Rushville Antique Show - Day 1

Earlier in the week, Doug and I were trying to decide if we wanted to attend the Rushville Steam Show or the Greensburg Power of the Past Show this summer.  We have been so busy lately, that we weren't sure if we wanted to be on the road this weekend again, but the weather was to be awesome to be out at the tractor show.  Plus, we could enjoy an extra day at Rushville since the kiddos aren't in school yet.  With Greensburg still 2 weeks away, we don't know what the weather will be like, plus it would be somewhat the same situation with traveling multiple weekends in a row - the Kentucky State Fair will be the following week.  In the end, we decided to head up north and attend the Rushville Show.  We got up early this morning, and made our way to there.

Doug and I convinced the kiddos to partake in the pedal pull today (as there wouldn't be as many kiddos today compared to tomorrow).  They break the classes by age - boys and girls together.

Reba ended up placing 3rd in the 5 year old group

And Dallas placed 2nd in the 7 year old group!

This year, instead of medals, the winners were able to chose a prize in the gift shop.  First place got a hat and a t-shirt, second place had a choice of a hat or a t-shirt (Dallas picked a t-shirt), and third received a show souvenir button.

After the pedal pull, we visited Uncle Junior at his tent.  While the adults chatted, the kiddos climbed on the tractor (which Junior recently finished restoring; it had been his dad's/Doug's grandpa's)

We stayed busy all day between riding lawn mowers, walking the flea market, eating ice cream, and watching the tractors drive by.  We stayed late and enjoyed watching the spark show.

Until next time...

Wedding Fun

After finishing cleaning up the mess we made at Pa and Gram's, we all got cleaned up and headed out to Matthew and Michelle's wedding!  (You might remember Matthew from a few different blog posts - he has hauled the Oliver for us a couple different times.)

The happy couple was married on the front porch of her parents' home - where her parents were also married!

The reception was in the machine shop there on the farm.  Reba LOVED the cake!

As did Julianne

Outside, they had this cute little photo "booth" area.  They also had many pedal tractors for the kiddos to enjoy.  There were corn hole boards set up, too.

The father/daughter dance.

Aunt Lisa and Reba tried to catch the bouquet.

Pa-paw enjoyed a dance or two

Reba and Dallas then got warmed up, and they tore up the dance floor!

Here's a little video of them dancing...

Thanks again for inviting us to celebrate in your special day.  May the Lord bless you with many happy years together.

Until next time...

Tractor Photo Shoot

Dallas and Reba each had their picture taken sitting atop the Oliver at about 6 months old.  It only seemed appropriate that Miss Julianne get her own picture too.  Unfortunately, it took a little while longer to find the time to get the Ollie out of the barn and dusted off...so Julianne's photo shoot was at 7 months.

First up, the Oliver needed a bath.  Thankfully, Dallas was willing to man the hose.

Scrub-a-dub-dub...

Our third Oliver Beauty!

And for fun and games...

Dallas at 6 months

Reba at 6 months

Until next time...

Wordless Wednesday

Until next time...

Classic Iron Tractor Show

This past weekend was the tractor show in Evansville.  We have been the last couple years, but this year Daddy decided to take the Oliver!  Before heading out Friday morning, Dallas thought we needed a picture of the Olivers together...all cleaned up and ready to go

Since we don't have a trailer to haul the tractor (and the fairgrounds is less than 20 miles away), Daddy and Dallas drove there!

Pa, Gram and Aunt Josie came down Friday evening to join in the fun.  We grilled hot dogs for supper, and then made s'mores for dessert!

Daddy, Dallas and Pa roasting marshmallows

Reba and Gram roasting a marshmallow

While loading the trucks to go home for the evening, I convinced Reba to roll down this hill!

On Saturday morning, we used the ramps to unload Pa's wagon.  As soon as the wagon was out, Reba was climbing up and sliding down the ramps!

A tractor show wouldn't be complete without a little pedal pull action.  Luckily, the club broke the classes so that Dallas and Reba were in different age groups.

Reba won the 2-3 year-old class!

Yep, she won by a landslide!

And, Dallas won the 4-5 year-old class!

(I'm working on the videos of the kiddos' pedaling, and will put them up later in the week)

After the pedal pulls, we drove through the lawn and garden tractor displays.  This "4-wheel drive" was a favorite of Dallas'

We also watched some of the garden tractor games.  When we arrived they were finishing the "limbo"

Check out how low these guys can go...

Sunday was a much more relaxed day.  There wasn't much of a crowd, and the weather was very overcast.  Pa, Gram and Aunt Josie headed back to our house with the kiddos after lunch, while Daddy drove the Oliver home and I followed with the truck.  Our company left early evening, then we had a quick supper, and before 7:30 ... this guy was sleeping!

Dallas was having so much fun all weekend, that he did not nap for 3 days.  I'm sure he will be trying to catch up over the next couple days :)

Until next time...

Tractor Time!

The other weekend, Daddy decided it had been too long since the Oliver had been out for a ride.  So after a new battery and a little work here and there, she fired up!

Patiently waiting to get going...

Dallas even suggested getting a picture of him and Reba!  You got it buddy!

Look at that face; you wouldn't even know the little dude got sick before climbing up in the seat.
(Yep, that day started a week-long stomach bug that hit everyone in the family)

Until next time...

Practice Makes Perfect

The other weekend, the kiddos spent a couple nights with Pa and Gram.  Gram happened to be borrowing the 550 that weekend, so Dallas practiced his "Fast Start" skills.  You might remember him practicing in this prior post.  Enjoy!

Until next time...

Ollie-Ollie-Ollie

Last Saturday, we went to the 2010 National Summer Expo for the Hart-Parr/Oliver Collectors Association; therefore, we were able to see lots and lots of Olli-Ollie-Ollies (as Dallas says)! No, Dallas didn't really wear that shirt to the show, but he really wanted to! I have posted some of my favorite tractors from the day, as well as some of the more rare Olivers that were in attendance. (side note: I have been working on this post since Monday...more on that in another post)


Oliver 770 Orchard - the guy that owned this tractor had a very nice collection of orchards...including another 770 LP (I think both are pretty rare)

An Oliver pedal tractor

Aren't they beautiful...an Oliver 1655, a Minneapolis-Moline G750, and a Cockshutt 1655

I'm not sure of the year(s) these Olivers were built, but they were a special run of Super 77's to be used for mowing the Kansas Turnpike.

Yes, that is a Purple Oliver with a 6-bottom plow! It's hard to tell, but the gentleman driving had on a matching purple shirt!

A 1930's Hart-Parr 18-27 Row Crop...I liked the single wheel on the front...

One of the smaller tractors Oliver produced for their Contractors Equipment Division (industrial tractors), the Mighty-Tow 2-62

It's for sale! A 1927 Hart-Parr 12-24...she may look rough, but she has a completely rebuilt engine :)

Another beauty for sale...a Super 88 High-Crop.

Another purple Oliver...

I'm not sure of the history of Cletrac (Cleveland Tractor Company) crawlers and tractors, but I do know that Oliver got in the crawler business through their purchase of Cletrac.

A very, very rare find...a Cockshutt 1250 High-Crop

During 1969 and 1970, Oliver offered a special version called "Heritage" for the "55" Series ...the only change in the tractor was the color scheme.

The special story behind these two tractors is that they are consecutive serial numbers, and they have made their final home within a few miles of each other. The two guys that own the tractors also restored them "consecutively" a few winters back.

For one week in January of 1959, Oliver produced the Mist Green 880 (this is one of only 249 built)...they then decided the color scheme looked faded, and went back to Meadow Green and Clover White.

I forget the story behind the different colored wheels on this tractor...I'll have to ask Doug about that.

This just shows you can never have too many of the same thing...this guy had 5 Oliver lawn tractors...

I took this picture as a "one of these days" thoughts. You see, Doug has a picker just like this sitting in his parents' corn crib in Indiana. Alright, maybe not "just like this"...Doug's picker is in need of some TLC and restoration...but one of these days, it will look just like this!

One more Oliver tractor...the 1800. This was the feature tractor for the show, and there were many to look at, but this one was probably the most beautiful. As the announcer said during the parade, "You could shave in that paint job."

Lastly, here is Doug participating the adult pedal pull. Notice the hat turned backwards...he meant business. Too bad he didn't win.

I, too, participated in the pedal pull, but Doug took a video and not a still shot...sorry.

Until next time...