Thudding, Roaring, Crashing of the Rivers —-Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Posted on May 1, 2019 by Dayphoto

Although it is raining and raining and raining, in the mountains around us it is still snowing.

But between the rain and the upper mountain snow, there is still melt occurring.

The Robidoux River, just below our farm in the Roubidoux canyon is flooding….all the

the tremendous amount of water coming from the high country on the Uncompahgre Mesa

Just looking at the water like this: rushing, raging, tearing away the banks completely changing the course of the river

Tends to make me feel like I might fall in and drown….so I stay far, far away

The Rubidoux River is so full it is almost to touch the railroad bridge as it flows into the Gunnison River…

The Gunnison River is swollen from the gathering of all the streams and the merging of the Uncompahgre River (in Delta), plus the Rubidoux River…it is HUGE now…hurtling toward Grand Junction where it will join the Colorado River.

As the day started winding down, I saw a very faint rainbow in the hissing rain of the dark grey sky

It wasn’t very bright, nor did it last long.

Still, I saw it…and that was just the most perfect gift on the last day of April 2019.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Excitement of Water—-Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Posted on March 27, 2018 by Dayphoto

The irrigation water is about to get here!

We are getting the canal repaired and ready for the thundering, crashing, life-giving source called water to appear any time now.

We went for a ride last night to see how far away the water is from us….once it gets here..irrigation starts. Irrigation starts and doesn’t stopped (even if it rains), until time for harvest. Twice a day or even every six hours, if the water is short, we move and set water. Often times through out the day we are checking rows making sure the water is flowing through…going clear to the end, to move to the next field, then the next until it finally flows back into the canal and then onto the Gunnison River….which will connect with the Colorado River.

It’s five miles away. Not long now.

Today or tomorrow!

We are cleaning all the cement ditches (yes by hand), Terry made all the ditches he could with the ditcher

And the waste ditches with the blade

And we repaired the gated pipe. Gated pipe always

Always, seems to pull apart over the course of winter.

The first of the fields to receive water (the alfalfa fields) are marked out ready to go

We just wait….

Any day now…any day!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

In the First Shadows of Early Morning—-Monday, November 20, 2017

Posted on November 20, 2017 by Dayphoto

Early, early Saturday morning we took a ride into the Escalante-Dominquez Wilderness just a few miles from our farm

Map of Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area

We wanted to see the new bridge the county put in by The Escalante Cattle Company Ranch and then to find where the old bridge was moved.

Of course Terry didn’t want to take the ‘regular’ road 🙂

Stopping on top of a huge knobby hill we took a walk here and there

Looking upon this land where the shadows seem to dance unfettered

Across timeless vistas

And there below…the Gunnison River moving ever toward the joining of the Colorado River at Grand Junction, Colorado.

Not far from us…just over there….

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

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 Deep Hush—-Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Dayphoto

The upper corn field is a pasture away from the headgate. As Terry and I work (last night I shoveled ends and Terry dug the little depressions to hold the siphon tubes and then started the tubes, the night before he shoveled and I dug and started tubes) we can hear the roar and the crashing of the water in the FN Lateral Canal, as it moves over the little dam and into our headgate, then the turbulent flinging of the water back into the canal heading on toward the Gunnison River, then into the Colorado River.

It’s our own mini-Niagara Falls.

We usually work in companionable silence; the rumbling of the water making casual conversation hard to hear.

After checking the headgate for trash we drive through the Upper End pasture, around the Fox den area and take the ditch bank road separating the largest corn field from the Alfalfa field to set water in the soon-to-be-planted Pinto Bean field. (Whew! That was a long sentence!)

By this time the sun has set and twilight fills the land. I was walking back from the dirt ditch, (counting rows of set water as I went—too many open and the water dries up, not enough open and the cement ditch over-flows—when the full moon started rising.

I am not a ‘good taker’ of moon photos…usually I have the wrong camera with me at the time . Still I thought…why not. The full moon in June is called the Strawberry Moon.

Once away from the roar of the headgate the land is growing silent. Although, night is never truly silent, the sounds take on a deep hush, shhhhhhhhhhhhh, bidding our hearts to be still, step lightly, those who live in the daytime are preparing for sleep.

Here and there the night sounds start, the hoot of a owl, or a cry of a far away fox, the night birds starting to awake, the earth’s breath slowing down to a gentle heartbeat.

It’s easy to stand with Terry, our arms linked, or me resting against his chest his arm around me-both holding a shovel. 🙂

Silently we survey the rushing of the irrigation water down it’s own little furrow. Boomer at our feet, waiting for the word to load up.

The earth calms, our hearts match the beat of the earth’s– peace descends.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Sounds in the Sky—Sunday, November 30, 2014

Posted on November 30, 2014 by Dayphoto

Even as I write this the sky is loud with the sounds of the Sandhill Cranes (above) on the east of us and the Canadian Geese on the west of us! Both species group together in great numbers, filling the air with distinctive cries...the Sandhill Cranes have a rolling sound

the Canada Geese sound close to their calls but more honking in tone.

The Sandhill Cranes are staying in the field just above ours, but across the canal…there are hordes of them. I wish I could have gotten a good photo, but it just wasn’t possible. When I’m outside and both species are flying the sky is full of sounds.

The Canada Geese seem to be on the Buttermilk Creek…spending the night (it really isn’t safe down there—coyotes and big cats and other types of predators also live around the Buttermilk. But so do Mr. Davis’ cows and calves. The geese flock close to the cows, then in the morning rise up and head toward Delta and Confluence lake and the two rivers that converge there—The Gunnison and the Uncompaghre.

I’m sure thankful for the birds; makes the dreary days a little bit brighter. We also have fun little hordes of brown birds, of which the Junco seems to be a part …then the big hunting birds…Owls and hawks, ravens and crows. The birds of winter—there are more, but for today I share with you the Geese and the Cranes.

Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

A Tinge of Wonder — June 4, 2014

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Dayphoto

Bladen brought me over a gift. He knows how much I enjoy ‘times gone by’. Because he hasn’t been feeling well (he has been fighting pneumonia for three weeks (he is on medicine) and got bored. (No physical exertion with this mad disease).

He spend several hours, cutting, gluing and creating a castle for Grammy.

How sweet this is!My yard is doing well…although we have extremely hot days (94*-34ºC) the night are cool (49*–9.4ºC). By the time the heat builds up the hot winds develop.

There is also flooding in the low lands.

The Gunnison and the Uncompaghre River are experiencing record melt (translated that means we had lots of really nice snow in ‘them thar hilsl’. 🙂

Both rivers converge at Delta..our town. Once they converge (the Uncompaghre River (Un-come-pah-gray accent on the pah) merging into the Gunnison River).

The Gunnison River flows on down to Grand Junction, Colorado, where it meets up with the Colorado River, the Grand Old Dame of Rivers of the West.

The flood warnings and floods are all along all the rivers clear to the Colorado-Utah border. Sure does help with drought…water that is.

I haven’t seen in rainbows for some time now, when I saw this ‘sort’a’ rainbow in the sprinkler I decided that I have to take my gifts where I find them. 🙂

It’s the little things the buoys us up really.

Like this…a duck swimming with a bunch of goldfish. I thought he might be looking for lunch, but the fish were not afraid; they swam all around his feet and even touched him several times.

Speaking of birds…we have several Canada Geese who have decided to stay with us this summer. They have nests in our upper end and hang out in the fields.

But the coolest thing I saw was an emailed photo from a long time blog reader Elaine Kenny…Conversations on back porch!

It really is all there…wonder, excitement, joy…in the little things…big happenings are also nice, but in reality it’s the collection of little things that really makes every day have a tinge of wonder.

Your Friend,

Linda

Monday, November 11, 2013

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Dayphoto

Way back here I promised to show you the photos and tell you a little bit about the Diversion Dam.

The Diversion Dam is where our irrigation water starts (and out potable water for our homes) out of the Gunnison River flowing through the Gunnison Tunnel. This is the dam and the little house is sitting over all the ‘workings’ that move the water from the Gunnison to farms along the Uncompahgre Valley (Un-come-pah-gray…accent on the pah). We live in the lower part of the Uncompahgre Valley…the irrigation water starts flowing through farms in Montrose, then Olathe and finally Delta. The water is used many, many, many times before it flows back into the Gunnison River on it’s way to California, Nevada, and Arizona. Water in our neck of the high desert is not wasted. Water in Colorado protected by law…we can not even catch rain water as all water must be allowed to flow back into the land. This link will show you other people’s photos of the dam and the tunnel.

Anyway, our water starts at Taylor Reservoir flows into Blue Mesa Reservoir and then starts it’s way down the Gunnison to Delta, through the Black Canyon.

Gunnsion-River

Only a portion of the river is diverted at the Gunnison dam. The above photo shows you the water flowing onward after the dam.

The Uncompahgre Valley Water Users manage the water with senior water rights on the river. This house is where the people live who take care of the Dam and the tunnel on this end of things.

The Uncompahgre Valley Water Users and Delta Montrose Electric Association combined forces to start a hydro project on the canal…

You are looking at the gate that takes the water to the hydro.

Water…always a fascinating subject for me… Since I grew up at the foot of Grand Mesa (my father and grandfather had big orchards) water was always a topic of discussion. After getting married to a farmer we continued the water discussion …the one of — is there enough to farm with this year? Always a concern.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your short trip. It’s always a treat to take people to see where the ‘water’ comes from, water for drinking and for irrigation in our tiny spot of the world.

You Western Colorado Friend,

Linda

August 14, 2014

Posted on August 14, 2013 by Dayphoto

I am ever so grateful for all of you…Misty is back to work today! The family Doctor took her off the offending drug! She started feeling better and felt good enough to go to work.

HOO RAY!!!!

The rains have been lovely…my weeds are huge and out of control, but so are my flowers and other plants…

the good along with the bad.

My brother, his wife and her nephew were here over the weekend to go on a float trip down the Gunnison River. We enjoyed a HUGE full house of guests for few days. Dan even played for us and the little girls DANCED away the night.

The next day part of the group left and my brother and his family all headed to the river.

Terry and I ~~helped~~ watched from the shore. Then drove his truck out to the landing site they had pick out.

As we drove back I was very impressed at how green the desert was from all the rain so we stopped to see what was growing.

Sadly it was a hideous, horrid, poisonous weed!

This weed is called Halogeton, aka: Sheep Killer! Gosh, what a disappointment.

If you live where this stuff grows do everything you can to get rid of it!

Terry and I got the firewood all stacked yesterday and early this morning. The little grandchildren helped yesterday, but I think they were rather glad it was done this morning.

They will be staying with us during the day until school starts next week. After that I should be able to get back into my old routine. (Knock on wood)

Thanks for stopping by,

Starting to get it all together again, Linda

Tuesday, May 7, 2013 Fields I Love

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Dayphoto

I know this is rather daffy, but I have certain fields on our farm that I just, well, LOVE! I enjoy the slope of the land, the color of the soil, how the water flows so rapidly without help…unlike the 1/2 mile field which is always lots and lots of work.

We are in one of those fields right now….complete with a dust devil.

It is middle’n in size, I call it the Middle Field. (it’s a 1/2 mile also, but different) Terry doesn’t like it because it has lots of short rows, (hard for turning the tractor and equipment around in) places where there is gravel, (the water wants to sink instead of flow) and a shallow place he can never get level.

I don’t work with the land/soil like Terry…I work with Terry and the water.

Still there is just something about this field, maybe you can see it with me. Part of the enjoyment is the water is always heading west. Why that appeals I can’t tell you, but it does.

The other hay field has the same layout but not the same feel to it.

Ah, well, I can’t explain why I like this field so much, I just do.

The setting sun was just perfect to show up the Black Canyon of the Gunnison…I hope you can see the canyon.

This was the route the early settlers took coming in to settle Delta…. they started in Gunnison and then drove their teams and wagons along the rim of the Black Canyon arriving in Peach Valley then across the waste land to the the fertile valley by the Gunnison River, now called Delta. (Not as easy as it sounds, but that is for another day.)

I must be off, Dear Friends, as I need to make a run to the gas station for gas for the 530 John Deere…this little darling of a tractor doesn’t use diesel fuel.

Your Friend,

Linda