The Adventures of TLC Cai-Cai on Friday—-Farm Life Series 9, The Crop Market, Friday, September 24, 2021

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Dayphoto

MOM!!! MMMMMEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

“Come in, TLC Cai-Cai,” Mom invited. “Come sit with me for a spell and have your head rubbed.

So, I did.

So, she did. It was so peaceful, just sitting with Mom, purring.

Maybe you could tell me more about Farm Living, Mom. I purred.

“Well, let’s see…the Crop market. I don’t think I’ve told you about the crop market. You see this is the PRICE Dad gets when he sells something. That price is set by a thing called “Supply and Demand.” Mom explained, as she gently rubbed under my chin.

AHHHHH….so nice. Purrr.

“What that means is, if there is a lot of something, then the price for that something is low, but if there isn’t a lot of something then the price rises higher.” I stretched out my full length so Mom would rub on my backbone.

“So, you see, if the market is down, then the whole season’s work (March through November) can make it so a farmer doesn’t get anything for all his effort.

That is why a farmer tries to grow lots and lots of different crops. There is corn for silage/ensilage, corn for people to eat all summer long called sweet corn, corn for animals, and corn for people called corn flakes, cornmeal, lots of corn things. This is why corn is such a big crop. At least around our part of the world.” Mom petted me all the way down my side and clear over to the tip of my tail.

Lovely….sigh….purrrrrrrrr

“Some farmers grow onions, and pinto beans, and pumpkins, and well just lots and lots of different products so people and animals can eat.”

“Oh, yes, Mom said scratching my ears OH MY THAT FEELS GOOD—and hay. Hay can be alfalfa and it can be grass. We grow alfalfa here. This way farmers try to have different types of crops so there is always some money coming in.”

In, I thought dreamily to myself. I understand about wanting and needing to come in.

Suddenly Dad was in the house getting a drink of water. I jumped up and headed toward the door.

I’ve had enough of In…

Out I go with Dad.

TLC Cai-Cai

A Wee Bit of Sad, with a Hurry Hurry Plea — Thursday, September 23, 2021

Posted on September 23, 2021 by Dayphoto

The little hummers are still filtering through

They don’t stay long…just spend time to fill up then they are GONE

Oh, gosh! I say to them….Hurry, Hurry a big freeze will soon be coming and you don’t want to be here when it happens.

Fingers crossed I don’t have any more come through. Which means they have finally made it through our part of the world to someplace else much warmer.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Before I Can Blink — Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Dayphoto

We have cornfields all around us

Since the moon rises in the East and there is a cornfield, I went out to watch September’s Full Moon

Rise through, and then above the corn tassels

It seemed that I blinked and there the moon was, rising through the flickering corn leaves.

What a joy to see.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

We’ve Reached the End—Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Dayphoto

It’s turned decidedly cool now

In the early mornings

Jacket wearing cool.

Terry is saying:

we are about to come to the end

Of the irrigation season.

Soon.

So until that moment, I will enjoy the sun on the water as the last fields are irrigated.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

How Quickly the Years Flash By—Love you Bella, Miss You —- Monday, September 20, 2021

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Dayphoto

Our son let us know that yesterday,

Our little fur grandchild,

that Sweet Darling Bouncy, Bright and Sunny little Bella-Boo passed over the Rainbow Bridge to be with

her brother Zookie

Bella and Zookie would stay with us (Boomer really) off and on all their lives.

Oh, sweet Bella-Boo. Grammy loves you. Now you can be with Zookie and with my darling little beagle, a wonderful friend of yours.

Although we know you are pain-free now and joyfully running and playing, our hearts are sad.

Love you, Bella—run and play,

Grammy

A Forlorn Time of Year — Sunday, September 19, 2021

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Dayphoto

The Barn Swallows gathered, filling the shimmering electric lines

They stayed there a good length of time.
Then lifted up as one

Then they were gone.

COME BACK NEXT YEAR, I called! THANK YOU FOR THIS YEAR!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Adventures of TLC Cai-Cai on Friday—-Farm Life Series 8, Wind, Rain, Drought, Sun, Weather, September 17, 2021

Posted on September 17, 2021 by Dayphoto

“TLC Cai-Cai, what are you doing?” Mom asked me in a puzzled voice.

Hunting, I mentally thought to her. She didn’t hear me or understand…humans just don’t get animal speak, sometimes.

So, I just went on doing what I am doing. Although, I did keep one ear and one eye on Mom so I would know what she was wanting. 😊

“You are nine months old, now, my Kitty-Kitty. Mom said, walking behind me with her camera. “Just to warn you; Fall is coming. Soon you will see leaves and leaves all over the lawn, the grass will stop being green and the air will cool way down.

But this is all good. It’s just part of the changing of the seasons.”

I jumped up into the air, quickly running off…I missed. But I will get it the next time. It can be anything…

bird (of course, not if Mom is around, lizard, or grasshopper.

Mom tries to stop me on bird and lizard, but she lets me get the grasshoppers.)

“Soon we will start having more and more Fall rains (we hope, Mom muttered to herself), and the air will get very crisp and down-right cold in the mornings.” Mom kept pace with me while I hunted.

That’s okay…I like getting my photo taken. Mom says I am very photogenetic. Preen, Preen 😊

POW!

DID IT!!

I got a grasshopper!

SEE Mom! A GRASSHOPPER!

“Nice, TLC Cai-Cai! I think your mind is on other things today. We will continue teaching you about Farm Life another time.

Mom gave me a nice pet and rub on my head, turned around, and went back into the house.

I played with the grasshopper until he wouldn’t move anymore. Then it was time to go HUNTING again!

TLC Cai-Cai

Crops and Where We Are Now — Thursday, September 16, 2021

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Dayphoto

The corn is drying now…past all its growing time getting ready for harvest

Each field (we have three) shows the maturity of the corn –the shucks drying down,

The tops turning gold, then gradually turning brown.

The kernels are dented

and hard enough you can’t poke a hole in them.

The last set of water has been accomplished and then turned off of all the cornfields.

Although, we are still irrigating the three alfalfa fields.

But, for the corn, the growing season has finished. Now we wait for it to dry down to the correct dryness, at which time we start corn harvest.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

My Favorite Part of Homecoming — Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Posted on September 14, 2021 by Dayphoto

I was sitting in the car, parked behind the scoreboard when a small group of Middle School boys passed me by:

One of the young men separated himself from the others and stood in front of our car; crossing his arms in front of his chest he said to me: “A Corvette! I LOVE CORVETTES!”

Then they were off.

A few minutes later the group returned and I thought: Why not make their day and mine. So I got out of the car, asked one of the young men if he was the one who made the comment that he LOVES corvettes. He replied no. And I explained to him I was going to ask that young person if he would like to have a sit in the car.

“WOW! I’ll go get him!” He was off. Running a high speed to the grandstands, in seconds (YES SECONDS) he was back with his Corvette-loving friend.

I asked my question again, receiving an emphatic nod of the head and a dash to the rider’s side of the car.

“No, Wait!” I said. “Get in on the driver’s side.”

The young man stopped for just a second and wildly ran around the back of the car to get in the door I had open.

His smile said it all.

Then more friends showed up

The atmosphere of excitement was HUGE!

Their joy filled my, heart!

More friends showed up; the Jeepster owners gave permission for a young man and his friend to sit in their classic car.

The young man explained while he asked for permission, that his grandpa had found a Jeepster not long ago and was starting to restore it. If he could just sit in this one he would know what it was going to be like to ride with his grandpa. Gary and Connie graciously understood.

Now the small crowd of “Car Guys” had GROWN.

And another young man (in the Driver’s Seat) asked if he could sit behind the wheel, just once in his life.