I had to smile great big at this little series of photos for a long time ago
Grandpa was holding Blade and baby Tally
He speaks to Tally who looks at him in a very puzzled way
Then Grandpa looks up at something. Blade peaks around the blanket; Tally is WIDE-EYED at Grandpa
Blade covers up his head, Grandpa looks rather content, but baby Tally looks at me just stunned!
I’m sorry but I had to laugh out loud at this little series of photos!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
First off…TALLY CAME!!! Tally always hugs and loves on me THE BEST!
Tally also had a first…Dad announced she was now old enough to drive the four-wheeler BY HERSELF! She was really proud of that moment. She drove here and there and wherever Dad said she could go!! Not all the time, but when Dad said she could!
One day we all were up at the Upper End when Mom spotted the biggest news at the Upper End (and the Biggest News of the WHOLE week)!
Something killed and ate a HAWK!!! Feather’s everywhere.
Later on in the afternoon Tally took a bike ride and we went way back up there to check out the feathers, and the news…you KNOW I love gathering the news!
Tally took three feathers — two for her and one for Grammy. Grammy likes to find feathers she puts them in a special place. When Mom/Grammy finds a feather she always thinks it’s a gift from the bird to Mom/Grammy.
Anyway, as Tally was gathering feathers she JUMPED back and gave a start I came over to see what happened… “There’s a foot/claw in there, Boomie” she said. “Whoever ate this hawk forgot to eat one foot.” I saw Tally shudder. Humm…wonder why she shuddered.
Then she put the three feathers in her ponytail and we headed back.
The next morning Grandpa and Tally went for a very early four-wheeler ride and they saw a GREAT! BIG! BIRD! Sitting in a tree close to the place where the hawk was dinner. Grandpa/Dad wasn’t real sure what the bird was, but Tally thought it looked like a Golden Eagle…Grandpa/Dad said that was very possible since we have them around here.
Mom, Tally, Dad, and I saw the buck who is living close by. He lost the battle of the Back Forty to a younger buck (Dad saw them battling); he mopped his way down here and has been sluppling around in a depression ever since. Mom says he is beautiful but she isn’t sure she likes him hanging around in her yard. (Although, I did see Mom take out two pumpkins, smash them, and pull them open for the buck to eat….just say’n.)
Oh…to be fair Mom did put the pumpkins in the corn field, not on her lawn.
We went to town one day TO MY STORE!!! But Mom wouldn’t let me get out this time…she said Dad was just running in for a minute (more like FOREVER) and we were waiting in the truck.
I pouted…that’s MY STORE! The only store in the whole wide town I get to go in and smell TOWN things. Grump, grump!
Then it was time for my little buddie to leave. Sigh…sure was sad to see her drive off.
I took myself to my bed and just laid there forever feeling so sad….
Mom came to me and said she and Dad were going for a walk…do I want to come or continue laying on my bed.
I sat up and looked at her….WALK!
You bet I’m ready for walk!
Well, that’s my week…lots of ups and downs. But when it comes time for a walk…I AM YOUR DOG!
Boomer
Every family needs one another….always…always.
A family together
Grows…sometimes in an imperceptible way
Other times so loud and joyful it’s like a sunbeam in the predawn gray
The sounds of children are full of excitement, laughter, sometimes tears
Full of hope
Confidence
The infinite possibility of my family are held loosely in the secret chambers of my heart!
From my world to your heart,
Linda
“Bored, 2P?’ (the family nick-name for Tally)
“Yes”, draping herself all over the arm of Grandpa’s chair, then rolling around until she is up on his lap. “Could we go for a 4-wheeler ride”?
“How can you be bored; you’ve got 5 boxes of domino’s out and are building all sorts of fences, and corrals, and dog houses?”
“I’m tired of building, Grandpa. I’m also tired of cartoons, and the Ipad, and petting Boomer and the cats and well, just everything”.
“You just got back from a morning of play with your little friend Izzy; you should be tired”.
“But I’m not, Grandpa. I want to do something with you that is fun.”
“Fun? We play chase 2P, catch 2P, fling 2P in the air lots of time.”
Sigh! “I know.”
“So just what is it that will take away all this sudden on-set of boredom?”
Turning around on Grandpa’s lap, and taking Grandpa’s face in her hands, looking Grandpa very seriously in the eyes she answered: “I think the only thing that will work and will work really well is a 4-wheeler ride, Grandpa”.
With a huge smile and one of those looks to me, Grandpa, picked up the little 7-year old and replied…”I think you are on to something, Tally. Let’s all go for a ride, you, me, Grammy and Boomer.”
(an ant hill surrounded by flowers on cactus hill)
“YAY”! The little granddaughter said with a huge grin on her face and a twinkle in her eye!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Our Craig, Colorado kids all went home…without two of the grandchildren 🙂 Blade wanted to stay with Aunt Shannon (part-time) and with his cousin on his Dad’s side some/most of the time. Blade and Zack are very close cousins and friends so spending time with each other is very special to both of them. Blade will also spend time with us…at 13 you just have so much you want to do, with so little time to do it.
Tally is staying with us. I will call a little friend she liked to play with sometime today and arrange a play date, but mostly it will be Tally, Grandpa and I. We will got see Aunt Shannon and Jason and the dogs and cats, but that will be just to visit.
Linkin and her best friend will be spending the whole week at Craig, no brother or sister to interrupt their very serious best-friend-forever time. Then next weekend we will switch and Linkin will spend the week with us. (I’m sure Elly will be here and Linkin will be at her house off and on.)
On our way to get some guinea pig food (Blade’s pig is staying with us also 🙂 ) Grandpa and Tally wanted to play at one of the parks on the way home. There was a little girl already playing there, which added to the fun. (Who do you think had the most fun?
1 Tally ?
2. New Friend ?
3 Grandpa ?
If you guess Grandpa…YOU WIN!!! Just look at that smiles— they say it all.
I’m so far behind on commenting, but please know that I am reading them. I am also reading your blogs. I am also a tad stretched at the moment, but I hope to get into a routine soon.
Your friend,
Linda
Friday night, late….late…late we heard the alarm on the very long lane leading from the main road to our house.
Ding! It didn’t last long so we didn’t get up to see what or who was coming down the drive-way. Over the years we have learned that hunting cats, night birds, neighbor dogs and grazing deer will set the “Company’s Coming” alarm off.
Terry stayed right in his lazy-boy watching TV, Boomer only raised his head and went right back to sleep, Monkey and Sam didn’t even stir. I thought about going to see what set off the alarm, but decided the book I was reading was more interesting.
A few minutes later Boomer rose up with a happy yip and big tail wags just as the back door opened and a little voice called: “GRANDPA! GRAMMY! Are you asleep”? Terry, myself, and Boomer all rushed into the kitchen, while the two cats scrabbled to hide under the bed.
By the time we got to the kitchen the youngest grandchild was flinging off her coat and kicking off her boots. Then Blade was inside…carrying the huge duffel bag stuffed with overnight clothes and next day clothes for he, his two sisters and his Mom.
By this time Tally had jumped into her grandpa’s arms and Linky was pushing herself through the back door; past Blade to give me a HUGE HUG!!!
Then Blade grabbed Grandpa, Tally, Linkin and myself– giving us all a giant hug!
“What is this all about?” Grandpa asked.
Mom-mom was now in the door looking exhausted and wore-out, but wearing a very pleased smile….”Happy Birthday, Mom!”
“YES! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRAMMY!” those precious voices chimed in.
What a special and very much unexpected surprise!
“Just over-night”,, Mom-mom warned…we must get back to Craig (Colorado) by six on Saturday since we have an important function to attend.
Saturday morning flew by and it was suddenly time for lunch. They wanted to take us out for a late-birthday celebration so down to Pizza Hut we drove—taking the new by-pass which ends right across from Pizza Hut.
Suddenly ….the party was over—waving good-bye we watched their van enter the traffic on main street and speed away toward Grand Junction. Knowing they had a three-hour drive from here…first to Grand Junction, then to Rifle, after that Meeker, and finally home at Craig.
Gosh, that was nice!
Your friend on a farm in Western Colorado,
Linda
The Show and Tell date was changed from Friday to Thursday afternoon. Since we have this tremendously busy free schedule Thursday was a perfect day.
Right at 3 O’Clock we arrived, checked in, got our Visitor’s Badge and headed on down to the classroom.
The classroom was fun, bright and full of about twenty Kindergarten children.
Clap, Clap, the teacher called everyone into a circle…it was now time. The first little boy brought a Star Wars toy… At first he was so scared he couldn’t remember the name of the toy…just one question from the surrounding kids and his face lite up and the excitement spilled out as he explained all about his Star War character. I can’t remember his letter, but I do remember his shining bright eyes!
The next little girl brought a pony—Rarity from My Little Pony-for the letter R. She told how much she loved this pony and hoped that someday she could own a real My Little Pony.
Then it was Tallen’s turn…up we went…Grandpa on one side, I on the other…she gave Grandpa a hug, kissed my hand and looked at all the kids and FROZE!!! The teacher then had to ask her questions…why are they here…G for grandpa and Grammy. Okay, and thing else…silence…Grandpa said he had on a GREEN shirt…a little boy yelled for G! Then I whispered to Tally that she could pass out some G’s, which brightened her face–the teacher then asked Tally to explain what she was passing out–not shy now she said-glitter G’s with Gummy bears! Everyone got one.
Then it was time to line up for the bus. Tally got to leave with us…another treat!
That was our day at Kindergarten—a delightful fun fifteen minutes with shinning faces and eager smiles!
As Always, your friend
GRAMMY
(Linda)
Grandpa came out to meet us on our daily walk
What more can a Grandparent ask for?
Linda
Bladen and I are born in January, one week apart. We are both gaining a year this coming January!
He is a delightful little boy, but growing rapidly now. I can see huge changes in him. The changes really started in the fourth grade, but now he is in the fifth grade and the changes are immense. Next year will be the 6th grade and then onward to Jr. High and High School.
The years are going by.
It makes me really sad to see him growing so fast, but it is also really exciting to watch him developed into the young man he is going to be.
He is always willing to come over and help me with really hard yard work, or to help Grandpa with some sort of chore.
For instance when we were putting the roof on the house he helped scrap off the old shingles and then helped pull the nails that were left after the shingles came off.
Having grandchildren close by is full of lots of good, for them and for us!
Linda
Yesterday, July 27, 2012, I booked a train ride for our youngest grandchild and her family, and Aunt Shannon to go to Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
Tallen has been WANTING to ride a train….wanting, wanting, wanting.
So Terry and I thought….heck, why not!?!
We left the train station at 10:23 in the morning.
(This is the old station, but I loved the building and the charm. Too bad they don’t use it anymore.)
The trip took 1 hour and 45 minutes. Terry followed us by car—van–because the trip back was the next day. With irrigation there is no way we could spend the night, and for sure not because our irrigater (for when we are gone) was with us on the trip.
Terry put the water in a spot that must have 12 hours to get wet, off we went.
What a delightful way to travel! And cheap also…only $78 for seven of us, one way.
Blade enjoyed a short rest.
We kept track of Grandpa, but he couldn’t see us. All the windows were black to him.
Still there were hopes he would see us!
Terry said the train moved at a good clip…about 55 m.p.h. through the towns, and 70-75 m.p.h. on the countryside.
He met us as we unloaded.
Then off we went for a short stroll around Glenwood Springs and get a bit to eat for lunch.
After that we drove to the Hanging Lake turn-off for a hike to Hanging Lake.
I’ll tell you more about that in the next post!
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 