The Forest Service is doing a controlled burn on the Uncompahgre (Un-come-pah-gray with the accent on the gray) Plateau—two days and two nights so far and heading into the third day.
The late western sun creates many stunning colors along the horizon, here, where we live the shadows are long and deep and dark, while in the forest the fires rage. 😦
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
The earth sings—truly it does
Sometimes the sound is like a cord
Or a warm humming sound
Sometimes the tone is like a gong tolling long and loud and clear
It can be heard in the gusts of wind,
Or in the the swirling falling autumn leaves
Or felt…sometimes the music is sensed in the radiance of the sunlight or moonlight
But always, always bursting into our souls—- if we just stop and listen.
From my world to your heart,
Linda
Sunlight and shadow fill the late autumn skies
The days are still soft, warm enough I can let the wood stove go out by three o’clock and the house stays warm until early morning the next day. That winter-cold which slowly seeps into the land is late coming this year.
The relief at not having to fill the grain bins, then unload the grain bins has been palpable. There is always loss at putting the corn in the bin, taking the corn out and the amount of labor eats up any profit. (although WE are the labor)
The days are now filled with fixing fences, or checking fences, or making sure the fences are still up….
Sadly this is hunting season…and always, always we have people who cross over the posted fences to go hunting on our land. If they can’t climb the fence, they WILL cut the fence.
It’s rather disgusting the wanton destruction of property. Sigh!
But, oh well, that is just part of living on our farm. All a person can do is take it in stride–
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Bringing forth words to convey feelings, or to describe a scene is sometimes …
A bit hard.
Searching my mind for those exact words which project what I’m seeing, feeling, or hearing
Causes me to pause for I wish to show to you the earth, the sky, and capture the feeling in words that is see, hear, and feel
Looking for that perfect word reminds me how limited my vocabulary really is–
To help you see (beyond the photographs) the wind rippling through the corn stalks, or
Or clouds obscuring the sun in the possible threat of rain
Or the golden leaves being pushed off the tree’s branches as the sap slowly descends to the roots
Readying for the long winter’s night. I always think of this time of falling leaves as trees making haste slowly, every so slowly preparing for rest and a pause in breathing
The canal water is now gone. Turned off to winter in the Blue Mesa Dam or clear up at Taylor Reservoir. The silence of the tumbling churning water is as stunning as breaking glass…
For us our work is slowing, but not stopping. The harvests are all in, paychecks will arrive sometime in December.
A whole season of farming from daylight to sunset and sometimes in the deep of night.
The perfect life for Terry and I—
From your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Daily Boomer,
Mindy the cat, and I
(and sometimes Terry) go for a walk about the farm there is always something interesting to see and ponder over. Like…
A scary fire five miles away from us —which is an early burning off of a cornfield
The disturbed ground showing huge footprints
As something very large walked down one of the farm roads. My blood does not sing with the ability to know and understand tracks, but I do know this is a LARGE animal
Or these oddly placed twin ‘jet streams’ floating in the wind high in the sky
Speaking of sky…the thickened clouds bringing in weather make the shadows on the ground seem tame in comparison.
From my world to your heart,
Linda
Although, it’s a ton of work, Terry decided he wanted to fill one of the Butler bins with the remaining corn in the field
So yesterday in the warmth of the afternoon we hauled out the auger
Set it up
Then while he combines I will fill the bin; saving corn to sell at a later date.
BUT WAIT!!!!!!
Our neighbor a mile away, who is a big rancher in the area drove down our lane just as we were about to start filling the bin!
“I sure could use some corn, if you have any extra,” he explained
“We have extra”, Terry replied.
So as luck and the blessings of Heaven everything works out for the both of us. Our corn has a new home and the rancher’s cows have more feed!
Life is good!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
I got a package in the mail the other day…a total surprise. After the walk down the long lane to the mailbox, finding the package—-I skipped and ran, walked and jog, back home to open this surprise addressed to me.
What a thoughtful and wonderous hand-made gift!
Thank you so much, Rita! You are most kind!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
We still have standing corn. Several more ton. There is hope to have it done by Friday.
After that dismal Bronco’s game, Boomer, Mindy and went for a wee walk. I with my camera, Boomer with his inquisitive nose, and Mindy with her green eyes a-hunting.
Stopping along the corn field I sat quietly watching the swirling birds feasting on the fallen kernels of corn
Quietly I settled down to wait and watch; my companions moving on to things of their particular interest
The little birds rose and danced on little gusts of vagrant (with corn dust) breezes
Sometimes coming close enough I wondered if I could reach out and touch their shimmering wings….but no…I only watched and snapped photos of their exquisite little dance
Of birds feeding on tattered corn stalks and shattered corn cobs floating before my eyes!
From my world to your heart,
Linda
I had a birthday party this week!
Well actually I had and Adoption Day Party this week.
I came to live with Mom, Dad, and
Fuzzy in late October.
I was a rescue Beagle!!!
I’ve been with Mom and Dad six years!!
Everyone says I’m about 11 years old now.
But I still do all the things I love to do
I keep the farm safe! I read the news All the Time!
Have great adventures…living on a farm is PERFECT for a Beagle
I play with friends.
And always, always, always (try to) come when Mom calls me!
Anyway…HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
Boomer Beaglie Brown!
Joe Cooper, a long-time reader and delightful contributor to this little blog, sent the following email and photo–
“Hi Linda.
Hope all is well.
I went to pick up my daughter tonight from a friend’s house after trick or treating.
9 o’clock and they are harvesting the soybeans.
NW corner of Stewart and Simons Roads
Plainfield, Illinois
10/31/2017 at 9pm
Just thought I would pass it along.
Thanks for giving me a good read every day.
Joe”
Harvest going on long into the night!
Thank you, Joe!
From the farming world to your heart,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 