If tomorrow all the things were gone I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today,
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can’t take that away.

(Peter Edward Doyle WWI–National Guard, my paternal Grandfather)

And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.

(William Hobson Thomas, WWI  my maternal grandfather)
From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee,
across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea,
From Detroit down to Houston and New York to LA,
Well, there’s pride in every American heart,
and it’s time to stand and say:

(Lester Allen Doyle, WWII  My Father)

I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.

Lee Greenwood

(Evan Tyrrell Brown, Desert Storm  My Son!)

Thank you, ONE and ALL, for my Freedom!  I wear my poppy proud for all you have given to me!

Linda

What a happy day this is…JUST PLAIN HAPPY! 

Oh, let’s see, I need to start at the beginning, which was last night when Mom came home from work.  Usually she lets us out of the hen house and the chicken yard to run in her yard, take dust baths, and eat whatever we can find until we just get too sleepy and have to hit the roost.

But last night didn’t happen like it was supposed to; we were waiting at the hen house door, flying up and pecking on the windows so she would know we were ready to fly the coop.  When Dad’s pick-up backed up to the door (that is scary of and in itself we ALWAYS Yell and run/fly fast away from the pick-up—those tires are BIG).  

Well, anyway Dad backed up the pick-up and Mom showed up at the door with THE STICK!  The stick always means business. Like- ‘no you can’t go outside the stick is blocking the door, or no you can’t fly and peck on each other’, because Mom doesn’t like bickering and fighting, you know…THE STICK! 

We’ve never been hit with the stick, Mom doesn’t hit, she just puts the stick right in front of our eyes or taps us on the back and says “NO” and we stop.  Works every time!   We stop doing whatever we are doing.

So Mom comes in with the stick, we back away from the door, she shuts the door to the chicken yard and grabs ONE OF THE MEANIES!  Then she goes to the door and gives the MEANIE to Dad.  This goes on until all of the MEANIES plus a few others are gone.  Dad has them. 

We are all nervous now, we fly and flap and squawk and run under the roost, but that didn’t stop Mom she wasn’t afraid of the poop under there, Nervous Nettie thought that would stop Mom, but Mom just went under and grabbed THE MEANIEST OF THE MEANIES and then….that was it.

Mom opened the door to the chicken yard, opened the door to the hen house and left.  I rushed to the window and looked out whereby I saw Mom get into the pick-up with Dad and they drove out of the yard.  All ten of the MEAN hens were in the back of the pick-up in the DOG CARRIER!  (Sorry no photos…Mom FOR ONCE didn’t have the camera)

THEY WERE GOING TO TOWN!  I wanted to go to town!  I have NEVER been to town.  THIS ISN’T FAIR!  I WANT A TURN!!!!!!!

After awhile we all decided this isn’t so bad, everyone who didn’t get to go to town were all my friends: Cluck-Cluck (that hen NEVER shuts up! She even purrs in her sleep), Nervous Nettie, Beautiful Edna, Ruby Wonder Hen, Lucky Lucie, and ME! 

When Mom came back we were too sleepy to go outside.  But I dreamed that all the mean hens went to live somewhere where there was already snow on the ground, but it was a really nice place and they got to go outside all the time, not just when Mom decided.

Mom always comes to check on us before she goes to work so I asked her where everyone went and she told me that a lady friend of hers wanted some chickens so Mom gave her the mean girls so us nice girls could relax and lay lots of eggs without being pecked on. 

What a nice Mom. 

Everyone won. (And they did go to live way up on the side of Grand Mesa and there really was snow on the ground, and they really do get to go outside All Day Long.) 

I think I’m really going to like this. 

I really think I am.

Honey Hen

We had to take a break on the new barn…work got in the way…but Saturday Terry and I started moving the steel we’ve been ‘collecting’ over the years.

Sometimes Terry whishes that he had just bought a steel building, but then he gets out there and starts working on this project and is glad he didn’t.

If something is done everyday….it might be done before spring work. (That’s our little joke)

As always, Sammy-Sam liked to help!

I had a dream last night…it was a lovely dream.

Roo was there

(I’m the one RIGHT next to him)

I could hear his lovely song

(That’s Mom in the corner, she ALWAYS has a camera)

 What a lovely song it was, I thought I’d hum it all night long, but only in my dreams.

In the morning I was laughed at because of my dream.

And I must say that Roo was rather mean to me. 

I think just remembering Roo is much better than real thing.

One day, while working in the late summer garden, I realized that the wind running through corn was like music.

My gift to you…A Wind Lullaby from the Brown Corn Field in Colorado!

September Song

I had a very hectic morning at work today… and after a restless night having a morning full of rush, rush, solve this, take care of that, do this, fix that — I finally sat down to my desk  to answer emails and take phone messages.

The door to my office opened. 

Stealing myself for whatever was coming I was surprised to see this

The kids had made it back to New York State and just wanted to tell Terry and me Thank you!

I took them home at lunch for Terry to enjoy also.

(And you can see the snow is now all gone YEAH! and the temperature in the low 50*s.)

I have never seen a rose that shade of purple, makes me want to grow one. 

What a lovely day this is …after all!

You Brought Me Corn?

Two days before the storm hit and winter came upon with a bam(!) Terry and I drove down to the canyon.  Robidioux Canyon is just three miles from the farm and is one of the last “undeveloped” areas next to us.

It’s home to cattle, big horned sheep, deer and mountains lions.

There is something so primitive about it, that it calls to my soul.  Here is a portion for you to enjoy.

Have a nice weekend!

Linda

On Thursday or Friday of this week our irrigation water will be turned off. 

No longer will irrigation water from the Gunnison River flow through our canal on its way to California.

The canal will dry up and stay empty until next spring…the last week in March.

I am showing you pictures of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. 40 miles from our farm.

This is the canal that diverts the allotted portion of the Gunnison river into canals for irrigation and drinking water.

This canal is so large a grain truck can sit in the bottom of the canal and there is still several more feet to the top.  Lots of water flows through here. Lots of water.

I actually like this incredibly dangerous and frightening water.  I enjoy knowing the life that it brings to the land.  And I like drinking it too

Linda

I drove to work today in a snow storm

Goodness!  What we have gone from October right into December!  And it’s cold too.  Very cold.  BRRRRRR.

But before the kids left for New York we had a really neat opportunity to get to visit with Daryl from Haf Doz’n Reasons (Kath on my side board)

as he traveled through. 

Evan loved talking with Daryl as he used to drive truck and the grandchildren loved the truck!

They were very excited to see there was a bed AND a TV in the truck. 

AND  “It’s so big, Grammy!  Watch me climb!”

Meeting blog friends is special to me.  Getting to know each of you has been a real pleasure.  You’all come by sometime, you’ll be welcome!

Linda