Silence—March 29, 2016

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Dayphoto

Easter was ever so lovely.

Jolyne and Evan did an amazing job with the meal, the egg hunt and the celebration of our son-in-law, Cliff’s (he and Kimberly live in Grand Junction) birthday!

Then sadly the time came

When everyone loaded up and headed back home…the little family to Craig, Colorado. Jason’s dad, Paul, back to Alamosa, Colorado..everyone else scattering back to their homes and lives.

Then it was just us again. Back to the everyday of Terry’s and my lives.

It’s okay.

The sound our our life is not blank or a void. It is made up of tiny noises: the tractor in field (Terry is leveling now), the clothes washer cleaning all the bedding, the tiny sounds of far away cars and trucks, as I hang-out my laundry on the clothes line, the cats meowing at my feet begging for food, a cold wind flapping the towels on the line, Boomer’s feet padding into the kitchen then out the back door, bacon sizzling on the stove. Everyday sounds the bring me peace and contentment.

“Thank you,” I mentally pray to God. “Thank-you for everything and so much.”

From my heart to your world,

Linda

A Little Bit Every Day—-Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Dayphoto

Going for our daily walk, Boomer, Monkey the cat, and Sam-Sam our old cat, watched the night slowly come in….spreading it’s wings of brilliant color on the Paonia Mountains,

Brushing Grand Mesa with broad strokes of rose, and orange and a different shade of pink. Sky-6

The mountains and the Black Canyon around Montrose and Gunnison lite up in vast amounts of the same color.

The cold silence of darkness descended—darkness is coming faster and faster every day. Spreading night into the dips and hallows, filling in the rows of still standing corn, while the stars burn brighter and brighter as the evening gloaming grows stronger.

We walked to small point on the land where I can look over the tops of the corn to the south, west and north…enjoying the stunning vista. A small rises where the plateaus fall away below us, and we can see beyond our mesa, and beyond the Rubidoux Canyon into the next Canyons and the flat lands and more knobs and knolls, into a blue distance, hazed with the breath of the desert. (Looking toward Grand Junction, Colorado)

Turning around to the east the land is flat, devoid of corn crops, whereby the sunset was busy splashing masses of color on all the mountains.

Only a few more days [now] until December 21st and the winter Solstice! At 9:49 p.m. here in our part of the world.

I can’t tell you HOW READY I am!!!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Wild Horses on the Book Cliffs —Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Dayphoto

My header today shows you the huge and vast area of the Book Cliffs around Grand Junction, Colorado

Iit is here where the wild horses call home!

They actually live in the area call the Little BookCliffs. The Horses and the area are managed by the Bureau of Land Management of Colorado and the Friends of Wild Horses, of which you can read more by clicking the blue words in this post.

I hope you enjoy your visual tours!

Your friend,

Linda

Beyond the Tips of Silver Wings—Monday, August 10, 2015

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Dayphoto

Early, early Sunday morning we received a phone call from a friend asking us to come fly with him.

Not being people who could turn down and invitation of such wonderful magnitude… we were off!

There (just above the wing tip), was Confluence Lake, in our small town of Delta, Colorado. You can also see the Gunnison River flowing toward Grand Junction, Colorado, and two large fields of sunflowers on the top of lower California Mesa.

We flew above the North Fork Delta County, and then he took us over Grand Mesa.

As time went on we traveled over the Book Cliffs (where wild horses roam) just above the city of Grand Junction, Colorado.

Then over the rugged and beautiful Uncompahgre Plateau (Un-come-pah-gray, with the accent on the pah)

The smoke from all the fires made the air a little hazy, but suddenly we were flying over our farm.

What a joy! What an amazing adventure and a delightful gift!

Sunday in the air!

Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—A Hat and a Coat

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Dayphoto

A surprise arrived from my sister and brother-in-law, who live in Grand Junction, Colorado.

It was a Mother’s Day present for Mom, but in reality, it was a gift FOR ME!!! Boomer! Boomer Brown! (I love saying my name! BOOMER, BOOMIE BROWN!)

Sherlock Boomer!

Now I can wear this when I’m on the case.

Not only that—

I’m the face of the Beagle wearing the hat on the lady’s, Gale Moore’s web page of Doggy Duds!

Sherlock Boomer Brown, Your Servant and Detective Extraordinaire

Boomer

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—My Job

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Dayphoto

I had company last weekend.

Not just little kids, but also DOG COUSINS!

Hank came!

Rocky Chaco Man, the Rottweiler and

Houston the Princess!

We did lots of stuff…sniffed around for news, found beefy jerky to chew on…carried in lots of milk duds for snacks and still chowed down on dog food!

Mom says the grandchildren are coming again TODAY! That means Hank will be here again!

YAY!

Then everyone will go for Sunday Birthday party at Scout and Darby’s place. I don’t get to go. Neither do all of Shannon’s dogs, or Uncle Evan’s and Aunt Jolyne’s dogs…but Hank DOES!

Mom says Hank has to go, because he will leave from Grand Junction to go back to Craig after the party is over.

I think it would be neat to go see Scout and Darby, pout, pout, but Mom says “No, Boomie…you have to guard the place.”

So I guess (sigh) that is exactly what I will do.

Boomer

Traffic Jam—Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Dayphoto

You honestly don’t see this much here anymore. Most of the time the shepherds and the cowboys truck their animals from one pasture to another.

BUT if the need to move to a pasture just a short distance the animals are driven there.

Terry and I were on our way to Grand Junction, Colorado, when we ran into about 300 sheep around Camel’s Switch! It was a hoot to watch the dogs working the sheep.

To give you a tiny idea of cowboys herding cows here is an older photo of the cows leaving our place for a pasture just down the road. Moving cows has the romance of ranch life all wrapped up in herd—cows, horses and cows boys!When I was a child sheep and cattle drives were very common. Often times children were let out of school to help drive the cows up to the pasture on Grand Mesa (I went a few times) or to gather the cows in the fall and bring them down.

Sheep were moved from one orchard to another in the winter…(Shepherds Walk WITH their flocks), many a time my brother and I would leave for school in the morning and come home that evening to sheep feeding along the trees in our father’s orchards. Overtime we would head out to school then come home to find the sheep had moved on…to a back orchard or to a neighbors. Sheep were perfect for mowing down all the weeds between the trees and along the ditch banks in orchards. They were short enough they didn’t eat twigs from the trees and always hungry enough the orchards were void if ladder binding weeds when it became time to start pruning the trees before spring buds appeared.

Watching the animals move ALWAYS makes me think of that old song RAWHIDE!

Keep movin’, movin’, movin’,
Though they’re disapprovin’,
Keep them doggies movin’ Rawhide!

Move ‘em on, head ‘em up,

Head ‘em up, move ‘em out,

Move ‘em on, head ‘em out Rawhide!
Set ‘em out, ride ‘em in
Ride ‘em in, let ‘em out,
Cut ‘em out, ride ‘em in Rawhide.

Wasn’t it Clint Eastwood that starred in that tv series?

Anyway, most ranchers and sheep people move by truck now days. Head over to the post about this happy photo. (I came upon this cattle truck one day way back when I was still working. Just click the blue lines to go to the post. 🙂 )

As a side-note…the guardian dogs were having a great time DOING NOTHING!!! Hahaha, tehe! It was all up to those hard working border collies.

There were three guard dogs and there were EVERYWHERE! They checked out every smell, peed on many a bush, walked down the train tracks…trotted into yards. They were having a DELIGHTFUL TIME!

Just so you don’t think the border collies (four of them in the back, two in the front) had their noses out of joint (my maternal grandmother’s saying 🙂 ) they DID not! They were having the time of their life pushing those sheep along!

I think it is safe to say…I enjoyed every minute of being ‘stuck’ (I use this term very loosely) behind a fast moving flock of sheep!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Update—Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Dayphoto

Sarah’s human came and got her yesterday morning. She was very happy to see him, but didn’t want to leave here. Rather broke my heart. I’m sure she is having a terrible time of being flung here and there and everywhere. At least now she is with her human, which takes a load off my mind.

We went down to Saint Mary’s Hospital yesterday to see Rick in ICU. The prognosis is sad. When we left yesterday the two sisters were going to have to make the hard decision–the one that is only done in human kindness. Once that process is over everyone waits. I’m sure we will hear something sometime this morning where things are. Personally I think life in a wheel chair (he has (now) had a massive stoke on the left side to go with everything else) where you can’t get out and sit on a tractor would be horrible. If he pulls through we will still be there–friendships don’t change because the physical body changes.

Anyway, we move forward toward Christmas all the kids are coming home—YIPPEE! At least for Christmas day I will have all four of our children and their mates [here] and our three grandchildren and maybe –just maybe—our step-granddaughter!

I hope this post finds each one of you in a good place in life and the joy of the Christmas Season filling your lives with goodness!

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

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

47 Years Today—Sunday, December 21, 2014

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Dayphoto

Today Terry and I were married 47 years ago!

Terry was working at Holly Sugar at the time. He was on the day shift with a long lay-over before he started grave yard; he was also working at Coors Elevator on the opposite shift with only 8 hours in-between to sleep.

I was going to college in Grand Junction and it was the end of the semester. We decided that now was the best time to get married.

What a thing to do to my parents and Terry’s parents…four days before Christmas! Geez, I think of that now a think what a rat-race we must have made for them.

After the wedding we headed to Alamosa, Colorado where Coors had another plant/elevator and a job opening. Terry was seriously thinking of applying for the job. We thought first we had better see what the country looked like, the housing market, and winter’s over there.

IT WAS COLD! Terribly cold. Icicles hung from the roof to the ground, snow was as deep as my knees.

Back home we decided that Delta was home and we would take our chances here.

As time moved on we purchased his grandparents’ farm from the estate, gradually acquired farming equipment and gradually adding four children to our family.

Our chances have turned out good—-Terry worked for Delta Montrose Electric Association for 37 years and farmed. I retired from the Delta- Montrose Technical College and helped him with the farm.

Here we are last spring when Terry turned 70. Much the same and then not at all. I’m sure the grandchildren look at us and think OLD, and maybe our children do also. Who knows. I just remember watching my parents age thinking every year how lucky I was to have them. I lost my Dad at 71 and Momma passed at 70 …they were just months apart in leaving us.

Now I think how lucky Terry and I are to be healthy and actively still farming; still doing all those things we have always done.

47 years! A true gift in time!

Your friends on a Western Colorado Farm

Terry and Linda