Guest Post and a Rainbow for Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Dayphoto

Last night our skies were black as velvet! The rain flowing down upon us creating a frosty feeling to the air. I watched the lightening and thunder play and dance along the plateau as I fell asleep only to be waked two hours later with the same flashes of brilliance right over our farm.

The lightening was huge running large and small jagged lines from cloud to earth- the thunder cracked at exactly the same moment! The effect was awe inspiring and very intimidating. After I finish posting this I must run down to the kid’s house an check everything is okay. I’m stalling—for if a tree branch has fallen it means work…and it’s way too wet to work right now. (Although Terry is out wading through mud and mud puddles and slick ditch banks to change the water—the water never stops until harvest…ever.)

The crows are back…fall is in the air here–I can even see the leaves starting to change color here.

This morning I saw a very faint rainbow…very faint but it was still nice to see.

Some time ago I posted that cows were able to take care of coyotes and tried to explain how.

Sara from My Favorite Sheep blogspot….sent me an email about cows running off a bear: It’s pretty stunning I’ve posted it below.

Off now to go see if we have any lightening damage.

Your farm friend,

Linda

Oregon cows and a black bear…don’t mess with Mama!

A couple of evenings ago, an Eastern Oregon rancher went out to check his beef herd.

He saw a very strange sight — and was able to photograph an unusual battle between

a black bear and some brave cows. The bear began to attack a cow and then the herd

came to her aid. One cow in particular got especially aggressive and head-butted the

bear right off its feet. Then, two cows sandwiched the bear between their heads. After

that, the bear decided to flee and limped back into the woods.

The blonde and white Simmental cow we know as I-12 went right for him.
She is a very good cow, a very attentive mother and about 12 years old.

She’s in her prime and knows that bears are bad news.

Little does the bear know what is coming.

She tried her best to mash him into the ground. Man, that has to have hurt the bear!

Nothing like a mad cow to give you a hard time.

There are a couple of photos where the bear is biting I-12’s leg and clawing her face,

but she is not giving up. Her stiff tail shows how agitated she is. Wayne said all the

cows were bawling, the bear was squealing and the calves were running around with

their tails in the air.

And here comes some help. This bear is about to know what real trouble is!

When you have two females pissed at you, real trouble has arrived!
A younger cow, R-55, an Angus-Cross cow, age 7, is helping her out as best she can.
It is an incredible photo to see two cows at once trying to crush the bear.
Watch That hoof land home!

I looked up the calving records of both cows who are so aggressive in these photos

and they are both good, calm cows around us, and have given us no troubles

whatsoever. I’ll have to add in my notes that they have a very distinct dislike of bears.
Man, that’s a lot of weight bearing (pun intended), down on the bear like mashing a

lump of butter! It’s a wonder the bear could even move after all the mauling he received.

We’ll be watching I-12 over the next few days to see if she needs Treatment for infection.
I don’t know how willingly she’ll come to the corrals for treatment, but she might not have

a choice. And stay away you won’t be so lucky next time!

Lucky to be able to move at all.

Finally, the bear decided to vacate the area. We thought he’d be dead for sure,
but there was no sign of him the next day.

We’ll have to keep an eye out for eagles in the trees or flocks of ravens flying up. We’re

sure he’s got some broken ribs out of the deal at the very least. Wayne couldn’t believe

his eyes when he witnessed this ruckus. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime photography event.

Amazing!

A Photo Gift of Rainbow — Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Dayphoto

It is raining here!

Joyful drops of cooling moisture!

Our humidity finally swelled enough to allow the sullen clouds and the leaden sky to burst forth with a steady drizzle of rain! (WITHOUT WIND!)

All of God’s Creatures are rejoicing. The little birds are sitting on bare branches taking a shower…fluffing their wings, spreading the cleansing drops of water through their feathers with their beaks and feet all with loud and joyful songs of delight. It seems even little birds love to sing at the top of their lungs in the shower!

Terry and I are also enjoying these life-giving drops of rain— the hay is up and stacked, with the load of hay to haul to the Delta Elevator protected under the carport. (Thanks be to everyone who sent magic thoughts, prayers, and crossed their fingers for dry weather for us!)

Although, irrigation DOES NOT STOP (the rain is not really soaking into the ground just creating a damp top to the soil) we do not mind walking along a slippery ditch banks to change the water. The delight of a heat-decreasing summer shower is a gift!

Today is Tuesday! It is the day I like to post one of the many photo gifts of rainbows from one of my readers.

Vadarae (Va-da-rae) don’t you just love that name! Vadarae sent me a lovely double rainbow she took on her trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota in May. Look at the raindrops on the car window…it so fits the weather we are having today!

Thank-you, Cotton Lady for adding to this special day full of soft, gentle, air-cleansing and refreshing rain!

Your Friend on a Western Colorado Farm,

Linda

P.S. Please remember if you have a wonderful rainbow or even a great photo you would like to share with my readers I will be very glad to post it for you. I post them on Tuesday. And I ALWAYS give you credit for sharing with us!

A Bluebird Day February 11, 2014

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yesterday was a very wet day. The clouds sat heavily upon the land, breaking forth in huge copious drops of rain that fell and fell and fell. Gradually all the snow turned to slush and then to mud. Since the ground is still frozen the water stayed on top…filling in where the snow used to be. Huge squishy puddles that would be fun to walk through if it were August instead of February.

All day the rain drops fell, plinking and plonking on the roofs of the house, the barn, and Terry’s work shops. Sheets of water pouring off the sides of the roofs melting any snow that had accumulated there over the winter.

Rain always makes one feel like it is warm outside; not this rain, this was winter’s rain. A very rare experience for us.

Then sometime in the late morning or early afternoon the rain stopped and a chill wind fresh from the snow on the Uncompahgre (Un-come-pah-gray—accent on the pah) shoved and pushed the remaining heavy clouds from us and swept them on toward Paonia. A blue sky appeared giving all of us, Terry, myself, the dogs and cats a huge desire to be outside.

Gathering the dogs up and loading them into the back of the pick-up we took off for a short ride…just to get out of the house. Up we went toward Pea Green, then into the out-reaches of Olathe, down in the valley of Monoken (Mo-no-ken) back to Delta, where I mailed a letter, then home.

Refreshed! Open to the thoughts of spring.

This morning a huge cloud had drifted down over-night from the Plateau covering our Mesa (California Mesa), blocking the bright and joyful sun rays for our view.

The little buff hen is gradually doing better. Every evening she comes in to sleep in her laundry basket nest, cooing and talking to us as we walk by going here and there. As the night closes in and I’m done washing the dishes I cover her little basket with towels shutting out the light and helping her stay warm.

When morning comes I take her back out to the hen house. She needs to stretch and fluff and eat and poop at will…in the house is not a good place for all of that.

But today, she took her little fluffy self out into the plastic covered chicken run and started digging and scratching. A first! I was delighted to see her busy searching for interesting things to eat. The soil is dry in there so she will be able to dust herself–a beauty bath is always refreshing.

While watching her two little bluebirds flew right by me and sat down on the wood pile. I was extremely grateful the dogs had stayed in the house. They stayed a short while (of course I didn’t have my camera with me) then lifted up their little wings, turning their blue backs to me and flew off toward the fence along the lane.

Spring is coming! I always know, once I see the bluebirds. Sometimes there are only a few hardy souls braving the cold, then we will see more and more. I hope I have my camera the next time I see them…to capture a bluebird’s photo is one of my photographing goals.

For now we live under a cloud, but not such a bad cloud, as we can see the sun surrounding us.

And the bluebirds are returning. How grand is that?

Linda

It’s Still Raining Here February 10, 2014

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Dayphoto

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

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Dayphoto

Our storm arrived….bringing with it the most delicious, gentle, kind drizzle of rain you can imagine. It started just after sunset with tiny sprinkles here and there.

By 8 o’clock in the evening Terry came in from working on the 4010 and announced the skies were weeping! I went to see, both dogs following, then choosing to stay outside. (It was a warmish evening and Fuzzy wanted to be outside…Boomer doesn’t like to be somewhere Fuzzy isn’t)

All night the delicious gentle rain fell causing a mist to surround us and all the trees and bushes and plants. This morning we were wet, but not so wet it was miserable. The dogs came in and laid down, Fuzzy by me and Boomer as close to the fire as he could get. It wasn’t long before they were panting but reluctant to go back outside. It’s hard to do something when everything is dripping.

Gradually they went out…first Fuzzy and then Boomer…WHEW! The fresh air must have felt good for them.

Today I will be helping Terry put his hydraulic pump back on the 4010. He fixed the back pump first and now we will do the front one. We had to wait for a pump to be delivered from Abilene, Kansas, which came yesterday. It will take both of us…and a jack and other things for those pumps are are heavy, heavy, heavy.

Sometime after we get this fixed we will take a very fast trip to Bridgeport, Nebraska to get a motor for the combine — the one that he cobbled together by drilling holes in the thermostat.

It’s been a farming season of things breaking in a huge way, then having to be fixed…the 4010 with the hydraulic pumps, the bean combine with the auger, the diesel combine’s motor and the gasoline combine’s major chain under everything, which not only broke but ripped up the bottom metal and sucked into the loading chute. Once these are fixed we should be ‘good to go’ for several more years…anyway that is what Terry is saying. 🙂 🙂

I found the sky amazing last night…that long strip of …whatever … shows up close as a spot in another cloud.

The storm is here until Sunday…with rain supposedly turning to snow tonight. I guess we will see in the morning won’t we. The mountains all around us are showing snow…it can stay up there, which would be perfect.

Off now to help with the tractor and the hydraulic pump,

Your sometimes mechanic’s helper friend,

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — Fall Storm

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Dayphoto

The day started like this…Boom was resting and resting and resting. But Mom came out and started putting all the lawn furniture away…off we trotted to the old unused grain bin…first Boomer’s favorite bed, then his second favorite bed, then Dad’s favorite chair…after that all the tables and the benches. Back and forth Boomer and I went with Mom. We are very good helpers!!

Then when Dad and Mom went off to finish Shannon’s fireplace

the wind started up…it blew me this way and that! That is one thing about wind I really don’t like my fur going here and there and everywhere!

Gradually the day started to end as the wind got worse and worse.

Boomer and I decided we were NOT spending the night in the dog houses….no sire! Not tonight!

Because the wind and the rain and the ice were bad all night!!!

We woke up to a very cold morning! Mom started a fire in the fireplace; we all toasted until I just got too hot and HAD to go outside!!!

Mom wonders if the snow and ice have finished off the apple harvest. Mom says she hopes not.

Anyway …

Boomer and have stuff to do, we are off (he is that dot in the weeds) to check out how the farm and our wild friends did last night in that bad storm. As you can see we are just cold here, the rain didn’t really wet anything down, just turned to ice. As the sun has come up it melted.

“I’ll take it!” bayed Boomer. “Give me sun any day!”

Me too…that was enough for a while!

Fuzzy

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — ‘tis Done – if not it Should Be

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Dayphoto

Boomer and I are so DONE with all this rain! DONE, let me tell you!

The world is wet, wet, wet! Although, not as wet around Estes Park and Boulder, but still very muddy here.

My feet are mud colored now, not white. Mom keeps them wiped off, but it’s useless the second I go back outside — and I LOVE outside!

BAM!

I have mud feet again!

Sigh!

The everyday, three times or more a day, changing of the water is done.

Over!

Stopped!

Finished!

Mom still takes us for a daily ride about…just to see what we can see.

Sam Cat says he’s done with the wet also…the mice are staying inside so everything is a tad boring for even him.

Cats’ sure sleep a lot don’t they? (Boomer and I don’t sleep, we just ‘rest our eyes’, cats snore. Snort, chuckle, laugh!

Anyway, just to let you know Boomer and I are ready for some sunshine…Beautiful Sunshine.

The rain keeps everything so wet the smells are all gone!

Until then I’m hanging out in the dry spot of the whole outside…just because, you see, I love the outdoors.

Fuzzy

Today

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Dayphoto

Today we turned the water off. Unless something happens…like extremely hot weather…the irrigation water for this year is turned off to our farm. From April to September the constant changing of water has ruled our lives.

Terry called our Ditch Rider, Bill, around 6:30 this morning and told him we would be shutting our water off at seven. He said yesterday five other farmers on his canal watch turned off and today (counting us) he has two so far.

So from here to today the Irrigation season has come to an end. (This is what opening day looked like in 2011)

Bill said the water will stay in the canal until November 1st, allowing those who use Uncompahgre Water below us (Grand Junction, Loma, and on down the Colorado River) to finish up their crops. This is a little later than when they turned if off last year because of the shortage of water. Last year they turned off the water the middle to the third week of October.

The rain is still strong today …we are socked in

Thankfully we have been rather wet starting in July.

Terry and I feel really bad for those who have beans pulled and on the ground, and hay laying getting soaked and ruined. The onion guys are starting to worry, even though the onions have not been pulled — rain this late in their growing season will cause the bulbs to rot. The pinto bean guys are worrying that the rains will cause the dry bean to take on moisture swelling the bean…then when the sun does come back and the dry returns the bean will dry out and crack…it seems like there is always something to worry about isn’t there?

We will only (ONLY) turn the water back on if the alfalfa fields start to show stress, then we will give them a quick drink so the roots stay nice through the winter. Once we have a hard killing frost the worry is over until spring work begins again.

The two fields are looking nice and lush and green so (fingers crossed) we won’t have to start up the irrigation again this year.

My hummingbird feeders are down to three and I think I can reduce that to two today. I only saw three little birds eating breakfast in the rain this morning.

“Summer gathers up her robes of glory, And, like a dream, glides away.” –Sarah Helen Whitman.

Fall is here,

Linda

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Dayphoto

The rains have arrived. They threaten all day long, then around 8:00 in the evening they began.

We were lucky that it waited until we got home. Just as I drove into the shed the rain started falling in a serious manner. Terry didn’t believe me when I said it was raining (he beat me in) but as we walked out of the building he became a believer. 🙂

Today Terry has a meeting, which leaves just the dogs and I to change the water…I hope it isn’t raining at that point. I also dread the drive on a mud slick ditch bank, but I know it can be done.

Yes, I do!

Anyway, The Farmer’s Almanac has printed their predictions for the up and coming winter…I’m already ready for Spring. I guess I shouldn’t be so selfish, as I know some of my Dear Blog Friends are also ready for Spring—-they can only have Spring if we have Winter so I’ll slap on a Happy Face and ‘try’ to be okay with Winter.

Now for the Good part of Winter…if the predictions are true we will have snow, which means the reservoirs should recover some, which is a very good thing.

Your Grateful the pinto beans are harvested and sold and the hay is baled and stacked friend,

Linda

The Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer on Friday — Bean Harvest

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Dayphoto

Bean Harvest! Dad and Mom sure have been having a hard time getting all those pinto beans out of the field.

First the belt broke on the auger (day one) so the hopper had to be emptied BY HAND from the combine into the truck.

That was a huge job.

Boomer and I took it seriously and stayed out of the way.

Besides it was really super-hot! Super-hot like that just takes everything out of you.

Then everything was going along really good

Boomer and I were helping….

right after supper the folks headed back out and it

STARTED TO RAIN!

Rain is NOT good.

Everything grinds down to halt.

It messes up the whole works.

Dad said maybe by four this afternoon he can begin again…the rows of beans have to be dry, VERY DRY, to combine or the combine won’t pick up the beans.

The other sad thing about the rain is it rained on the hay. Dad was going to bale first thing this morning, but now he can’t do that either. Rained on hay is not good…rained on hay can ruin the protein of the hay. Dad is up there checking out the hay to see how much damage occurred. 😦 (Maybe not much, as sometimes the rain will miss areas of the farm.)