Skies like these are a distant memory, anymore
This is what our skies look like
Most of the time…smoke sinking into each and everything
Sometimes a tad worse than other times
Once in a while, a slight breeze lightens the smoke
But, more often than not, the sun is stained dazzlingly red, red, red
As it sinks below the edge of the Uncompahgre Plateau.
We so need rain.
As does every place else in the dry, combusting west.
Sigh,
From my world to your heart,
Linda
The Veering wind sweep the smoke from the sky (it will be back, I’m sure)
I saw, in the muted and filtered light,—the moon and a star —probably a planet but I don’t know which one. 🙂
The light was soft and kind and beautiful.
From my world to your heart,
Linda
Terry and I were out working in the alfalfa field, he was marking out the field
Beaglie and I were setting out the siphon tubes
Boomer has decided that his work now is to just stay on the four-wheeler.
My little dog is getting old. Rather sad.
When I noticed HUGE flames soaring high at the end of our farm
Then I saw Terry getting off the tractor and heading to the edge of one of our hills.
By the time Boomer and I made it to the rocky point the fire was out…but O! MY! Was that every scary!
Fire is a most frightening thing! Frightening!
Back home I opened my email and there waiting for me (and for you)
All the way from Australia was a rainbow! “This morning, walking Mouse, I saw this and thought of you ”
Kate
WOW! A perfect sign of Hope!
From my world to your heart,
The Forest Service is doing a controlled burn on the Uncompahgre (Un-come-pah-gray with the accent on the gray) Plateau—two days and two nights so far and heading into the third day.
The late western sun creates many stunning colors along the horizon, here, where we live the shadows are long and deep and dark, while in the forest the fires rage. 😦
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
We went down to see how much fire damage happened on Davis’ Ranch, in the bottom of the Robidoux. Â Here is where the fire started…where the campfire was.
What a mess. Â Acres and acres of scorched land.
Since that time we have had some rain…not bunches, but some, so I’m thinking it will start to green up again. Â As for the loss of the trees….well, not much can be done about it, but cut them down for firewood.
Mr. Davis was up talking with Terry yesterday; all the animals were gotten out of the way in time. Â “Sure is a sorry mess,” he said.
I agree.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Here is the loud, roaring (we can hear it two fields away), scary (to me) headgate.
See all the trash the comes down Terry takes it out several times a day!
Here Terry is opening the chute so we can get water onto our place. Â It’s measured in holes. Â Only so many feet of water (holes) goes with our place. Â I don’t like walking across the little board (which you can not see) to get to the little chute — I get dizzy and want to topple over into the roaring mass of water. Â It takes lots of concentration for me to get there, clean the trash out, adjust the boards (the boards are laying across the cross over board from one cement wall to another, and get back. Â Terry just walks over like it’s dry land.
My pear trees are just stunning.
Today the plum trees burst into bloom even though it terribly cold, with a nasty wind. Â And a freeze warning for tonight and tomorrow night. Â I guess I won’t have to worry about thinning the fruit again this year. Â A mixed blessing.
Terry and I were working on setting water when we saw five fire trucks speed past our place so we jumped on our four-wheelers and headed off to the Rocky Point…sure enough. Â The neighbor, who almost burned us out a few years back, had set another fire that got away from him. Â Thank heavens for quick response…the fence line you see is our property. Â Scary! Â But they got it out so all is well.
 We have to check the water around mid-night or one, because of all the trash coming down the canal.  Trash backs up the water and causes floods, or breaks through or over dams or ditches.  This time of year the trash is the worst…wind, opening up of farm ground up above us, and opening canals that feed into ours.  By the first of May or so, we should be okay.  (No mid-night walks for Boomer and I, but mid-night rides and water checks instead. 🙂  )
In spite of how all this must read. Â Please believe me this is a very good life! Â I can’t imagine any other.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
It’s BURN season!
Neither Terry or I get this rather new practice of farmer’s burning off their farmed ground.
The quality of air is just not there. Â For at least three weeks.
We see it everywhere…all around us.
We are old-time farmers;Terry and I. Â Terry still disks the stubble back into the fields; (I do the same thing in my gardens) Â adding rich nutrients into the earth, creating a better growing environment for earthworms and our crops.
“Why do they do this?” I asked Terry, as we watched one of the huge plumes of smoke on the horizon.
“I don’t know,” his puzzled voice came back to me. “Maybe burning off the fields helps it dry faster. Â I just don’t know.”
I don’t know either.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
We woke up to snow this morning! Â Although it IS melting, it’s still snow. Â Sure seems early this year.
Terry and I worked on the fire roads. Â We have one that is a pain in the ….well, you know what.
Yep, Terry is stuck…that’s a chain, whereby I’m pulling him out. This particular spot is a real struggle. Â Twice a year we clear and clean and create making it safe to get to the rest of the farm.
Fire is a mighty and very scary thing.
Boomer worked right along side of us, up and down, back and forth…over and over again.
Right now the wind is blowing, sharp and cold; pushing the clouds toward the north and the east, mud is appearing where the snow once was. Â Work on the fire roads has ended for the year.
Your friend on a very muddy western Colorado farm,
Linda
Terry and I spent yesterday sprucing up the fire roads. Â We lived here for years and years and never had to have fire roads, but in 2012 all that changed.
Our neighbor two miles from us started a fire on one of his fields and left for lunch. Didn’t check or stay with it or, well, anything. From 11 in the morning until around 2 in the afternoon he didn’t even know what the fire was doing.
We did! Â We knew! Â And so did the other people in the path the fire. Â The whole thing was frightening. Â It took several fire departments to put out the blaze, which didn’t occur until evening…in the process we almost lost a barn and all the farm equipment. Â Thankfully, Mr. Davis’ cows and calves were okay. Â It was a nightmare day.
Guess what…the next year he sat his fire again…I just don’t get people who use fire to clear the farm ground….put it back into the soil…it’s better for the soil and the air. Â Not to mention safer.
After the first fire we built fire roads, because you see, this man STILL burns off his land every spring, he says he likes the results better.  😦
This is the tractor I drive, it has the loader.  The loader and Terry’s has the blade, we make a good team.  After years and years of hand signals, I think I am FINALLY figuring them out.  🙂
While up there we checked for calves, nothing yet.  I think those girls are going to all pop at the same time!  One day we will look out and see 60 babies on the ground.  There are 80 cows out there, but surely not all 80 will lay down a calf as the same time.  🙂
Off today to look for a wood chipper and log splitter. Â I would like the wood chipper for the two yards for mulch and Terry is tired of splitting wood by hand. We may not find one we like but at least we will start the process of looking!
Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm
Linda
It’s cloudy, grey and chilly again here today.
I’ve been sick.
Well, actually I got sick the week before Christmas and seem to not be able to get well. Â I have a good day here and there, but nothing that lasts.
I’m taking the day off…resting by the fire.
I hope this finds all of you well.
COME ON SPRING!
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 