And the wind.
The wind is lifting the leaves and drying them —causing a type of dancing-in-the-wind sort of feeling
Mud is the story now–lots of it
LaVerne, our mule, says she doesn’t care–mud, no mud, life is always the sensation of joy for her!
(We are melting fast now. Which is a good thing.)
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Each day is a typical January day for our part of the high desert plains of Colorado
We were in the slush and slog of a quiet winter melt
When Saturday morning we woke up to a wee lovely snow
Enough Terry thought he would take a small ride down the long, long lane to the county road
Beaglie and I went for walk up the farm to the haystack are and back
Later in the afternoon, the sun came out and what was once a snow-packed road became a road of melt
The result by the ending of the day…we were back to MELT!! (Mud)
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
After a brief dusting of snow
We melted! Adding too the already mud and slop.
Then the rains came! Popping up bubbles in the huge puddles. Fun little bubbles, as if the earth was adding some humor into all the moisture.
Then this morning we woke up to fleeing clouds
And sunlight over the land
As I write this the sky is clear, the sun bright, and there is beauty all around!
From my world to your heart!
Linda
The very first thing this morning we had a load of gravel delivered. He had to come this early while the ground was still frozen.
The mud is so terribly bad we can’t get anything done. we can’t even walk out to the hay stack yard or even to the shops without sinking up to our ankles.
Although, we only graveled by the buildings
and down the long lane by the bridge,
it really should help.
NOW! Boomer and I can go for a walk to get the mail, instead of taking a wheeled-vehicle.
NOW! When the last loads of hay leave the yard they can GET it to get it! YAY!
It’s supposed to be 48* today! The sun is shining and the birds are singing. We have gravel covering up the mud…Life is Good!
Love,
Linda
Our air started chilling down on Saturday night…growing thick with mystery and the promise of snow. The gray-pink clouds began enfolding the earth, as the sun set assuring us of a blanket white enchantment.
Sunday the snow started falling; winter’s promise was still alive.
Terry and I spent Sunday warm and safe. Although, a little on the bored side.
Boomer and I took a wee walk in the soft, muffled air. Boomer doesn’t really walk with me, there is always so much more to see and do than stay right by my side. Of course, now that cows are here he tends to not drift TOO far away!
Waking on the farm is to walk to the sound of silence — for even the cows are quiet in the falling snow.
Walking is satisfying, getting outside is delicious.
Monday morning the snow was thick and lush and rich. As I shoveled the snow off the sidewalks there was only my footprints, Boomer’s and the cats! (I enjoyed being the only human foot prints in the yard. 🙂 )
Snow! That gift of water for the spring, summer and fall!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
We woke up to snow this morning! Although it IS melting, it’s still snow. Sure seems early this year.
Terry and I worked on the fire roads. 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. 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. Work on the fire roads has ended for the year.
Your friend on a very muddy western Colorado farm,
Linda
We had a wee fog this morning, caused by very cold temperatures from the very wet ground (the sun came out yesterday afternoon…Boomer and I went out and danced on the lawn, it was too wet to take a walk. 🙂 )
And the very lovely clear sky and the warmer canal water.
I’m wondering if we had a freeze. It is possible.
The grass was rather crunchy when I walk out to get some early photos…as the day warms up I will be able to tell.
It’s time. Actually, a little late. But that is okay, I’ve enjoyed the warmth while it lasted. 🙂
As always your friend,
Linda
It’s snowing here…giant fluffy flakes of winter’s snow. They say we could have as much as 3 inches. 😦 The only good thing, about it being snow, is it isn’t as wet as rain. To work in rain is the pits. At least with the snow you only freeze to death. The mud comes later.
You can’t see the snow here, because it hadn’t started yet, but it is there….waiting in the clouds
Lurking, ready to begin. You can see the snow falling in the canyons…if there were no snow the canyons would be crisp and clear to your eye, it’s misty..either rain or snow. Today it is snow.
My hands are froze. Since I set the tubes and help walk the water {Terry does all the back breaking digging and he helps walk the water} I sometimes have to get my hands in the water. That’s why I can’t wear gloves, even plastic gloves won’t work, I’ve tried them. What I need to do is get good enough I don’t have to stop, bin over and place the tube in the water, grab the end of the tube (to form a suction) in the water, then quickly set the tube in the row. Terry and MIsty can do it, but not I.
Oh, well, it ’tis what it ’tis.
I have my seeds started for the year. I hope to plant out by Mother’s Day. (who knows with this year)
Tomatoes, water melon, flowers and other goodies, happily sprouting away.
Happy Winter, er, Spring…whatever 🙂 I wish all of you peace and so much love,
Your friend on a Western Colorado Farm,
Linda
‘Needless to say’ ( favorite saying of my Momma’s) you don’t walk around in flip-flops, or regular shoes of any sort right now, you still walk with your boots on.
But instead of the crunch, and creak, and squeak of the snow your feet with the boots on them make a sort of plunk, and splash, and sucking sound.
BUT I’m NOT complaining! No matter what, after snow you must have mud. Every day that you have mud with sun and little wind is a day closer to DIRT! or SOIL! or just plain Ground!
The mud is bad enough the dogs don’t like to walk with me, which is okay. I walked without them. I wanted to see if the winter annual weeds were perking up–gathering juices to spring forth in all their weedy wonder.
Yep, the nasty Cheat Grass is greening up nicely. Cheat grass is really a mess…it has tiny little barbs that catch in the throats and coats of animals, on socks and pant legs, in general is just a mess. I really should go out and spray it with weed killer in the fall, but I never seem to get around too it. Fall is so extremely busy for us.
I like this little plant…it has little purple flowers and is part of the mustard family. Since I like this plant I will never try to kill it, although, I don’t know what benefits it has except to make me smile. And I do, every time I see it.
While out and about a Murder of Crows flew around and around on the wind thermals, forming figure eights in the air, calling and calling for all to hear: Caw, Caw, Spring is near!
Back home I had three inch clumps of mud on my boots, the dogs just looked at me then rested their heads back down on their paws, as if saying: see that’s why WE didn’t want to go.
That’s okay, I told them! The walk did me good, it filled that slot that had grown thin in waiting, I now have Joy in my soul.
Your Happy Friend,
Linda
We went from days and days of this
to two days of rain and warmer weather, which produced this
But yesterday, we were on the Uncompaghre Plateau (Un-come-pah-gray) enjoying the snow.
We had a great time at Max’s place. He had his roads all packed down so we could sled and sled and sled.
Everyone went, Max, Terry, Misty and Kelly, all the little kids and even me!
Up and down most of the day we went. Then when the little one was getting tired and cranky and whiny we stopped and cooked hot dogs and marshmallows in Max’s fire pit.
Max and Grandpa even proved to the little ones, you are never to old to go down a hill fast
I must admit that when we got home, Terry and I took an hour long nap. We were a little tired. I called the grandchildren later and the only person who took a nap was their Dad.
Today is cloudy and overcast and raining; but later on in the week we are supposed to hit 59-60* with sun. Sun!!! Sun helps dry up all the rain. WHOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!
Your Friend,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 