The Sandhill Cranes have been in our area for at least two months, but never here on our farm
But yesterday morning they CAME
Singing loudly to each other and to any ear that wishes to hear
They have come, shimmering against the gold of last year’s corn stalks, singing tranquility into the air…sunshine streaming in the frigid air.
Joy in my heart!
From my world to your heart,
Linda
Beaglie and I go for a walk daily around the farm.
It’s nice to get out and about, to stretch one’s legs and to expand one’s lungs
Although, it is still chilly…coat wearing chilly
There is a feeling of March in the air. A decided shift toward warmer and nicer weather
There are about 14 baby cows (calves) out on the land; more to come.
It’s trying to snow right now, so I suppose we will see more calves born. They like to come out in nasty weather for some reason. 😦
Still, there is a smell to air which says March is coming!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
The birds of winter—-
Those delightful wandering large and small birds
Filling the air with their gossip and chatter
Shining brightly there in the sky
Filling our lawn with their busy searching and scratching
Then suddenly lifting up in a huge swoosh of wings
The tap-tap tapping on the bark of the very old Cottonwood tree fills the cold winter air
A pair of owls gently shake the branches of the same tree each evening as they call one to the other 
A blackbird, of some sort, rests in the branches waiting for submissive sun take back the sky from clouds
The crows tell all the secrets of the land.
Thank Heavens for the winter birds. They make my winter life ever so much better.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
The Sandhill Cranes are back (this is an old photo)
(Another old photo)
A pair flew over my head as I was shuffling around the trash cans yesterday morning
(From my archives)
They hollered and squawked at me as they flapped vigorously toward the Upper End of our farm
If was a happy feeling to see them arrive.
Since yesterday was lovely warm in the afternoon. We decided to take one last spin in the corvette before we have to put the top back on.
(Photo from last year)
We drove around and looked at the hemp farms…harvest has begun. I wonder if the killing freezes damages the CBD oil in the plant? I will let you know if I find out anything
Part of my yard, now a beautiful memory.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
The long v’s of big birds fly over our farm in the evening,
looking ever so carefully for a place to land, eat, and rest before taking off again for that very long flight to their summer homes mesmerizes me.
I love to stand outside and listen to their calls curling around me in the air
The glimmer of pink on the clouds, the shadows of the birds flying over;
I feel as if there is deep magic on this earth…that God is very generous with us!
From my world to your heart,
Linda
The Sandhill cranes are still filling our fields at night, then taking to the skies early morning as they move ever northward.
One day (before this big storm arrived) I caught a wee snow cloud putting down snow on the Grand Mesa…it was a lovely sight to see.
Also, I had a photo of a Ringed-Neck Dove I took as it sat on the fence next to our lane…
It flew away when it saw me.
The last three photos were taken just a day or two before our big wet storm. But they were so lovely I wanted to share them with you!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Terry, Boomer and I took a ride up to the Upper End and the Back Forty, checking the grasses, mud, and snowmelt
We were also pleasantly Surprised to still see the Sandhill Cranes filling the land and the skies of up there.
We are seeing less and less of the big birds…all the Canada Geese, who wintered on the farm are gone…heading home for the summer
And the Sand Hill Cranes are becoming less and less.
Eckert, where my brother and I grew up, holds annual Sandhill Crane Days starting about March 10 until April 20. Sandhill cranes are relatively new to our area, we didn’t have them when my brother and I where children and young adults.
I heard from a long-time blog reader, Emily, that the Sandhill Cranes have arrived at her ranch even though they still have two feet of snow.
So every day now the big birds are going home. And the Spring and Summer birds are coming back…I thought I heard a Western Meadowlark when we were up there in the pasture lands…I sure hope I did.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Mom and I went out last night sorta kinda early. Mom wanted to go before the snow came in, so out we went.
Just Mom and I. Mom told Mindy she had to stay inside.
We saw a raccoon. That was all.
Then when we started to come back in it started snowing.
Mom built up the fire then we headed to our beds.
It’s still snowing today.
Mom says Spring is still coming because she saw TWO (2) different flocks of Rocky Mountain Bluebirds in the last three days—
first the Red-Winged Blackbirds and now the Rocky Mountain Bluebirds…YAY!
Mom danced a jig. I just twirled around her while she danced…jigs are too hard on old dogs. Just say’n. (Mom also told me that THIS YEAR she wants to get a photo of the Bluebirds…I hope she does.)
“And still the earth is cold and white,
And mead and forest yet are bare;
But there’s something in the light
That says the germ of life is there.”—Jane Goodwin Austin
Spring is coming Soon!
Boomer
Well, it’s with fond hearts
And sad good-byes
We all watched the cows
being rounded up yesterday morning around 10:00
Heading to their home place.
The cranes were upset for a spell but came back. Which is a good thing.
Still, the fields feel empty without the cows.
Moving toward spring work now. Although, today we have snow and rain and not very nice conditions.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Mom and Dad get up before the grey light starts to show over by the mountains, eat breakfast, then put on my coat, load me up in the back of the pick-up truck (or up front) and head up to the far reaches of the farm.
By the time we eat breakfast, gather up all the wood gathering tools, put my coat on me, the sun is up and the frost is THICK on the grass.
You see we have to go early before the mud appears, or we would never make it up there and back.
Dad isn’t fond of being stuck and Mom is even more un-fonder since being stuck enough the four-wheel drive doesn’t work means a long walk back to the house to get the tractor and chain, then a very cold ride back to the stuck truck, and THEN Mom has to pull the pick up out, which she HATES to do.
So up we go, every day this week, then it’s back to the yard where Mom sorts and Dad cuts until today when they both announced: “This should hold us for a spell”!
Now….for me it is lots of fun. I can ride up front or in the back, whatever I want. I usually pick the back. I have a coat on you see.
We drive through the cows and the Sandhill Cranes—I don’t bark or whine or howl at them I just watch.
Then Mom sits me out of the truck and I go exploring. I go here and there and everywhere. I go where ever I want to go.
Then when I hear the chain saw stop or I hear Mom holler for me I head back to the truck and get loaded up again.
Back home
I usually go around smelling who or what has been visiting the farm while we were gone.
Then when Mom lets the hens out and heads back into the house,
I always go with her…nap time.
Mom works upstairs on her computer and I take a long nap.
Dad does Dad stuff, I don’t know what that is because, well, you see, I stay with Mom, always.
Boomer Beaglie Brown
