While the Gods Hold Their Breath— Thursday, August 3, 2017

Posted on August 3, 2017 by Dayphoto

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”–Rachel Carson

I must confess I have a favorite word…it is a word I don’t use often, nor do I find ways to incorporate it into my conversations…like those common words: COOL, DUDE, YA KNOW…I don’t even sprinkle in this word here and there

but it is a word I think describes how I feel on a daily basis….

The word is Dazzle.

I feel dazzled as sun touches the word’s edge…morning or evening

Or the glittering lights sparkle on the ripples, making the rather muddy irrigation water twinkle like jewels — sending a blessing to all the water touches

Even the run, to check water, in the deep silence of the night brings out the sky drenched with twinkling stars, or moonlight seeping into everything — turning the world to silver

I feel a most profound and deep joy when the horizon is edged with a Rainbow…

Or the color of flowers is captured in a heap of clouds

I must confess I am most blessed…living on this amazing earth, which sails noiselessly between the stars

Dazzled…that pretty much sums up how I feel about life.

From my world to your heart,

Linda

Riding Straight into the Light—-Monday, June 26, 2017

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Dayphoto

We are gradually moving through the growing season.

The middle of this week we will be cutting the alfalfa (for the second time this year)

The swallows flit and dart through the air searching out bugs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Keeping the mosquitoes at bay!

We are still having wind…sometimes a light breeze that stirs the leaves in the garden, sometimes a wind, which whips the branches of the trees, and sometimes a wind we can not see; stirring the clouds causing cloud shadows to move swiftly across our farm

This part of earth is truly full of peace.

All people — well, the majority of people—crave peace.

I find peace here…on this little dab of land…where dreams lift off the earth and rush toward the stars,

The swelling morning sun shouts “WAKE-UP”

And the red blaze of the western sun fills the evening sky.

Mother Earth, Father Sky…the infinite Universe…healer/scryer…the gift of peace.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Last of Summer’s Hay—-Thursday, September 1 , 2016

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Dayphoto

Sunday we ‘did’ hay.

Because we had lots of rain and hail before we could get the hay up; Terry had to ‘turn’ the hay. Sunday Morning he raked the hay turning it over so the top will be the bottom, and the bottom will be the top and the top will dry.

Then about 1:00 in the afternoon the alfalfa had turned to hay. Off Terry went to bale.

And Boomer and went out to roll bales and pick up broken bales (there were only two) and pick up all the loose hay on the corners

Then we started hauling in the bales.

(See the twisted bales?)

I did have a sort of a fright…not bad, but I was very much startled. A huge bull snake was resting under one of the bales, when I moved the bale he jumped up and slithered off and I jumped up and out of his path! 🙂 🙂

We got half the field up and then finished on Monday; after we finished we worked some more on the firewood.

We are still irrigating, the alfalfa field will be the last field we set water on then we will be done for the year. BUT FIRST…the field has to be marked out so the water can get down the rows. Seems like there is always something.

It’s cold enough we must wear jackets in the early morning and late evening when we set water. Sure seems early for jackets, but it is what it is.

Next will be pinto bean harvest—soon…very soon.

(Terry and I are getting a tad tired right now.)

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Gladness Makes the Heart Lighter —Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Dayphoto

Sunrise!

The storm cleared leaving us with a brilliant chilly morning, heavy with frost on the ground.

Terry has started farming today. The first field to tackle is the alfalfa field. It is 5 years old and starting to wear out. He will plant ten more acres this spring—enough to keep him busy, but not as much as before.

Last night’s sunset!

After much thought he has decided to downsize. Not in acres farmed, but in What he farms.

He will be cutting back on the corn, but increasing the pinto beans. Pinto beans are much easier to grow and to harvest. So once we get to have fresh pinto beans right from the field. YAY!

It has been a gladness that has made his heart much lighter—this farming decision.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Land Calls—Monday, February 29, 2016

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Dayphoto

Oh! Jolly! This the LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY! YIPPEE!!

Terry and I have been working on the corn combine…little repairs here and there. Yes, I help, invariably we come into the house with cuts and bruises, but it’s getting finished. Ready for next years harvest. As I write this he is putting in the last couple of bolts.

Saturday afternoon he started on repairing the heater in the grain truck. It’s very cold sitting down at the elevator withOUT a heater.

Well, I think you have now guessed the answer to the million dollar question—Terry is going to farm.

“Are you sure?” I asked. Worry in my voice and concern on my face.

“I’m sure. There are still things I want to do on the place, stuff I want to improve on, things that need my attention.” he replied with a huge smile.

“Only stuff I will do, not someone else.”

I need to tear up the old alfalfa field and reseed a new field, take the dirt ditch and turn it into a cement ditch….fix fences so Hank’s cows can come again—if it’s rented out Hank has to take his cows someplace else.

“I really can’t see myself sitting around.”

“But you won’t sit around, you have tons of projects you want to work on, not related to farming.”

” I know. I truly think I have dirt for blood.”

So there you have it! We begin again. At least for one more year. As long the body and mind can keep going. We will keep farming on this farm created many years ago by Terry’s grandfather (purchased by us), until time demands stopping.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Getting Close–Thursday, September 25, 2015

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Dayphoto

We are getting close (now), to being done, with the pinto bean harvest. Tomorrow should see the end!

Prices are low. They are low on the corn and the hay also. But storing something doesn’t always produce a higher price later on.

I always find this so odd…the farmer get a small amount, but the retail in the grocery store is extremely high…too many middle people along the way, I guess.

We are still irrigating the alfalfa field. It’s a big field and takes a long time to get across, but we should finish with the irrigation by Saturday.

After that we wait.

Corn harvest will start the last of October, or in November sometime, it all depends on the moisture content of the corn.

Winding down to gear up again…it called harvest!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Start of the Pinto Bean Harvest, Thursday, September, 17, 2015

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Dayphoto

Right after breakfast and the next set of irrigation water on the alfalfa field, Terry, Boomer, and I header over to hook-up the bean puller and bar.

This is the bean puller

And hook up the bar on the back of the 730. You understand that Terry does most the work. Boomer is off somewhere checking out the news and I’m pretty much there to give him a tool, or the handyman jack, or move something out the way. 🙂

That’s the blade…the puller pulls the beans out the ground and the blade cuts off any stems the puller misses.

The pinto beans are ready. The plant is dry, with only the weeds staying green and growing.

Up and down, careful, careful…you don’t want to run over the plants and loose your crop.

Slowly, ever so slowly,

The beans are put into rows. Once the day warms up, Terry stops— warmer air will dry the dew off the pods causing the pods to split and spill the beans.

Tomorrow (if all goes well) he will put on a different blade and go out and lift all the rows UP so they are fluffy and can have air circulate among the plants.

Then we wait. Terry says (if the warm weather holds and NO rain), in about a week the green weeds should be dry and he can start combining.

Harvest! A huge process with nice results.

Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Day of Catching Up—Thursday, August 20, 2015

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Dayphoto

We are picking up all the loose ends today–

Terry and I ran down early, early this morning to cut some tree limbs, which were too close to the roof on the other house.

A hay customer just left

We checked to see how the bean crop was doing at the early morning irrigation –the pods are now at the green string bean stage…we need at least three more weeks of growing weather for them to ripen and strip.

The corn is looking good. This is not sweet corn, but the kind of corn you have for cereal, corn bread, and animal food. Harvest for the corn is not until late October or sometime in November.

The alfalfa is coming along nicely. It looks like around Labor day will be third and last cutting of hay.

Boy, the growing season is fast coming to a close!

I’m pleased with my canna bed. This is where we cut down a dead pine tree this winter. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do with this area, but I think having the cannas here was a very good thing.

Like most of you, we are having cold temps. It was 47* this morning when we woke-up. Sure feels like fall. Although, we are NOT ready for a freeze. We need the heat to return to be able to get the crops to maturity.

I guess I won’t worry about it…there is nothing I can do anyway.

Your friend as always,

Linda

Catch a Falling Star — Thursday, July 23, 2015

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Dayphoto

After Terry cut the alfalfa and I stopped painting for the day–meaning after supper, we went out and worked in the pinto bean field.WE FINISHED!!! The pinto beans are free and clear (for a spell)

There will be weeds appearing again, but for Terry and I— we are done. The pinto beans are starting to shoot the feelers. These little vines will grab onto to each other and cause the rows to grow shut.

The sun had set and we were heading back home, when I noticed something flashing and twinkling in the late evening sky.

Drifting down, down, down we saw it land gently in the upper part of the pinto bean field. Hopeing it would NOT get away I hurried to the upper end of the pinto bean field, to see a helium balloon shaped like a star resting among the pinto bean rows.

A fun little gift from the heavens!

I nestled the star on the four-wheeler, laying a large rock on it’s string, tucked my weeding knife securing under the bars and brought the falling star home.

Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—Help

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Dayphoto

Blade’s here!!! He has been here for a week, but Mom says the week is about over!

He’s been helping Mom and Dad lots! Where ever they go and whatever they do, he is right there with them.

JUST LIKE ME!

We all went out and rolled bales for Dad…that means we straightened up all the bales so the stack wagon can just come along and pick them up, without Dad having to get off and straighten the bale first.

Then Blade gathered the loose cut alfalfa the baler missed on the back end of the first field, while Mom and I gathered the loose hay on the upper end.

Blade picked the hardest part; he said he really wanted to do, so Mom and I let him.

Mom says Blade cuts her work in ½, he is that good of helper.

Dad is cutting the big field of alfalfa now. Mom says that when this alfalfa has dried down into hay, it will just be she and I to do everything.

I sat down on the ground and whapped my tail several times, with great love in my eyes. I’ll be here to help Mom, I tried to convey to her.

Mom gave me lots of pats, “I know, Boomer. It’s just Blade gets OFF the 4-wheeler and actually moves the bales.”