The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—Flat Stanley

Posted on February 6, 2015 by Dayphoto

“Hey, Boom! Wanta go to the mailbox with me?” Mom asked as she stopped by my dog house. I was taking in the sun, sound asleep.

You see the sun had just made its way to shine fully into my doghouse warming up the interior and me!

I was stretched clear out having a good dream.

HUH! I woke-up in a flash. “I do!” I said with big grin as I trotted off behind Mom.

The walk to the mail box takes a little time; you see we have to go ‘down the lane’ to get on the main road. Once down at the road we have to walk a little way down the road to the mail box. Mom doesn’t want me on the main road so I hang back by the culvert until she gets back from the mail box.

Down we went…I sniffed here and there all the way down…Foxy and Red passed by—Pepper walked across the road and left a few smells for me.

Back home Mom sat down on the back step and started opening the mail! “Oh! Boomie, guess what? Rory and his second grade classmates from an Elementary School in the deep-south has made a Flat Stanley at the first of this year’s school year. Rory’s Flat Stanley has gone to several states then to a blog friend, Sara.– (http://morefavoritesheep.blogspot.com/) Sara has sent Flat Stanley to us.”

“Flat Stanley!!?”

“Come on, Boomer! You and Flat Stanley are going to have a great time.”

So off we went—first Flat Stanley took a ride on the 630 John Deere tractor, then he checked out the hay yard, after that we came in and had lunch. Mom took photos so she could send them back to Rory’s second grade class.

“It’s time to say good-bye to our little friend, Boomer.” I’m putting him in the mail to go visit a cotton farm in Littlefield, Texas on the next post.

I graciously said good-bye to Flat Stanley and wished him a great trip traveling here and there and everywhere.

Good-bye, Flat Stanley Mom and I hope Rory enjoys seeing the world through your eyes!

Boomer

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—Rocky/Chaco Man the Rottweiler

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Dayphoto

My oldest sister came over with my oldest nephew, Rocky Chaco Man the Rottweiler, for him and me to have some fun time together.

Shannon and Jason have lots of dogs—they are all hunting dogs, hounds and a lab! But Rocky doesn’t go hunting he guards their place. I don’t go hunting…I pretend guard the farm…so Mom and Shannon thought it would be nice if Rocky and I could have a play date on the farm.

A long (all the way around the farm—then back over the Back Forty, then to the Upper End then down by the alfalfa field) walk.

We had a great time…Rocky marked so many bushes that by the time we got to Back Forty, where the coyotes live, he was just lifting his leg for show– nothing else. I did much better, because after all I live here and I know I have to SAVE UP for the Back Forty so I can let those coyotes KNOW dogs live on the farm!!!

It must have been 300* out there, by the time we got back to the house Rock was foaming at the mouth. Black fur, no water to splash in along the way and not a cloud in sight wears a dog out.

When we got home Mom gave each of us a HUGE dish of water. Rocky slurped his down and then wanted to get in his Mom’s car and go home.

So they did. Shannon loaded Rocky up and drove away. I saw Rocky looking out the back window…he hollered at me that he had a great time and wanted to do it again!

I hollered back! “ANYTIME, Rocky! ANYTIME!”

Boomer

The Cast of Characters

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Dayphoto

The Cast of Characters

Boomer has taken up a new hobby…solving mysteries on the farm. His lovable canine super beagle nose leads him and his farm friends on delightful warm-hearted adventures.
Boomer is a Beagle….although, he doesn’t know he is a beagle. He doesn’t hunt rabbits or mice or chase birds. But he DOES love gathering the news. It was after the loss of his very best friend Fuzzy and falling into a long funk that he decided it was time to start living again. Since Boomer loves to gather the news, solving mysteries was the next step. (See the Fuzzy link)

Monkey Cat—lived in the house for years and years and years. If Mom or Dad made her go outside she would climb on the screen door and hang there until they let her back in. Then suddenly- the year she turned nine –she decided that she was old enough and brave enough to explore the big outdoors. Boomer started taking the little fluffy fraidy-cat with him to see the farm…Monkey Cat has decided that visiting outside is, well, FUN!

Sam-Sam Cat — the wise and oldest animal on the farm. Sammy is fifteen and the undisputed cat all around. Sammy is devoted to Mom and adores Dad. He tolerates Monkey and only goes with Boomer to keep Boomer out of trouble. Often times its Sammy who figures out what REALLY is going on.

Foxy and Red—warm-hearted Fox who live at the Upper End of the farm in a pile of old dead Cottonwood Trees. Mom doesn’t mind the fox family on the farm because there are NOT and chickens on the farm anymore. But IF Mom were to get chickens again (she thinks about it a lot) then Foxy and Red would not be welcomed anywhere near the farm yard. Boomer isn’t much of a watch dog or a guard dog. Boomer has a warm heart for everyone, except the Coyotes. So IF Mom gets chickens, Mom will need to get a guard dog for the hens. Until that time…Foxy and Red pretty much have the run of the whole farm!

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—Back Stop

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Dayphoto

Yesterday was a BLAST!!!

Sam-Sam, Monkey, Mom, Dad, and I all worked outside. The day was cold, but it felt nice to be outside ‘doing stuff’.

Dad was building another backstop for the hay. Since he expanded the acreage of alfalfa he also had to expand the hay yard. First he dug post holes then he started nailing up the backstop wood. Mom just held the wood, Dad does all the hard work, like digging the holes,

the tractor sets the poles, and Mom holds the wood in place.

Then Mom and I went for WALK!!! Actually I went for a jog/run/dash :). My-Sam

Sam-Sam came with us,

but Monkey hung out with Dad!

When we got back Dad and Mom loaded up an old cottonwood burr

to haul to the upper end.

Dad said it would make a nice home for some critter up there.

Then Mom and Dad cut up firewood and Mom hauled it to the house. All the time they were busy — I checked out everything I could…the pipes, the ditches, deer tracks…you name it.

Sam-Sam hung out with Mom and Dad and

Monkey climbed on EVERYTHING!

After that we had to go down to the other house and check on everything down there…that meant a FOUR-WHEELER RIDE!!!!

When all this was finished the day was cooling down and the sun was starting to set!

What a perfect day we had!

Boomer

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—Scent Detection

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Dayphoto

After helping Dad cut down a dying tree in the yard, and cleaning up all the branches and stacking the logs…..

(Mom said it was a sad thing to see it go, Dad said it was important since it might fall into the power line to the meter base on the house.)

Mom and I went for a very looooooooong walk! All the way around the place, even to the front of the place to get the mail and then home. We had a great time.

I’m a beagle, you know. Beagles have great noses, we have short-hair (so the weeds don’t get caught in the hair), and we don’t shed too much. Also, we are small. I only weigh 40 pounds at my heaviest…if I get even two pounds over that I start to get a belly and Dad says I look like a sausage. (Humph…a SAUSAGE!?!?! I Don’t THINK SO!)

(Here is a little secret…after you get older it’s harder to lose weight! Since I’m nine now I have to make sure I go out and sniff around…I used to play tricks on Fuzzy, which was great fun. I would run barking out to the grain bins like something cool was out there; Fuzzy would think he missed something so he would run out barking right behind me…then when he got there we would both go check out the hay yard, over to the equipment area -Dad has two spots- and back around the barn and the two workshops. We had a great time.)

Now it’s easy to just lay around the house soaking the heat from the woodstove into the pads of my feet and taking a snooze. If I get to snoring too much Monkey walks on me until I wake-up. That silly cat.

Anyway, Mom says the house starts to close in on her so when that happens we (Mom and I) go for a walk.

Usually a LONG walk…It’s the best part of my beagle day.

In my former life I always had to walk on a leash….not here!! No sireee, not on the farm, not ever…I get to go wherever I want. (If we go to town I have to have the leash, but not on the farm)

The best part of walks are SMELLS!!!

Humm…this is a good smell…rabbit! Oops! Hawk and rabbit…oh…I don’t think the rabbit made it. Well, I won’t say anything to Mom she’s busy looking over at the apricot tree.

We scent-detection dogs can tell lots of stuff that is going on just by the smells. Here, right here…is the home of some mice…sniff, snuff…ACHOOO!

What a bunch of stuff they have stuck in their hole…all sorts of loose bits of this and that ACHOOO! ACHOOO!!!!

Where is MOM! Wait a minute MOM…MOM! Wait a bit I’ll be right there but I need to mark a few spots here and there. The coyotes need to know they are NOT the only canines on the place!

Nice…I can tell Shannon and Jason have been down here to check on the other house…they had Rocky the Rottweiler with them…yep! Good Job, Rock…let me add some to it!

Mom says I can’t sniff around on the main road, “Hurry, Boom. We have to get over to the mailbox and back to the farm before some county truck, or logging truck or fast speeding car comes…You can gather the news down our lane once we get the mail!”

So Mom and I hurried down the main road, waved to Mr. Happy our new neighbor—the little grandchildren call him Mr. Happy because he is always friendly and waves, past the head gate– where we crossed the main road and got the mail, then we trotted over to the lane to our house.

Sniff, sniff, snuff, snuffel….

CATS!!! Let’s see…the yellow and white tom that belongs to the neighbor down the hill…that tom sure gets around. OH! New cat…hum young, tom, black and furry…oh…he lives at the house across the road close to the church. Looks like they are both mousing. Good for them…Mom always like to have the cats out looking for mice. Hunting for birds now, make Mom unhappy, but cats can catch mice all they want. Fuzzy used to catch mice also. Me…not at all; I just love hunting with my nose!

Home now…sigh! That was a perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Oh…Mom says I have to wait right here while she gets a pan of warm water and a rag…she says I can’t come in until I the mud and weeds out of my paws.

That’s okay…I rather like standing in warm water. Once inside I know I can lay right in front of the fire and soak up the heat in my pads.

Ahhhhhhhh…inside, fire, turn around three times, make sure the paws are pointing toward the wood stove…settle down………..sigh……………good. Boomer

Right on Time–Winter’s Chill–Friday, January 2, 2015

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Dayphoto

The Sunday after Christmas a strong winter storm made it’s way across the Utah border and onto the the Uncompahgre Plateau (Un-come-pah-gray accent on the pah). We watched it slowly fill in the canyons and draws, skimming the tops of the mesas until it started to push it’s way into the Roubidoux Canyon. Once in the canyon it’s just a matter of a fast wind before it hits us. We are the first mesa after you leave the canyon…you can see the flat lands below us (we are the last farm on California Mesa – just before the flat lands which drop off into Roubidoux Canyon.)

Monday morning the kids headed back in a snow storm, leaving well before the storm stopped.

By afternoon the Uncompahgre Plateau was white and we had about an inch of snow. Today we we have about and 1 1/2 inches— not a lot of snow. But what we do have is COLD!

That typical cold, which freezes your skin the minute you head outside. Your air puffs white and steamy as you breathe in and out, in and out. With conditions just right you nose even freezes shut. Sure is a nasty feeling.

Boomer and I still go walking late at night. The moon is almost full now, which allows me to walk without a flashlight—-although I do take one with me.

The air is crisp and full of sounds. Sounds carry far in cold air…I can hear the coal train going through Delta on it’s way to Utah, I can hear the neighbors cows from over in the hollow, and the sound of cars and trucks passing way over there.

Boomer and I walk along …he smells all the news along the way, I see the foot prints…bunny, mice, birds, deer, Sammy the cat’s paw prints, and other canine prints…dog? Coyote? Wild dog packs? Cy-dogs? I don’t pause to decide what I’m looking upon. Lots of our neighbors allow their dogs to roam the farms (never a good idea–a dog chasing livestock is sure to be shot).

When the chill starts to be too much we head back toward the house and the heat of the wood fire. Boomer settles back down for a long winter nap. After filling the wood stove I like to sit by the window watching the frozen world full of white/silver moonlight; the cats sit with me–Sammy on top of the sofa and Monkey in the window. We all stare outside marveling at the mid-night beauty of ice, snow, and sparkling white moonlight.

Your friend on a very frozen farm in the western part of Colorado,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—Company

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Dayphoto

I HAD COMPANY! WOO HOO! It was a great surprise!

Mom and Dad left and then when they came back they had a dog with them.

Mom let us get to know each other slowly. Mom introduced us…Sarah this is Boomer….Boomer this is Sarah. We stared at each other for a short time. Then we both had some good sniffs on each other. That went on for a little while…then Mom said. “Come on, Sarah, Boomer, lets go inside and let Sarah get used to the house and where she is going to sleep.”

That went really well…Mom gave Sarah Fuzzy’s side of the mud room, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD!!! Mom tried to get me to move over to Fuzzy’s side because she said it was much warmer over there—BUT I DID NOT WANT TO GO!

So GOOD! Sarah has my Best Friend’s spot and I don’t have to take it. GOOD!

Sarah stayed with us three days and four nights!

IT WAS A BLAST!

At first Mom kept Sarah on a leash, Mom was afraid Sarah would run away and go back to Rick’s house. Then Mom and I and Sarah would go for lots of walks so Sarah could get used to the farm and the farm buildings. By the beginning of the second day, Mom sat down and talked to Sarah telling her to stay close to me so she would know how to get back to our house—then Mom took off the leash!

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE we had a great time. Sarah helped me look for squirrels and mice…Sarah KILLS MICE! Just like Fuzzy…pounce, bite, snap…all over for the mouse.

I don’t do that I just let the mouse run off. Sammy will get the mouse at some point, I figure.

Inside Mom was a little concerned because Sarah wanted to herd the cats! ALL THE TIME!

“No, Sarah! Those cats live here…you leave them alone!”

So Sarah did, but just barely. If either one of the cats decided to run Sarah said all bets were OFF!!!! (Just for the record neither cat ran…I’m thinking that was a very good thing.)

The only time I had to get on Sarah’s case was when Mom was sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace petting me…belly rub….aaaaaah sure was feeling good. Then Sarah came over and laid down RIGHT NEXT TO MOM! I jumped up and gave her the old one-two…she gave it right back. Mom was right in the middle, which I guess was a good thing, and grabbed both of us by the collar and told us to both sit down.

We did, but just barely.

Then Sarah said…That’s okay Boomer, I won’t take Mom, but I will hang out with Dad.

Dad? Hey! You do that and all is good—I said.

After all that we were friends and getting along just fine.

Then the next morning a big white truck drove up in the yard. A strange man got out of the truck…I sat up and warning bark and howl…Sarah leap to the door with me and started her warning bark when she stopped in mid-sentence.

What’s the deal I asked her?

That’s MY DAD!!! YAY! I haven’t seen my Dad for several weeks…he has been working somewhere far away!

YAY MY DAD! Sarah started dancing around and around. Then there he was, leash in hand and smile on his face.

“Hi, Girl! Come her, Sarah…let’s go home.”

HOME! Okay! GOOD! Let’s Go Home.

Come on Boomer! Come on MOM let’s go home!

Boomer?! Mom?!

Sarah was really sad when she figured out Mom and I were staying here. Mom bent down and gave Sarah lots of pets and loves and told her she could come visit again. Then she gave Sarah a KISS right on the nose! And told her Thank you for coming to play with me.

I watched Sarah jump into the front seat of her big truck and drive off.

HOWWWWWWWWWWWWWL I hollered! THANK YOU FOR COMING, Sarah! I had a great time!

Then Mom opened the door and we went inside to take a nap by the fire. Well, I took a nap, Mom did something else.

You know something….it was nice having company.

Boomer

Sarah–Monday, December 22, 2014

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Dayphoto

Friday, we got a call for help from one of Terry’s friends. Rick is a middle-aged bachelor who lives a mile and half from us and was sick —- with what he thought was the flu.

To make a long story short we got him to the hospital where they operated and started treatment, he was doing much better when he developed pneumonia and then had a massive stroke. It’s been a rather long weekend of worry and concern here.

At the time of this writing he is in Grand Junction at Saint Mary’s Hospital surrounded by his two sisters.

I have Sarah. Sarah hates the camera so I haven’t been able to get a very good photo of her. Sarah is very stressed out, but adjusting to our way of life.

Boomer has had a great time running and playing with Sarah. The only thing Boomer doesn’t like is if Sarah gets too close to me…then he turns into a Jealous Jelly Bean of a dog. Meaning he WILL TAKE ON SARAH…which is NOT GOOD!

Sarah is a man’s dog, this has helped. She has enjoyed going and doing things with Terry and will always, always, go to him and give him the first welcoming kiss or her front paw.

But Sarah isn’t ours.

Rick was keeping Sarah for a friend who was out-of-town. Ken is back home now and will be coming out around 10:00 a.m. to take Sarah home.

It’s been rather fun for Boomer to have running and sniffing companion and someone to share walks with…it hasn’t been fun for the cats since Sarah LOVE TO CHASE CATS!

(Sigh)

My heart goes out to Rick and his family. I am pleased that Sarah will have her human back, although she adored Rick, even slept on the bed with him. I’m glad Boomer had a dog friend for awhile. I have this belief that the perfect dog, which Boomer likes and fits into our family complete with cats will show up.

Oh a brighter note I Thank Each and Everyone of you for your thoughts and well wishes on our Anniversary yesterday. You gave us a very bright spot in this rather gloomy time!

Your friend,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—A Christmas Story from Fuzzy

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Dayphoto

I dreamed of Fuzzy last night. It was a good dream. We used to do lots of stuff together…Fuzzy and I.

As I was laying in the rather thin sunshine this morning I was thinking how Fuzzy used to tell me stories.

I miss his stories.

Since its Christmas time I got to thinking about the story Fuzzy told me last year…it went something like this:

Fuzzy and I were laying outside in our dog houses, sorta like I am right now. Suddenly Fuzzy asked, “Are you sleepy, Boomer?”

“No not really. Are you sleepy Fuzzy?”

“No. I haven’t done much today but sleep.”

You know, Fuzzy, I was wondering do you know anything about this time everyone calls Christmas?

Well, I know a few things—like our people always put up trees, and hang lights outside so we can see the best bushes to pee on. They go to town lots and come home with packages that Mom puts all over the place. Then she puts those packages under the tree and waits.

Then the big day comes and everyone is here to eat food and drop stuff on the floor and eat food and laugh and make an even bigger mess than we would EVER think of making!

Really, Fuzzy…that is all there is to this Christmas Thing?

Well….really ….Boomer, no…no that really isn’t what Christmas is really about…it’s so much more.

Gosh, that’s good Fuzzy, please tell me. I really want to know.

Okay, Boom…it goes like this—

When I was a little tiny pup many, many years ago my Momma told me this story. My Momma said her Momma told her and her Momma before that all the way back to when this story started.

This sounds really good, Fuzzy I’m all ears!

It’s called—How We Got Christmas

Oh! Good! Now I will know. Thank you, Fuzzy.

Well, a long, long time ago in a land far, far and away, a land full of sand and giant animals called camels.

Camels?

Yes, Boomer. But the story isn’t about camels.

Okay, Fuzzy…I’ll listen.

In this land of sand and camels and sun…there was a man and a woman traveling to a big city to pay their taxes for the year.

What are taxes, Fuzzy?

They are like, hummm—if you have five bones and Mom makes you give her one because she thinks you have too many, then that one bone you give Mom is a tax.

OH! I don’t think I like taxes. I’m really glad Mom doesn’t make us pay taxes, Mom gives us the BONES!!! J

Go on Fuzzy, I like this story.

Okay, the man and the woman were traveling to this big city; with lots and lots of other people. There were so many people that all the places where people sleep were full except where my great, great, great, great so many greats that I can’t remember them all, Grandmother Dog was living.

My many Greats Grandmother Dog was the guard dog of a place call an Inn. It was her duty to watch over all the travelers who came to stay with her Master in the Inn. She also watched out for all the animals that her Master kept.

Every day my many Greats Grandmother would go with her Master to feed and milk the cow that lived in the stable. It was this milk that her Master would feed to the people staying in his Inn. She also helped wake-up the many chickens that were roosting in the stable, and went with the Master to feed and water the donkeys that were resting there until their people were ready to leave again.

My many greats Grandmother had a wonderful job and she loved every minute of it. Most nights she would sleep in the inn, but when the inn was full she would sleep on an old blanket next to the door of the stable to keep guard over the many animals staying within its walls.

My many greats Grandmother Dog was just getting ready to go to the stable one evening, when a man and woman showed up at the door of the inn. Her Master greeted the couple and explained that his place was full, that he had no room.

The man then asked if the Master knew of any place, just any place at all whereby they could rest for the night. The Master said that he was embarrassed to say, but if they wanted they could bed down in the stable free of charge and rest.

Around the corner they all went, the donkey, the man, his wife and my many greats grandmother. Once there, and very close to the cow’s manger, the couple laid down their belonging and unloaded the donkey. My many greats Grandmother Dog said that the man had very kind eyes and a soft loving voice. He brushed the donkey down, gave all the other donkeys lots of pets, rubbed the cow’s ears and ASKED Grandmother dog to come sleep with them to keep them warm.

The lovely mother patted the blanket and called softly to Grandmother Dog and even offered her a small tidbit to eat.

Grandmother said it was the most peaceful time she had ever experienced in the barn.

It was just wonderful!

Gradually she fell asleep, lulled by the soft sounds of the other animals in the barn and the warmth of the man and the woman. It wasn’t long before Grandmother Dog was awaken and asked to go guard the door of the stable. Grandmother Dog didn’t question the command; going to the door and sitting up in a guarding stance.

Like this, Fuzzy?

Yes, Boomer, just like that.

Well as Grandmother Dog sat in the opening of the stable door, an amazing light started to fill the sky. Then the light filled the whole stable! Grandmother Dog turned from the door and saw that the light seemed to be strongest right over the cow’s manager.

Walking toward the manger ever so slowly and carefully Grandmother Dog saw a tiny sleeping baby. The gentle Mother of the tiny baby called Grandmother Dog to come closer, to come see the tiny babe in the manger.

Grandmother Dog walked forward and stared at the tiny little bundle of human love and gave the sleeping child a HUGE WET DOG KISS right on its tiny little cheek!

When Grandmother Dog kissed this tiny human the child opened his eyes and smiled upon Grandmother Dog and she KNEW that this new human Loved Grandmother Dog clear through her soul.

Suddenly the light grew so large and bright that Grandmother Dog had to look up to see what was causing so much brightness…almost like the sun was in the stable!

WOW Fuzzy! Was it the sun? AT NIGHT? In a barn?

No, Boom, it was a person…a really beautiful shiny person! The person was so beautiful that Grandmother Dog had to sit down and stare.

This really beautiful person then talked to Grandmother Dog in DOG language!

Really, Fuzzy! A person can actually talk and understand dog language?

This person could Boomer, because this person was an Angel sent from above, to guide people to the stable. So the people could see the new little babe and to bring him gifts!

“Oh,” Grandmother Dog said. “I wish I could give this child a gift. If I could I would give him my protection for the rest of my life.”

The Angel then looked into Grandmother Dog’s eyes sending love and peace and wonder, filling Grandmother Dog’s heart near to bursting.

“That” said the Angel “Is what this day is all about…the love of this child is for everyone and everything in the whole world. You, Little Dog, understand that you are willing to give – out of pure love – to those around you — which is Christmas! Christmas is the celebration of the birth of this little babe and the gift of love! Then the lovely Angel reached down and gave Grandmother Dog a wondrous kiss right on HER nose!

This whole experience touched Grandmother Dog so much that she told every one of her children and admonished each child to pass this story down clear until this day and forever.

Now you know the story, Boomer, maybe someday you will be able to pass this story on to another dog. That way the gift of love from the little babe and the beautiful angel will never fade away.

Gosh, Fuzzy! That was something! I will…I will pass this on, someday, I promise.

Good Boomer, I’m a little tired now. Fuzzy said to me as he laid his head on his paws.

So here I am…just me. Fuzzy is there with the shiny angels. I’m keeping my word, My Best Friend Forever, I’m passing on this wondrous story, like you asked me too and like I promised you I would. That way the gift of love from the tiny baby and the sight of the beautiful angel will never pass away.
With-Mom