We are seeing more clouds—some storm-laden.
The grasses are turning red
Something I’ve really never noticed before.
They are actually rather beautiful.
The trees are starting to turn yellow–a true sign, if there ever was one.
Spider webs dot the landscape
The light is changing!
Yep–no matter what the calendar says, the earth, the sky, and all the plants say fall is here!
I am so thankful, happy, and very, very grateful!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
I know it isn’t going to be long now
The swallows are gathering. Waiting for the little ones to get enough strength to migrate.
Each and every day I watch them start to have more and more Swallows arrive to begin the big migration.
Our swallows are the last to come in the Spring and the last to leave in the fall. It won’t be long now. I hope I can see them go. Only once did I get to see them all lift as one, swirl around the farm and our house as if saying good-bye…then rise way up into the sky in a joyful dance.
And then were gone.
One once! But that once was a Huge wonderful gift!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
The migrations are in full swing now
Our days turning golden
The nights are much, much cooler
Autumn, like Spring is a seam
Summer, stitching to Fall, Fall to winter
Winter to Spring.
The great circle of seasons balanced and sewed together.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
“Now, just so you know, the reason Dad (and I) farm is: to make money.
Well, that doesn’t always seem to be the case. The idea is to make money. You can’t farm if you don’t have money. So, the whole idea of farming is to make money.
Just like people who go to work for someone else…to make money.”
Mom put me up on her shoulder and petted me, while we walked toward the house.
“So, you see, TLC Cai-Cai, (Mom calls me by my full name all the time,
Dad calls me things like CLT, LTC, TLC—he makes stuff up all the time, sometimes he calls me a GIRL!!!! It’s okay I still come to him no matter what he calls me. 😊 )
It is very important that a farm makes money, for without money there is no canned cat food or dry cereal to munch on…it takes money to buy your groceries.”
Farming is a risky type of business. It’s not like a regular job, where every two weeks or once a month you get a paycheck. Paycheck time is whenever the crops come in, which can be only once a year, depending on the crop.”
Mom and I sat down on the sofa where I can stretch way out while Mom pets on me.
“For us, You, Me, and Dad, the paychecks come in each time we sell hay. Hay is a big deal around here. It brings in money three times a summer.
Then in the fall and early winter, Dad will get out the corn combine and combine the corn, haul it to the Elevator by which, around Christmas time we will get the most money. This is the money we live on. It buys everyday living, all the spring requirements: seed, fertilizer, fuel, it holds us together.”
I am purring so loud; I’m starting to get tired. Just a little bit tired, like maybe just rest my eyes tired.
“And you know what, TLC Cai-Cai? Farmers can’t control the weather or the price you get paid, ever. That’s just how it is—the reason farming is such a risky business.”
ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
“Hum, I guess you feel safe and warm and fed, Little One. And THAT is a very good thing.”
Mom got up very slowly leaving me there on the sofa to dream on.
TLC Cai-Cai
Although, the weather has turned
Giving us rain, frozen mix like snow, and weather so cold I had to start a fire in the woodstove
The smoke is gone!
And the Pine Gulch Fire is 90% contained.
Now, hopefully, the other horrendous fires are contained!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
I have rapidly dwindled down to one hummingbird feeder
Although, I keep two up and filled to the brim. It keeps fighting down, that way.
I’ve tried all season to capture a good photo of a little hummingbird in flight. This is the best I can do. It’s WAY hard to actually photo their bright little feathers, the cute little feets, the glinting sun off their wings.
But I tried anyway.
I hope they make it to warmer parts of our country soon.
There was snow in the high country of Utah last night…the expected cold front moving in here today.
We won’t have snow right here, but the high mountains might.
Still, it will bring to us much cooler weather.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
The Pinto bean fields are starting to turn yellow
It’s getting close—Pinto Bean Harvest.
And to go along with Fall—-a big fat Cat-Head Spider. It seems we only really see them in the Autumn time.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Good Morning!
After taking off Sunday—we always try to keep Sunday free of un-necessary work
We began again on the pinto bean field. Because of the nature of dried pinto beans, we can’t start work until around 2:00 in the afternoon–and then will work until the light holds no longer. (although there are lights on the combine, by that time of day we are tired.)
Mornings are not lazy nor are they particularly drifting
They are full of all sorts of tasks and projects which must be done by lunch. Then there are those things which also must be accomplished in a most ordinary fashion in a daily basis
By two o’clock in the blazing magical light of the afternoon sun, we set back out for the pinto bean field
Once more until it is time to stop-grab a quick supper, continue on…then gather ourselves into the last push of changing the water before dark
Working together in a companionly way
Until we stop for the night.
Harvest…a lovely satisfaction.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
First I wrote to ask if this was the right place to ask what typed of hummingbird was in my yard —“I have never seen this hummingbird at my feeder. I have been feeding the Hummingbirds for 8 years now, and know the type I have here (I have seen Broadtail, Calliope, Black-Chin, and Rufus…for sure) But this one is new to me. I was hoping you could tell me what type this one is.
I took the photo on August 20, 2017 Here on our farm, in Delta, Colorado in our back yard.”
Linda
******
“Hello Linda,
Many thanks for the interest in the hummingbirds in your yard there in Colorado! I’m sorry for the slight delay responding here–we are swamped at this time of year with taskings for the Citizen Science team, and the Admin mailboxes for all programs are not able to receive the attention we would like.
You should be able to attach a photo to send to us here–a number of people have done that over the summer so far. Then hopefully we can help you figure out what was visiting your feeders.”
Thanks and good birding,
Geoff
Geoff LeBaron
Christmas Bird Count Director
Audubon Science
The Christmas Bird Count is now free to participate.
Visit www.christmasbirdcount.org to find out more.
Please consider donating to support the CBC:
www.audubon.org/GiveCBC
“Hi Linda,It’s hard to be completely sure, but it looks like what you had there was a female or hatch-year Calliope Hummingbird. They would be moving southward by late summer, and I know when I used to spend time in Southwestern Colorado near Pagosa Springs this was the time of year that Calliopes would come through.
Thanks for sending the pictures, and I hope you’re having a great birding year in 2017.
Best wishes,
Geoff
Well, I guess this is what I have! I only saw her one day. But one day was a gift!
Here is the What is This bird FB page
The answers were mixed so I decided to go to Audubon!
Thank you one and all for your help in this little quest to know what type of hummingbird stopped by!
Your friend on a western Colorado Farm,
Linda
A perfect gift arrived for me…all the way from the Black Forest, near Colorado Springs, Colorado.
There in the lovely forest they call home, in the perfect stillness after rain storm, was a gift of hope and love.
Elaine so kindly sent it to me, now I am sharing it with you.
Your friend on a high mountain desert farm in western Colorado,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 