Even though we are in that cold of January Terry has decided to re-roof the tractor shed, and hang a new garage door—(the wind blew in all the corn leaves, so we had to clean all that up before we could begin.)
Our days start early (as always) and
End at sunset. The days are long, but not as long as a summer day. 🙂
Suddenly, Terry backed the corvette out and said…we need a treat!
I finished cleaning and prepping my gardens by the the corrals, which led me to figure out I had better get the corrals back into order, fences and gates in repair, take down the metal fences and store them until next year (for when the cows come).  Clean out the loafing shed and move some things around.
A little squirrel chattered at me, from one of the corral posts; Â the call of a Robin sitting high in the Willow tree made a sweet song as I worked.
Terry finished plowing one field and started rolling it. Â The soil is just right for plowing, but drying fast.
so the rolling had to occur as soon as he could hook up the roller or the earth would turn into clods.
In the fresh extra edge, of cool air and rising sunshine Saturday morning we finished the last load of the wood. A slight breeze moved restlessly caressing our work heated skin.
It was a lovely feeling.Â
Friday and Saturday we kept a steady pace.
Then as the day came to a close, cool mist of the evening rose up to wrap the world in drifting peace…the Red Winged Blackbirds came to feast; filling up their tummies for the long night of rest.
We had a winter storm come in on Tuesday. What a long boring day that was….the cats and I slept most the day.
Then Wednesday we had SUNSHINE!
Beautiful SUNSHINE!
And Thursday!
And TODAY!
Early morning the birds still look like its cold.
The storm blew in a pair of Robin’s! Mom was ecstatic! I didn’t get it, they were just Robins. But Mom was happy so I was too!
I got in huge trouble because I brought in a fresh afterbirth. I had just brought it onto the lawn when Mom saw me. Grabbed the really yummy thing and hauled it to the burn barrel.
Bummer!
Mom, Dad, and I do a daily calf run. I Love Going on the Four-Wheeler! I just love it! I’m safe up there, from those old mean momma cows, and I can see and sniff to my heart’s content, without having to walk!
Mom and Dad are still cutting and hauling and stacking wood. Three loads a day. Although, they don’t go if the weather is snowing.
Terry and I have been hauling wood for winter fires.
We have three more large box pick-up loads to go then we should be set for those dreary, long, miserable, horrid, nasty, bitter, ugly cold months. (I guess by this sentence you get the impression that I hate winter. 🙂 )
We are hauling pine beetle killed trees…nothing alive, only downed or standing dead tree.
We gather the firewood on Friday’s, which pretty much zonks me for Saturday. Â We were both wondering, after this last load, if we can keep this up for several more years or not. Â I guess we will just have to have it delivered, if and when that time comes.
(Although, NOW we do have the propane furnace fixed so we have a very expensive back-up if we need it.)
While tossing and sorting I happened to look up and see a very cool site!
A HEART! Â I’m going to save this little gift of love and put it some place rather cool in my garden!
A couple of nice showers came through during the night.
Wonderful!
It’s cloudy and cooler here this morning with showers playing around us…in Cedaredge, on Grand Mesa, in Peach Valley and from my upstairs window (where my desk and office are) it looks like it might be raining in the desert between Delta and Hotchkiss.
I found out yesterday that we have FOUR (4) wildfires around us…two near Paonia, one closer to Montrose and one over by the west end somewhere. Â I don’t know how my source knows, but they seemed very sure. Â So their fires are adding to the smoke.
But yesterday we had clouds and scattered showers and then last night the cooling/healing rainstorms…no lightening or thunder, that I know of. Â All of this should help.
We off here in a few minutes to get our last load of firewood to get us through the winter.  It takes 7 loads…I’m not sure how many cords that comes to, but seems like lots as we are loading and unloading.  Then it always seems like not enough as the winter wears on.  In the end it usually turns out ‘just right’.
Have a nice Wednesday, everyone! Â It’s cool and lovely here. Â Just right for hauling and stacking wood!
We’ve been cutting and hauling wood. Permits are not expensive and you get 4 cords of wood.
Gradually we (meaning all of our kids and us) are getting our winter supply.
We mostly cut on the Uncompahgre Plateau, which is behind our farm.
It’s for sure I can’t haul out logs this size…. its a good thing our son can. They (meaning Terry/ Evan / Kelly) have to cut the logs down so the rest of us can haul and load them. 🙂
This is a view coming off the top of Grand Mesa. I grew up in that valley down there…which is the Cedaredge/ Eckert area. Lots more people there than when I was a kid. At the time of my youth it was mostly cattle ranches and fruit farms. We had 36 kids graduate out of my Senior class.Â
Everything changes as time moves on.
We saw another rainbow as we headed in from the plateau
You all might be getting tired of these gifts from heaven, but I sure am enjoying them.
The problem of heating the house and the shop through the winter is a big one. With the high cost of propane, we just can’t afford to heat everything.  But if we are diligent through the summer, we can have a large enough woodpile to supply us with just the right amount of warmth.
Life on a Colorado Farm 