All in a Day’s Work —- Wednesday, August, 9, 2017

Posted on August 9, 2017 by Dayphoto

The pinto beans are setting on and starting to fill out —harvest will be sometime in September

Since we leave all our windows open day and night, the house smells like fresh mown hay. Third cutting… time is passing quickly now

While Terry mowed the hay I mowed my lawn…it was in dire need of my attention! 🙂

Yesterday we hauled in gravel and spread it on the long, long lane from the farmyard to the road….also putting down gravel in the farm yard itself

Then the thing I hate to do worse than anything….is getting Terry out of a tight spot.

He went over to make a ditch, got stuck…I had to come over and pull him out…

When he is in a ditch like this I’m always afraid I will pull him ‘wrong’ and cause the tractor to tip over.

When I was young our neighbor did tip over and it killed him. Then (when our kids were grown) Terry’s good friend was working on one of his ditches when his tractor tipped over and killed him.

Scary stuff…working on wet ditches!

Finally we made it to the end of the day…the water changed for the last time until first light.

It was time to watch a little TV, rest a spell before bed. to relax.

Boomer lay down beside my chair, while I worked on a needlepoint canvas.

The day finally …. finally coming to an end.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

One of Those Long Restless Nights—-Thursday, May 12, 2016

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Dayphoto

I had one of those long restless nights last night.

You know the kind, whereby you toss and turn, your mind going over all the things you need to do, things you wish you could have done better—everything and anything…

Things that make you wake up in alarm, even though you didn’t think you were sleeping.

Even a walk in the dark with Sam and Boomer left me restless and wide-awake—as if I had drank too much tea.

Gradually along about 4 in the morning peace came over me. The quiet of the night pushing me past the edge of restless dreams into real sleep. Of course first light was in an hour. 🙂

I get up at 5 in the morning. Always. Always.

Things are so much worse in the dark!

Routine is such a part of contentment; night fears fade away.

From my world to your heart!

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—Night Work

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Dayphoto

The reality of a dog’s life…a farm dog’s life, that is—is we work at night.

There is much we have to do:

First I go with Mom and Dad to change the water one last time before bed.

Then, when they are inside watch television, I’m outside so I can check out all the places the fox have been. We have a lot of fox. A group of fox is called a skulk, beats me why they call a group a skulk. (Mom assures me this a fact. Weird)

Mom always asks me to come in to spend the night; I go in and try to rest. BUT there is so much going on out outside I head back out. When I’m tired I can always bed down in one of the dog houses.

I’m really always on guard…well, let me clarify I don’t really guard, I sniff out and then I either give chase or I holler for Mom or Dad.

But why holler for Mom or Dad for the common night creatures: fox, owls, cats (Sam and Monkey), mice, deer ….ugh … skunk…those sorts of every day critters that share the farm with us.

Now I do holler when the coyotes come around…so does Mom!

Shudder, shiver…I sure don’t like coyotes!

Mom and I go for a walk around mid-night. After which I usually come in and crash for a spell.

Then come morning…well, you see, I have to get back out there and see if anything came through while I slept.

As my grandpa would say— I’m a very busy feller!

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 Fuzzy and Boomer—The Waiting Begins

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yep, THE waiting begins!

Waiting, not for Fuzzy and I but for MOM and DAD. They have to wait you see, not Fuzzy and I. We do lots of waiting as it is:

We wait on the four-wheelers LOTS!

What Dad and Mom are waiting for is the corn to dry down and the moisture content to get JUST RIGHT so the Corn Harvest can begin!!!

The last set of the water happened.

The head-gate is now turned off. Unless everything gets really bone dry before the canal is turned off there won’t be another set of water on the farm until next spring.

Fall is in the air…the Rabbit Brush is rich and full and lush— the bees are working the flowers heavily!

The Upper End and the Back Forty just screams AUTUMN!

Fuzzy and I like this time of year. It’s not so hot it’s hard to breathe and there is lots of stuff to sniff and smell. The animals are moving around now getting ready for winter. We like to smell what they are up too.

Just last night a Momma deer ran across the ditch bank road right in front of Dad and Mom and Fuzzy and I! It was so COOL I had to bay at the deer.

Mom jumped… “Boomer…not in my ear! You scared me!” She said and then she laughed and so did I.

Fuzzy thought it was a funny also!

Back home we saw Sammy Sam absorbing the heat from the big shed doors.

“Oh, you are back”, he said then turned his head away and closed his eyes.

Oh well, Boomer. Sammy is just not interested in riding four-wheelers.

Works for me Fuzz!

Hey Fuzz?

Yeah?

What’s with cats? They sure seem to sleep a lot.

I don’t know, Boomer. That’s just a cat for you!

Well…THANKFULLY we are NOT CATS, Fuzzy! The world is waiting and you and I are ready to see it!

Chuckle, smile! It’s good to be a dog, isn’t it Boomer?

It sure is, Fuzzy! It sure is!

Boomer

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday—Cats

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Dayphoto

Fuzzy and

I have been busy gathering the smells from around Mom’s old wood, woodpile.

Sam-Sammy-Sam has been also. Actually he has be stalking the old woodpile area; pacing here and there with that ‘I’m going to find you’ look in his eye.

Monkey (a nine-year-old, almost ALWAYS a house cat) was hanging out with us, as we were helping Mom sort the woodpile—Monkey got extremely nervous and hid –just waiting for Mom to head to house so she could beat Mom there and peel inside quickly.

The Little Buff Hen, who does NOT spend the night in the chicken house anymore, (because Mom only has ONE chicken and the chicken house is too lonely for a 6-year-old hen) acted like there was really nothing to worry about.

She said she was hanging out with Mom so she will always be safe. (You are safe, Little Hen, because Fuzzy and I are with you!)

Cluck, cluck, purr, yummy, lots of good bugs under the old wood, she cooed.

Since Fuzzy and I have been hanging out here lots; day and night, Mom got to wondering why, so she moved the night camera to find out—

“Oh”, said Mom. “I see we have more cats.”

“Two more cats. They must be wild/feral as I have never seen them in the daytime.” She mused.

“No wonder you have that look in your eye, Sammy-Sam. You need to be careful, Kitty, you aren’t a young cat anymore, you turned 13 this January.”

Harrumph! Sam growled as he turned tail and stalked over to the ditch bank. I can still hold my own! Hummm…

this grass is rather nice, I think I’ll just roll around here for a spell and scratch my back…those other cats only come at night, right now isn’t night. Besides, I usually spend most of my nights in the house next to fireplace…she doesn’t need to be such a worrywart.

“Ahhh, I see the fox is a regular little guest here. Good thing you are well protected at night little Buff Hen,” Mom said as she bent down a petted the little buff hen.

“You boys keep a sharp look out for the fox; they travel around day or night. Which, reminds me,” pondered Mom “I’m surprised we even have feral cats with the fox and the coyotes around.”

“UGH! Now this is one nasty cat, an ‘ol polecat, you need to stay far, far away from this cat all of you! That means you also, Little Buff Hen!”

You don’t have to worry about that Mom…Fuzzy and I just watch that skunk move through the yard, that’s one cat we do not want to tangle with ever again!

I agree, yelled Fuzzy as he tried to whap his tiny little bobbed tail in the air.

“Well, it’s starting to get evening and I’m getting tired. Let’s head back to the house and see what I can come up with for supper! Come on, Little Buff Hen. It’s your bedtime.”

Cats…I guess Mom knows now, Fuzzy…we have lots of cats!

Just as long as they don’t get near the house, Boomer, we don’t have to do anything about them!

That’s good, Fuzzy, real good!

Oh, look…Yummy canned dog food!

You are right, Boomer…I hate that dry as cardboard crunchy kibble stuff. I’m glad Mom has moved over to this nicer to chew (swallow, slurp, gulp) food!

Night Everyone!

Boomer

Christmas Eve December 24, 2012

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Dayphoto

Fuzzy and Boomer here…we just had to do this. Mom said it was okay.

Shannon also brought of hats FOR THE CATS!!!

TEEEHHEHHEHAHAHAHAHAH, chorckel, snort, snigger, BAHAHAHAH!

We couldn’t stop laughing….Sammy tried to run outside, but Mom wouldn’t open the door!

BAHAHAHAH!

Monkey just glared and glared at us!!!

Oooo, Whew! Our sides hurt!!!

Fuzzy and Boomer

Sunday with Grandparents

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Dayphoto

The grandson had soccer at Aspen again. Both parents were able to go, and the youngest granddaughter went with them Because ‘There A Kids To Play WITH’.

But our oldest granddaughter wanted to stay with us.

So we baked cookies, gathered eggs, walked dogs and petted each and every kitten and cat a the shelter then after lunch we watched the Bronco game.

Because she loves to play on the monkey bars at school she wanted to show us what she could do…

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Then it was time for supper and a bath, before her parents came home.

It’s a tad bit fun to have a day all to yourself with your Grandparents!

Linda

Building the Barn

Posted on November 9, 2009 by Dayphoto

Haul'n-Steel-003

We had to take a break on the new barn…work got in the way…but Saturday Terry and I started moving the steel we’ve been ‘collecting’ over the years.

Haul'n-Steel-002

Sometimes Terry whishes that he had just bought a steel building, but then he gets out there and starts working on this project and is glad he didn’t.

Laying-the-steel