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

(And of course, Fuzzy and Boomer)

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Dayphoto

It’s snowing here today.

Last night, I remembered that I hadn’t taken my 4 o’clock photo yet. I usually take it on Wednesday afternoon, but for some reason it slipped my mind.

Our days are growing longer, instead of 9 hours and 30 minutes long, we have reached new lengths of 9 hours and 42 minutes.

We are still cold. Although, three days ago we warmed up to above freezing for about two hours, I did the happy feet dance the whole time.

Our day was darkening down when I got outside, the snow clouds just starting to blow in over the Plateau. Our storms usually come out of eastern Utah, crossing the Uncompahgre, then moving on past us toward the North Fork of Delta county. From there I don’t know where the storms go.

Randomly and very rarely (right where we live) a big storm will roll into Montrose from the Durango area, blow itself around to the Plateau and then land on us. The storms from the San Juan area can lose steam at Montrose and never make it clear on down here to our Mesa.

Even rarer is the storm that comes in from Gunnison, spins onto Montrose, then to us. Usually those storms (the ones from Gunnison head into Peach Valley and the Black Canyon area, then into the town proper of Delta).

I watch the sky a lot……as if you can’t tell. The sky and the weather are major interest and concerns when you farm and have animals that live outside.

But besides those things—I just plain enjoy the magic of the heavens and how they swirl and play upon the land.

Linda

Something Wet Came Last Night

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Dayphoto

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. I don’t know how my source knows, but they seemed very sure. 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. 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! It’s cool and lovely here. Just right for hauling and stacking wood!

Linda