Terry says our daily reality is all about—
“FLAT TIRES! I can’t believe how many flat tires we’ve had since the start of farm season! This is the sixth flat tire!”
“Well, at least they have been on different pieces of equipment.” I replied
“Hump! trailers, stack wagon, tractor, disk, and now the four-wheeler!” he grumped.
“Oh, well…off to get this fixed. BUT…I’m up for changing this reality. How about you?”
“Okay…No more flat tires.” I agreed!
From your friend on a Colorado Farm.
Linda
Every season has it’s own set of rules…it’s own ‘way’ of being and doing. I’m sure this is true, not just on a farm, but for everyone.
Yesterday we hand-worked (or back worked) on the forever and ever amount, of ditches that can NOT be cleaned by the blade or the ditcher.
Terry worked in the lemon colored sunshine, using the shovel to clear last year’s mud and this February’s cow patties.
While I go first with the pitchfork…lifting and stacking the myriad assortment of weed collected in the ditches over the winter.
The pungent odor of dried stems, the faint whiff of dust…all adds to the slide of the pitchfork under the debris, the fling of trash to the other side; making a little pile to dispose of later.
The fresh gusts of spring-time wind give me a tiny burst of celebration, since the breeze helps move the dried out weeds off my pitchfork helping me move faster.
In the evening I walk Romeo back to his barn–he and I are great friends. Min-Min Lou and Boomer going with us.
Spring…the word is work! Small and sturdy. A passage of the season of winter, where the word is wait. Summer will be the word Growing, and fall Harvest.
The circle of life– Inevitable. Eternal.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Although we have storms, and melt, and wind, and rain….the outside work still goes on.
The transient cool morning air, bright as crystal’s some mornings
Frigid, shadowed and mysterious at night
The rain streaming through thick and gray clouds changes the earth from white to deep dark brown.
Then the glow of chilly blue skies filled our minds with sunshine
Until a breeze, more like wind,
comes up and whirls the falling snow into a twirling madness
Then the light is gray and secretive. Filling our world with silence.
From my world to your heart,
Linda
We have the little kids here, well, really we have Tally; Blade comes off and on. Then this week-end Hank Puff and his Mom and Dad return and switch kids with us; we will then have Linkin.
Still I thought you would like seeing how my week has gone:
I really don’t irrigate, Fuzzy did, but not I—I am the gatherer of news!
Then the hard part—
Waiting!
Waiting for someone to come out and play or waiting to be let in the house to sleep, or waiting to go to work
Waiting.
Boomer the Beagle
Sunday our oldest granddaughter left for camp for the week. Bladen was supposed to go but he is on the down-hillside of recovery of pneumonia.
Their Mom and Dad needed to go to Craig, Colorado. Bladen and Tally thought it would be fun if they came to stay with Grammy and Grandpa (instead of huge long boring ride to Craig).
Blade is twelve. He was lots of help. Although, I wouldn’t let him do lots (still recovering, I would remind him) he could do some things for short spells.
Which meant that the 6-year-old had to give it try to also.
🙂
They stayed with us until last night. We had lots of fun, even going to play miniature golf one night after all the work was done and the last set of water in place. It was ‘way dark’ when we finally drove home. Another ‘cool’ thing.
Several years ago I had a wonderful friend, who has since passed, tell me once: “You know, the footprints on the sands of time are really made with work shoes.” I had forgotten all about her saying this until I ran across the quote last night, while reading just before bed.
Those footprints start young, don’t they? They start young and they stay with you (or your children or your grandchildren) all the rest of life.
When it is you and your children it is a necessity that your children learn to work, to process information, to be a ‘big help’. But with your grandchildren you are giving them a gift…but on the same hand they are giving you one right back.
There is nothing better than working with children who really appreciate what you do and want to be part of it.
The footprints might be on the sands of time, but in reality they are created in the soul.
Your friend in life,
Linda
After all the snow and rain, then wind and snow, and then rain, the sun came out and warmed up the earth.
To check the soil to see if it was ready for more tractor work, a good rule of thumb is to rub your foot into the soil to see what type of moisture comes up.
The soil is ready!
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it’s off to work I go!
Snow and more snow
That is ice you see on the road.
The cows even think it is cold.
Life on a Colorado Farm 