April 23, 2013

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Dayphoto

A very cold winter wind is here!

The lovely spring day we had yesterday is just a distant memory now. A tease of warmth and loveliness.

The wind turned cold last night, waking us up to freeze warnings until tomorrow morning sometime.

The fireplace feels good!

Still the work must go on.

We got word that we just might be able to have 55% water, instead of the 50% so Terry made the decision to go ahead and plant pinto beans. This will put 70% of our farm into production. ( I was hoping for alfalfa, but pintos don’t take as much water and their growing season is much shorter.)

We’ve started the water in the established alfalfa field — another field that has an earth ditch and siphon tubes. This morning when changing the tubes…moving the water on down the field … there was ice along the rows.

Alfalfa at this stage of it’s life can handle some freezing, but newly planted and just starting to pop up alfalfa would be killed.

Today Terry has finished leveling the pinto bean field (putting a slight grade on the land so the water will run ‘down’ the rows and on out to the waste ditch), and started marking out the rows.

(Terry is marking out the bean ground, even as I type)

As soon as we are through the alfalfa field we will start water on the pinto bean field.

I sure hope this last nasty/cold winter wind/storm is the last of winter’s hurrah! It’s been so cold the snow hasn’t even started to melt in the mountains…which is a blessing and a curse wrapped up as one.

Well, enough of this whine at least it must be snowing somewhere, its just that cold. And snow means water and water means less worry about drought and less drought is good for everyone.

Stay warm, my friends! At some point winter really will leave and spring will arrive! When it does—We all will be ready!

Linda

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Dayphoto

We fought wind and dust all day long yesterday. Sure was a mess!

And of course it had little bits of rain with it…nothing that does any good, just helps the blowing dirt stick to stuff.

Here is one of our windows to give you an idea…that isn’t rain, it’s dirt.

I went to bed thinking I will be glad when the weather settles and I can get the windows and screens washed.

This morning we woke up to this-

Yep! And we still irrigate even though there is snow.

Terry and I were talking about those that have corn seed in the ground ready to ‘water-up’–sort of scary, because this type of moisture will cause the seed to swell and break out roots and a stalk, if the water doesn’t hit them at the right time the seed will die.

That is one reason we water the ground first, wait for it to dry to the right stage of moisture and then plant.

Everyone has their own theory and knows what works for them, but for us this is what and why we do what we do.

Also, this type of weather is a mess for those in the ‘prep’ stage of ground work. You get the soil to the point of being a really nice sponge; it will act like a sponge. In our clay type of soil sponges turn rock hard if you don’t get on it right at a certain point.

As in all things timing is everything.

There is an old saying: “As in gambling so is farming” there just might be more than a grain of truth in it.

Well, moisture is moisture so we will just keep the fire going, the water flowing and know that someday, at some time, winter has just GOT to end! 🙂

Linda, from Canada sent me some bulbs of her Tarda Tulips, last year we were so dry they didn’t bloom, but this year they are lovely.

Of course they are covered up with snow right now, but the photos I got yesterday show you how beautiful they are

Spring time in the Rockies or is it still winter time? Maybe a mix of both 🙂

Linda

Sunday, March 24, 2013….March Leaves Like a Lion

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Dayphoto

We were up at 2:30 on Saturday morning to take Evan to the airport to go see Joylene in Canada.

Everything went really good for him until he got to Denver …then he was grounded until 8 that evening…

Snow storm…big one…that is already on it’s way to the rest of the country.

Terry’s sister and her husband live in Greeley and sent us over a photo of just what the snow looked like there…18″.

It didn’t snow here, but we did have the wind…frigid, face freezing wind and lots of it– 40 m.p.h. gusts with 25 m.p.h. sustained winds.

Today we are frozen…more like January and February instead of late March. I guess March is leaving like a lion…not long now until April.

I’m looking forward to April. This is a little robin, poor things they really look cold this morning.

Our wood is down to four logs so this afternoon we are heading to the upper end to cut wood from the downed trees, this time last year we were not worrying about heat except in the early morning.

Each year is decidedly different one never really knows what will happen.

I saw a headline on the internet saying this the winter that doesn’t leave.

Fits!

Linda

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Dayphoto

Yesterday we had a snow storm move in about mid-night.

It left some pretty nice wet snow, which was gone by noon.

The cows came out to eat after the snow left and the air warmed up. They were still eating around ten at night so I figured we might be having more stormy weather today.

There was nothing happening before light, but I saw the cows heading back into the corn field…appearing as ghostly shadows until it lighted up enough you could see them

Now this morning (as I write this) big fat lazy snowflakes are drifting down out of the heavens, taking their time leaving the clouds and softly landing on the earth. It’s cold, but it as to be cold to have snow.

I always watch the cows, they know…trying to fill up before they have to hunker down and wait a storm out.

I worked at the animal shelter yesterday. Some of the things people do to animals just amazes me…and I really would like to choke out the people……….GRRRRRRRRRRRr

Four dogs were brought in from a Real Estate woman, who had gone to a foreclosed house to make sure everything would be ready for a showing that afternoon…inside she found the foreclosed on families three bird type dogs (I think Brittany Spaniels) and the little tiny bit of fluff poodle. They had been left in the house by the family in the hopes that the animals would leave huge messes for someone to find. Of course there was no food or water (all the water and electricity had been turned off…this was a foreclosure).

The dogs were just stunned and hungry and extremely thirsty. One of the bird dogs got adopted yesterday, which was good. But the others have to wait.

The things people do to animals, just makes me sick.

These people are known and will be prosecuted for animal cruelty, which will take time, but it is something. In the meantime I hope just the right families will come looking for wonderful sweet animals that need love. The shelter has lots to chose from.

Linda

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Dayphoto

A lovely storm cloud rolled in last night, I just had to take photos of it while I was hauling in firewood…

the setting sun made the coming storm a delight to see.

This morning it starting sifting big fluffy flakes down for a short time, leaving us with just a skiff of snow.

The whole experience has been really lovely and the best part is the snow is wet.

However, as I write this it has a melted…giving the earth a nice drink.

Have a good Sunday Everyone!

Linda

Winter Rain

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Dayphoto

We are having the oddest weather for January. Weather more along the line of July. An unusual warm air mass has funneled itself up from the Gulf of Mexico, giving us RAIN.

Friday we were rather warm with heavy fog, the weatherman was calling an inversion. But we never cooled down to below zero, instead we stayed warm…22* all that day, into the night, and even into the next morning.

Visibility was very poor.

Then the weather people started telling us about the odd weather pattern we were now in.

Fog is beautiful.

We see very little fog here. As a child I was always fascinated that (for us, here in the high mountain desert) when we have fog it is really a cloud sitting down and surrounding us. Living in a cloud made me feel rather ethereal—light, airy, not earth-bound. It still does.

Then it started to rain…a very wet drizzle, you could walk in it for thirty minutes before getting soaked, but very steady. On and on it rained, all day, all evening, all night, until about 4 in the morning. Then it stopped. But the heavy fog didn’t leave.

Visibility, as I write this is 1/4 of mile. We are surrounded in cloud. It isn’t raining …. yet.

But it could start.

It might snow! The water guys are saying that it is snowing in the San Juan’s and up at Gunnison. That is good news. I hope it dumps FEET of very wet snow! 🙂

For FEET of snow I can enjoy living in a Cloud! 🙂 🙂

Linda

Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandmother’s House We Go

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Dayphoto

Over the river and through the woods,
To grandmother’s house we go;
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh,
Through (the) white and drifted snow!

While out getting fire wood, the dogs and I could hear excited voices!

Over the river and through the woods,
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.

Boomer started a HOOOOAL so Fuzzy and I had to go look.

Over the river and through the woods,
To have a first-rate play;
Oh, hear the bells ring, “Ting-a-ling-ling!”
Hurrah for ~~Thanksgiving~~ New Year’s Eve Day!

There coming across the fields were three little children and Hank!

Over the river and through the woods,
Trot fast, my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground,
Like a hunting hound!
For this is ~~Thanksgiving~~ New Year’s Eve Day.

It took them awhile to get to us, because there were things to do….like throwing snowballs, romping with Hank, and making snow angels

Over the river and through the woods,
And straight through the barnyard gate.
We seem to go extremely slow
It is so hard to wait!

Gradually, they were there…running and laughing; cheeks and noses red

Over the river and through the woods,
Now Grandmother’s cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

Hurrah for the gift of family!

Happy New Year’s Everyone! 2013! We hope each and everyone has the best year ever!

Linda and Terry

December 17, 2012

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Dayphoto

I’m getting a tad tired of all the clouds

Although, there is snow on the mountains and around us.

Dreary is well….dreary!

But today…this morning…I CAN SEE SOME SUN…so I’m heading out for a walk.

Happy Monday!!!

Linda

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Dayphoto

8:00 this morning saw much warmer temps than yesterday at the same time….

Still cold, but I’ll take it.

The dry, powdery snow is just about gone except in spots on the north side of things.

But we have snow in the high places

This a photo of Grand Mesa at the front of our place

The snow along the Craig Crest Ridge on Grand Mesa. This part is closer to the Cedaredge, Eckert area.

The snow along Green Mountain and the Ragged’s. I wasn’t able to get a photo of the Paonia Mountains or the Gunnison Mountains or the San Juan Range because of a haze covering those parts of the mountains surround us.