, and the freezer plus just plain “stuff” that I really need to go through and sell or give away.

We are so warm here that Terry and I worked in our shirtsleeves, in fact it was down right hot for a little while. Very unusual for this time of year, but I’ll take it. I guess, I have to take it there is nothing else to do. 🙂

By Friday night we were done! DONE! Finished on the tile house roof…do a happy dance! And very tired!

Also, on Friday half of the cows arrived; I counted 60 soon to be Momma Cows!

They have made the rounds of the whole place checking everything out—here, there and everywhere. Not stopping, but for a mouth full of this or that. Today they have sorta settled down, picking one field, over by the barns, or by the other house and staying for several hours, then moving on to another interesting spot.

Boomer and I have taken a few walks out to see how they are doing…I just love being around cows.

Today promises to be just as warm as Friday and Saturday, the sunsets are still stunning in their summer-like colors (you are looking North toward Grand Mesa) , this is the day we take off, which is always nice.

I hope your Sunday is a good one, where ever you are! Thank you so much for stopping by for a visit.

Your Friend on a Western Colorado Farm

Linda

We Finally Finished—Thursday, February 5, 2015

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Dayphoto

Finally Terry and I are done with the trees and the fences. What a huge intense mess we had for a spell. But now we are done! YAY!

Now the cows can come and I can enjoy them. It’s always fun to see the girls arrive–these are first year heifers and second year cows, which means this is the first year for the young cows to have a calf and the second year for last years heifers to calve out. The reality is these cows are 2 and 3 years old. They have spent their youth here on our place and/or calved out the first time here with us.

I delight when they come, they run here and there, grabbing bits of food, heading to old favorite spots AND coming over to visit us (in particularly the fenced off hay yard; one never knows if the hay yard just MIGHT not be fenced off.) It takes them a good 10 days to settle into a routine.

Uncle Spike posted a double Rainbow, he said I could link to him so you can see it also!

Even if there wasn’t rainbow right here on the farm, a beautiful sign of hope appeared in my inbox.

All is well!

Before I forget here is the skyline in full daylight. The only blight is the dead tree stump—which is 30 feet or so in air. We still might cut it clear to the ground, but this is the stump Misty wants to have Kelly make into a platform for the kids to play on. Our grandchildren are NOT afraid of height, their grandmother is.

Today I’m going to CLEAN my house! As you might know it is in dire need after the last several days of trees and fences. I also need to go buy a birthday present for a certain little granddaughter who will be 7 on the 15th of February.

Thanks to each and everyone of your for stopping by and reading about our Life on a Colorado Farm. I also appreciate all your comments and your support for the Sherlock Boomer story. I’m rather jazzed to see if I can actually create a full book.

The sun is shining here and we are heading up to 62* by this afternoon!

Life is Good!

Your friend on a Colorado Farm

Linda

The Skyline—Tuesday, January 3, 2015

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Dayphoto

We finished with all the huge, gigantic stuff yesterday. It took all three of us…the men on the tractors and me doing the ground work, but we made it!

There is such joy in those three words–WE MADE IT!!!

Here is a photo of the skyline—I almost forgot, which is why you are getting it in the evening.

You can still see the lightening struck tree (stump) in the back, but the front only looks a little thinner. I think I worried for nothing. Remember Misty wants that stumps to create another play area for the kids.

I will try to get a better photo today! I don’t think it will show a huge gaping hole–like I was afraid it would. (This is the one before the trees were cut)

Today we are building fences, so I must hurry and get myself down there–Terry is already there setting up the electric fencer. We begin in earnest, on the fences the second I arrive.

Your friend

Linda

Back to Work we go—-Monday, February 2, 2015

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Dayphoto

It’s cloudy here! Even foggy. And cold! So in this part of the world it looks like we are heading toward a early Spring!

YAY!!!! Doing the happy dance here! Spring is always a welcome arrival.

The heavy clouds made their way in last night, flowing toward us from the Durango area. Although, the Uncompahgre (Un-come-pah-gray) Plateau looked clear, the setting sun flung this amazing red and hot pink color upon the gathering storm clouds.

This stunning HOT color is very unusual this time of year!

Normally the clouds are a pale wash of color; albeit still beautiful!

I have no idea WHY we are seeing this dark hue this time of year—it doesn’t matter because not matter what…I always love the sky!

Off now to haul more logs and to rake bark and twigs and chips…the cows come Wednesday or Thursday so we must get a move on!

Your Friend,

Linda

Good Morning Everyone! Sunday, February 1, 2015

Posted on February 1, 2015 by Dayphoto

Good morning everyone! Moving After two days of heavy gray clouds blocking the sun and sending life-giving moisture into our rather dry soil, we woke-up this morning to a very beautiful day.

Another blessing in the storm is it stopped our work on the removal of the wood from the two trees we had cut down. I think that was a good thing. It’s better to have a break in the work than to break something on your body (all three of us, Terry, Scott (our neighbor) and myself are over 65–just saying.) If the weather stayed nice we would not have stopped…we needed to stop. A three day rest is a good thing (we always rest on Sunday, only the things that MUST be done is ever accomplished on Sunday.)

Tree-work Our neighbor is taking the wood for his outside furnace so we don’t have to haul anything far. The wood from the front tree is way too wet to burn this year, but the wood from the lightening struck tree is dead. This is a win-win for Scott as he has dry wood to finish out the heating season and wood to start the next heating season. It’s a win-win for Terry and I because we have help cleaning up the mess AND we know that the wood is being put to good use instead of just dumped at the Upper End. The GIANT logs we are taking to the Upper End to make hollows for fox (or whomever) have a place to hide.

Scott and Terry both have tractors, Scott has forks on his and Terry uses the bucket.

This leaves me to do all the brush work, rake up all the chips, and to chain up the logs. We are making huge headway. As soon as the ground dries enough we should be able to finish up next week.

We better finish up next week, since Hank stopped and said he was going to be bringing in his first year heifers and his second year cows probably around Thursday.

I just about have the chips and bark and branches out of the corn field gate, which is a good thing…I wouldn’t want any of the cows to get something stuck in their hooves.

If we can get the big stuff and the field stuff done before the cows we can finish up the back yard after the fence is built. Lots of pressure right now to get stuff done.

THEN I told Terry it will be time to put the new roof on the tile house, after which we will be close, if not already started, on Spring farm work.

I think the time of February is going to fly by!

Many of you have emailed asking me to post a photo of the skyline with the trees gone. I shall…I want to have all the trash cleaned up before I do. Surprisingly (so far) it doesn’t look bad down there. Misty wants us to keep the lightening struck stump in the back for Kelly to build something for the kids to play in, so we will. Kelly built a tree house for the kids in one of the other trees; having something cool in this one will add to the fun of the back yard.

The front tree will be gone…I’m thinking I might put a planter where it was and fill it with something colorful. Maybe. It all depends on how it looks. I might just fill in the spot with grass. Grass is always nice on the eyes.

Look at this sunset last night as the storm broke up and left us! The colors are amazing for this time of year!

Thanks for stopping by!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Big Thank YOU, Thursday, January 29, 2015

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Dayphoto

I want to give all of you a BIG THANK YOU for all the encouragement with my new endeavor with Sherlock Boomer! The Chapter One is now posted with good reviews. I shall continue until the very end, at which time there Should be a book.

The Adventures of Boomer will still continue on Friday, after all Boomer does tell about Farm life from his perspective. Life on a Colorado Farm seen through the eyes of a beagle, so to speak.

Maybe I’ll figure out how to make Fuzzy and Boomer’s adventures into a true story yet, many of you suggested I give it a good try. I’m open to suggestions if you want to leave me a comment or to email me. As Sallie from The Traveling Grainvilles, and others of you pointed out Fuzzy was a vital part of the farm for a very long time.

Another thing you might notice is my blog got a mini-make-over thanks to Uncle Spike. (Uncle Spike is a farmer in Turkey. You might head on over– his blog is very diverse and full of photos and cool adventures he has had over his life.)

Uncle Spike very graciously helped me get the comment section set-up so I can answer everyone’s comments right on the blog! I like the idea of answering the comments right on the blog as it gives depth to the post it would otherwise not have.

Uncle Spike then set up the header with categories —under Fuzzy and Boomer you will find the Adventures of Boomer and the Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer. Life on a Colorado Farm is all other posts except Sherlock Boomer. Sherlock Boomer will be the serial posts, which I hope will result in a book.

An Invitation is still there…I’m still thinking on it. I like the idea of inviting people to sign-up but maybe it isn’t necessary. I’m open to suggestions if you want to give them to me.

Terry and I and our neighbor have been working steady cleaning up the mess left from the logging of the trees. We must hurry as there is a storm due in here tonight (it might miss us) and we want to have as much done as possible —if it is a very wet storm. Also, the cows are coming the middle of next week, which means me MUST get done down there and get the fence put back up.

Once more THANK YOU!