WOW! Look at this!!!
Gotta hurry and scarf this down
Maybe just pack the cheeks and take it home.
Later that day —
I smell FOOD!
I know I do
Where is the food? There are little chips all over the place.
Well, clean up the crumbs as fast as I can.
What?!
Gone?
Even the crumbs?!
Even the crumbs!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
As you know I love to feed the little wild creatures
fun little snacks they would never ever get
unless someone goes to the grocery store and buys them.
Usually,
it goes down like this —Stanely or Stewart or someone
from the Vacuum Cleaner family shows up—Cute little furry rodents with darling little faces
Sometimes, but not always, the Quail get there and can snarf up the remaining bits leaving a clean plate for everyone else.
But yesterday, the little chipmunk made it up there before everyone else. He/she stood and his/her mouth flew open as is to say: WOW!
It was a perfect treat for Chipmunk and a perfect treat for me!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
As the mist left the land
Boomer and I took squirrel food and birdseed over to the equipment area
To feed the little critters
For life ‘on the land’ can be a tad harsh in the winter.
After spreading out the treats we (Boomer and I) waited. First, the little chipmunk to show up.
While the chipmunk ran home to deposit the great find. Natures’ vacuum cleaner arrived! 🙂
Leaving nothing behind
Nothing.
I couldn’t put any more out for two reasons: I had not brought enough. And if I came out to scatter more— the birds wouldn’t come back.
Instead, I would get a repeat of the squirrel. 🙂
Darn it.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Chapter Eight
Off Mom (and Dad) and I went on the four-wheeler…. time to change the water.
Mom sat me down.
I hung around for a time, watching Mom.
Pretty soon Mom was caught up in digging and shoveling and—you know, Stuff.
So Off I went.
Heck, there are things to see and stuff to learn about out on the farm, hanging with Mom and Dad is rather BORING!
I snuffled and sniffed my way over to WAIT!
“Hey, Hi, Stanley!
Stanley stopped munching on the peanuts Mom puts out for him.
“Hey, Boomer! Long time no see!”
I just started to make myself comfortable when Stanley came to attention, then suddenly jumped down; ZOOM he was gone.
I wonder what scared him.
Nothing happening out here, but a flock of corn birds flying around.
I looked up just then
and saw HAWK!
OH! That’s enough to scare anyone!
Just about that time I heard Mom hollering for me… “BOOMER LET’S GO!”
Okay.
Time to go.
I trotted back to Mom. She picked me up and sat me right back down on my comfy spot on the four-wheeler.
“Forward we go, Mom!” I yipped.
Forward we go!
Yes, I feed the little wild creatures
It’s my lure.
A wee win for me
A delicious and marvelous treat
Dazzling eyes and tummies!
Creating a bright winter stash
During the long dark winter days.
From my world to your heart,
Linda
(From Pinterest)
The nights are growing longer and longer now, the sun not lingering in the sky
There was such a new distinct chill in the air last night I had to shut all the windows in the house.
Still, the earth is full of exquisite luxurious beauty
The cycle of farming starting to show harvest is very near.
The breath of summer has faded. It’s actually very cool/cold here this morning.
Excellent for yard work, a tad on the sad side for those of us who love summer
Still another sign,
besides the leaves falling, falling…
a large and wonderous spider web.
Fall has arrived, no matter the calendar says it is still August.
I saw a wee fairy dancing in the porch light last night. (really a hummingbird moth)…spreading pixie dust for me and you.
For luck, you know!
For me and you!
From my world to your heart,
Linda
Chapter Ten
While I was sleeping, I dreamed of MOM!
Mom and I doing things.
You know just stuff.
I also dreamed of barking the mailman down the long lane
and baying at the UPS driver.
I even dreamed that Mom took me to that big friendly to dogs store and let me sniff around while she did some shopping.
That dream woke me up with a start.
I MISS MOM! I thought.
Here I am way over here and Mom is somewhere way over there.
WHY did I think I wanted to go on an adventure in 90*+ weather, coyotes loose on the farm and me in an elderly stage of life?
WHY?
As I was sitting there in the shade Harry the Hawk came coasting by. I just watched him.
I sorta, kinda, don’t really like Harry. He likes to eat my friends or potential friends. I really didn’t want Harry to see me…who knows he might want to eat a really sweet, fat, wonderful, old beagle.
I scooted back under the brush a little further.
Harry flew on.
Good!
About that time I noticed we were experiencing raindrops!
YAY!
Raindrops are good. Cools down the earth and the sky.
Looking around I spied a RAINBOW!
Yippee! I shouted. Bouncing right out from under my bush and bounded over by the equipment, “A RAINBOW!” I bayed
“A RAINBOW!”
“I like rainbows, also. Beagle dog!” a tiny little voice called to me.
Turning around I saw a member of Chip’s family. “Hey! I haven’t seen you before. Are you new here?” I asked.
“Well, kinda new. I’ve been living with my Mom and three siblings. Mom told us we could all go out and play now. We didn’t have to stay inside with her all the time.”
“Pleased to meet you….” I paused. “Ur, umm…I don’t think I know your name. I’m Boomer and you are?”
“Beatrice—Mom says the name means Bringer of Joy in our language.”
“Well, now, isn’t that just perfect. All things are starting to look up…I met you, the Bringer of Joy and I saw a rainbow.”
Beatrice gave me a huge smile, “I have to go now, Boomer Beagle Dog, it’s starting to get night and Mom told me I had to be back in the nest before dark. She said danger lurked out of the nest in the dark.”
With that, she flicked her tail at me and was gone.
Hum. I slept for a long time, I mused.
Dark. I’m not looking forward to another night out here, but I guess I slept way too long today and here I am.
In the darkening evening.
BUT
I Saw a RAINBOW and I Met Beatrice. Things are looking up!
I trotted down to the little creek and got a good drink of water, then put one paw in front of the other to head myself home.
High in the sky
In a flash of feathers
Appearing and disappearing, emerging solid and larger than life
Dipping closer and closer
was the sad fact for the little chipmunk, but a necessary lunch in the of the circle of life.
Sigh.
From my world to yours,
Linda
Mom picked up Mindy and headed into the house with her. “Stay inside, Min-Min. Beaglie and I are going for a walk and you really can’t come this time. I promise you we will all go for a walk later on today…you, me, dad and Boomer.”
Dad headed up to do something or other at the pasture in the Upper End
The storm clouds were finally moving away from the farm
Mom and I headed off…Mom with her camera and me with my very clever Beagle nose.
I scared up a pheasant for Mom
Not once but twice! Mom gave me lots of pats for that, “Pheasants are really hard to get a photo of, Thank you, Boomer!”
Over at the equipment area, Mom and I saw a Chipmunk
He or she was eating something
Then he or she, or she or he saw us and scampered off
We walked on, over the hill, on to the fire road hill, then down the trail on the COYOTE HILL…I hate that hill!
But Mom doesn’t know that’s COYOTE HILL, only animals know that—people don’t seem to know much about animals and hangouts.
There we saw another (or the same) pheasant. Mom was delighted!
We walked a long time, then headed over to the Look Out Hill and Mom saw a squirrel
When Mom and I walked back to the equipment area we saw a Quail where the chipmunk had been
Then we headed home
On the way we met Dad he was coming back from making ditches…geez, we must have been gone a long time.
Later that afternoon I helped Mom and Dad gather up fence posts for her gardens. (Mom puts up fences to keep the chickens out of her garden beds.)
Life is good!
All Mom has to do is call my name and I’m ready to go!
Boomer
This is Mindy Min-Min Cat-Cat Brown
You’ve met Mindy before. She has been with me for a spell now.
We are good friends.
Actually, I’m good friends with lots of animals, but Mindy and I live in the house together.
Well, we come into the house and go out of the house and hang out and do stuff together all the time.
Mindy is a feral cat who decided she wanted a family. She came to us when she was somewhere around five years old. So, Mindy must be around 6 or 7 now, Mom isn’t sure. I’m not sure and Mindy says she doesn’t know or care how old she is…she is just glad to have a family.
Mom lets Mindy into the house when she sits at the door and yowls…which isn’t often, but it does happen. (Like if it’s raining outside.)
Most of the time Mindy prefers hunting. Or going with Dad to irrigate, or hang by Mom when she is working in her yard.
Most of the time Mindy wants to be outside!
Sometimes Mindy and I take walks together, but not often.
She thinks I have some pretty strange friends…friends she considers ‘un-safe-for-cats’.
She also thinks I have some friends that might be good for her tummy. I don’t let her come with me when I visiting THOSE friends.
So anyway…Here is My Best Cat friend…Mindy. She is lots and lots of fun!
(Oh, by the way…that cut on her lip was from when she was a lot younger and a big bird in the sky tried to eat her. Mindy said she got away by the skin of her lip.)
Boomer Beaglie Brown
Life on a Colorado Farm 