A Smile and a Nod of Understanding—-Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Dayphoto

“Bee to the blossom, Moth to the flame, Each to his passion, what’s in a name?” —Helen Hunt Jackson

A friend of mine ‘shared’ with me the above photo…(double click if you want to read all the little spots)….on my FaceBook page. I had to actually laugh-out-loud when I saw it. Someone really does understand that need to create everyone has. (Sometimes the names have to be changed, but it’s still the same.)

Then I saw on Pinterest this little saying: “The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.” — Jessica Hische

I had to stop a moment and ask myself what DO I do when I’m not WANTING to do anything. It’s a rather fun thing to ask yourself.

We woke up to a skiff of snow this morning. Things are turning green, the earth is too wet to farm, but it will dry. Friday is APRIL…of jolly! We are moving right along to warmer weather. YAY!

With joy, your friend,

Linda

A Frozen World—Wednesday, December, 16, 2015

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Dayphoto

After a day of snow and wind…mostly wind, we woke to snow scattered here and there in small little drifts.

Brown patches of earth scattered in the tattered and bunched snow.

But the sun came up all red and pink and gold, causing sparkles on the snow drifts, the brown frozen earth appears a softer brown than the melted dark mud will appear (if we warm up.)

The wind-snapped and bedraggled corn reflected the morning light, echoing the glow coming over the mountains, wherein lays Gunnison, Colorado, and a wee bit closer, the Black Canyon.

Terry is going out to check the corn, thinking maybe this cold has driven down the moisture. While he is doing that I will go sweep out the bed of the grain truck, then with the bed facing the rising sun we are hoping the wood will dry.

If this all comes together, maybe, just maybe…harvest can begin.

What a crazy time of the year to [still] be hoping to get the corn in.

Oh, well, it is what it is.

Wishing you a good one today,

Love,

Linda

Brooding—Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Dayphoto

Now that we have moved from [my favorite] Daylight Savings Time into the time —- called get up and work in the dark and go home and work in the dark — Mountain Standard Time

The day does not so much dawn

As it just stops being night. A small phenomenon, which will last for a spell. Then we will start getting weak sunsets and weaker sunrises.

And all living things goes on hold, waiting for the lengthening of the daylight.

The weather apps say a big storm is to blow in here today…some places will see 45-50 m.p.h. winds. Not good. Of course that might not be here. They are also saying we will see rain and snow at 5,000 ft. We live a little above 5,000 ft.

The clouds are gathering….I can see them coming in over the mountain tops…a brooding feeling —- the Uncompahgre Plateau (not the mountain just above, that is Grand Mesa) has a dark and brooding look, the clouds are having a dark and menacing social party, talking about if they really are going to dump rain and possibly snow—maybe not, they darkly mutter to each other, we just might like to fool the weather people. Then a evil chuckle resonates between the cliffs and canyons as they band together chuckling.

Until the storm gets here, we wait, working at buttoning down all flapping and possibly flying things. We are gathering in the wood for the fire, making sure all can handle wind. Or a huge dumping of rain.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Getting Close–Thursday, September 25, 2015

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Dayphoto

We are getting close (now), to being done, with the pinto bean harvest. Tomorrow should see the end!

Prices are low. They are low on the corn and the hay also. But storing something doesn’t always produce a higher price later on.

I always find this so odd…the farmer get a small amount, but the retail in the grocery store is extremely high…too many middle people along the way, I guess.

We are still irrigating the alfalfa field. It’s a big field and takes a long time to get across, but we should finish with the irrigation by Saturday.

After that we wait.

Corn harvest will start the last of October, or in November sometime, it all depends on the moisture content of the corn.

Winding down to gear up again…it called harvest!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Open Heart of my Life—Thursday, July 16, 2015

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Dayphoto

First light—-one would think that the air is silent but it isn’t, not at all.

The are birds calling, water rushing in the canal–

10:00 a.m. There is a rich green smell of the alfalfa field as the day heat up.

The birds and the insects are full voice, by this time, and the air dances with life.

Clouds scuttled over the top of us, causing the sun to highlight Hay Stack Mountain way at the end of Roubioux Canyon. When Terry and I were young the old-timers would tell that Hay Stack Mountain was scared to the Ute Indians. And (if) you were to climb to the top there you would see many Indian artifacts. Neither Terry nor I have ever been on Hay Stack Mountian. The road is closed to motorized vehicles, one must either walk or ride a horse.

Coming home (from a magnificent meal with our daughter and son-in-law who live in Grand Junction, Colorado) we drove in a rainstorm complete with a rainbow.

Colorado rainstorms can be abrupt and vigorous—the wind blows in black clouds– then they break dropping water in a rush.

Quickly the storm moved toward the north and the east…leaving us with a sky full of vivid color.

Your friend

Linda

Mid-Summer Days—Monday, June 29, 2015

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Dayphoto

To some working on the land is lonely. Only you and the sky and the earth. But to me (and to Terry) it isn’t lonely.

There are plants who need our care and plants

we despair of (the nodding thistle, lovely but a huge nuisance).

Light floods the air and heat shimmers up off the land. Just to glace upon the brilliance is to think there is nothing but silence there. But it isn’t true…the song birds fill the air with music and bugs (the good bugs and the not-so-good bugs).

The new momma deer and her brand new little fawn scamper close to us, not afraid. They are many generations of deer, who have lived here safe. We feed them so they stay out of the crops. They do their part and eat at the pastures.

The thought always runs in the back of the mind…’my this is pretty. I feel so tremendously blessed’…all the while acknowledging the inadequacy of the word blessed.

Your friend on a western Colorado Farm

Linda

Day Length–Thursday, February 12, 2015

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Dayphoto

Everyday the length is growing longer and longer. Such a huge relief to me.

Here, in our part of the world, the sun is rising close to 7–today 7:08. Of course it starts to get light earlier, around 6:40.

Then the sun sets at 5:45 with twilight lasting a spell.

The joys of a longer day! For us…10 hours and 38 minutes (today).

These longer days, coupled with the warmer weather is making February go fast.

Looking at the weather maps there is a huge line drawn straight down the United States, terrible cold and snow on one side, unusually warm on the other half. What a study in contrasts!

For now, though, I am enjoying the longer days and the beautiful skies!

Your Friend,

Linda

Housebound—Monday, January 5, 2015

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Dayphoto

Feeling a tad housebound Terry decided that a short walk to hook-up the fence down by the head gate (for the next farm) would fix the problem.

Starting at the electric fencer each strand of wire was checked and re-hooked–working around our farm yard; gradually making it to the gate at the end of the pinto bean field. This is also the head gate (for irrigation water) to the next farm.

Sunday we try to only do those things that MUST be done. But, sometimes the air inside starts to feel closed in an way too warm.

Still feeling like we just DID NOT want to go back inside Terry and I finished up the cleaning of the grain bin. We swept up two buckets of corn, cleaned out the tubes and hooked up all the doors and vents. (Boomer wanted very much to help…but doggie toes on the mesh floor was NOT a good idea.) Then we took the two buckets of corn and flung it out into the ditch to feed the quail and pheasants—the mice and song birds—and yes, any deer that might trot along looking for a nice winter treat.

When we finished our slight chores I noticed that the sun was setting; breaking through the clouds in a tiny rim along the Uncompahgre Plateau. What a joy to see even that tiny bit of sunshine.

This morning the sun rose causing the thin clouds to turn a brilliant red…another joy for a winter’s day. This color is rare, rare, rare in the pale frozen time of winter! I sang a song of happiness when I saw it!

Now, as I sit upstairs in my little office, looking outside I see the thin clouds have become thicker and typical white/blue colors that mark each day have arrived. Today Terry and I will continue to work on the fences and do all those every-day things we each must do.

I am also sending to each and every one of you warm thoughts for a perfect Monday, filled with pleasures and happiness!

Your friend,

Linda

The Start of April is a Cold Start–April 2, 2014

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Dayphoto

So far our start into April is a tad chilly. Very cold bully winds, with rain, sleet, snow showers; if I have to guess the apricots are pretty much gone for another year. We may get a few, only time will tell.

The sun had a hard time shining through the cloud cover this morning. This looks more like a Halloween photo than an early morning photo in April. 🙂

The water has not made it to us yet. That does not mean that it isn’t on it’s way, just that it isn’t here yet. Since our irrigation water comes from Blue Mesa Reservoir in Gunnison (two hours away by car) or out of the Ridgeway Dam (1 1/2 hours away by car) it takes a long time for it to get to us. We are close to the end, just a few more farms below us then our irrigation water flows into the Gunnison River.

We are very close to being ready to start irrigation. If you want to see a post about starting the water here is an old post.

I leave you now, with a lovely photo of the apricot blooms as the sun was setting last night.

Linda

A Good Day–Old Dog

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Dayphoto

So far I’m having a good day. Thank-you each and every one of you for your wishes of wellness and for writing and giving me ideas on how to recover. Your comments and emails are very appreciated.

Yesterday was a good day… which is good, if I can have a good week, then I’ll know I have this licked.

Anyway, enough of me.

It was warmer yesterday, so the dogs and I went for a short walk. It was warm enough that as I sat on the point of a hill I could feel the sun warming my shoulders, which was heavenly.

On the way back I stopped at the old grainery. Terry wanted to tear this down, but I want to keep it. We have only two buildings left of the original farmstead (outside of our house); the tractor shed (build out of adobe dirt) and this old grainery.

This spring (soon, any day now) Terry is going to move it up from behind the barn and the haystacks and put it next to my gardens by the corrals. After that I’m not sure what I want to do with it — potting shed, play house, whatever I want.

Today is Tuesday, February, 5, 2013…the sunrises at 7:15 in the morning and is setting at 5:38 in the evening. A month ago on January 5th the sun was coming up at 7:31 and setting at 5:04. The days are growing longer -January 9 hours and 34 minutes and today- 10 hours and 23 minutes. More sunlight…which is a true joy to me.

I haven’t seen the old dog for some time now. I might drive around the farm neighborhood now that I’m feeling up to it, and see if I can see the dog in someone’s yard. If not… I wait, but I will also know that the possibility of the dog taking a path to the other side just might have occurred–one of those sad parts of life.

Once more thank you all for your kind thoughts,

Linda