Just like last year, this Persian-Orange-lovin’ family made a trip to the Allis Connection’s antique tractor show in Amana, Iowa.
It’s a good way for us to get to spend a day with our father, and the show is always Father’s Day weekend, so that’s even better!
Given that our father had a heart attack a week before the show, we weren’t sure he’d be up to going this year. But the entire time he was in the hospital, he kept saying: “I gotta get outta here. We got a tractor show to go to!” And go we did!
It’s not just the tractor show that makes the day entertaining, however . . . it’s the fact that all five of us are trapped in a car together for 8 hours. The hilarity never stops!
My sister took us in her Charger. Deno got all excited when she passed another vehicle and those extra cylinders kicked in, but then claimed disappointment because “the rumble strip in the center just took all the fun out of it. It’s bad enough they put ’em on the outside . . .”
Daddy (who drives a tanker truck for a living) chimes in: “Yeah, I don’t know how many times I’ve been woke up by those dad-blamed things. Can’t even get in a good nap any more!”
On one of our potty/get-a-drink pitstops, Katy bought a loaf of bread from an Amish roadside stand. Darin begged her to buy a jar of jam, too, but Katy maintained that she didn’t buy the bread for him to eat in the car.
After a few more miles of his passenger-seat driving, she yipped at him for giving constant instruction, even though he wasn’t sure where we were going. He said: “Gosh darnit, I gotta ride and drive at the same time.”
She replied: “If you don’t shut up, you’re gonna be ridin’ with the loaf o’ bread in the trunk.”
“I told ya I’d need that jam,” he smirked.
We got to the tractor show just in time for the parade. Here’s a few shots of the most unusual entries they had on display this year:
Little Orange Blossom Special: This is a pair of 2/3 scale WCs, made and owned by George & Jackie Hess from Clinton, MO. The front one runs, the one being pulled on the trailer is strictly a yard ornament. This pair has been featured in a calendar!
1967 D15, pulling a wagon:
Here it is parked: (the wagon is really pretty!)
Here’s a propane version of a D15. The thing I don’t care for with the propane tractors is that I wouldn’t be real thrilled to be driving along with a full propane tank right under my nose! Just a bit too risky, I say . . .
A 1949 C . . .
A 1939 WC with an elevator. Back when we used to do all those little round bales, that thing would have come in real handy!
1937 A:
A 1954 WD-45 with a scooper on the front end:
A 1949 W Speed Patrol (my favorite model):
Here’s my brother checking it out. We have one like this, but it’s in a sad state. I’m hoping he’s gathering mental notes on how to fix ours up. I’d like to drive it someday.
This tractor gives new meaning to the phrase “back seat driver”. My sister and I both agree that we probably wouldn’t like that seat — there you are, hanging out over the road on the back side, staring at the driver’s butt in front of you . . . hmmm . . .
Now here’s something I had never seen before. A double-engine tractor. And there were TWO at this show! This one is made from two WD-45s . . .
. . . and this one is made from a WD and a WD-45 . . . 
Here’s a G (G stands for Garden tractor). This model has several different attachments that fit underneath for performing different tasks.
Here’s a D21:
An I-400:
This guy was rollin’ through the parade swiggin’ on his Pepsi:
And the newest tractor present at the show . . . a 1977 7080:
There was even a Terra Tiger on the scene. These are the ones that can go on land or water. Upon seeing it, Deno launched into a story from when he was 12 years old and riding in one, and the driver just tore out across a lake in it and scared the puddin’ out of Deno!
Vendors at the show had every imaginable old part for sale. You’d have to know exactly what you were looking for, but chances are, you’d find it, too!
Last year, we saw this Casey’s store as we made the turn to go to the tractor show, but we didn’t stop. Deno has given us a hard time ever since, because he wanted to go IN that Casey’s store because it’s so pretty.
So this year, we made a point to stop at the “pretty Casey’s store”. Deno said: “I ain’t felt like this since my first Prom!”, which set us all to laughing so hard, we could barely walk up to the door. Much to his disappointment, it looks just like any other Casey’s store on the inside. Deno was crushed.
And just like last year, I’ll leave you with the more memorable quotes from our outing, beginning with Deno’s statement inside the quilt shop that Katy and I made him go into with us:
“Sale fat quarters? Sounds like sumthin’ a Sale Barn would have.”
And Darin to Deno as we were taking pictures:
“Deno, take your shirt off and stand in front of this one and let’s get some shots.”
“You’re multi-talented, aren’t ya?”
“Ther lights ain’t very well constipated, are they?”
“Her face is like one big coin deposit.”
“I’m watchin’ my figurine.”
“When you get old, you do stupid things. Unless you done ’em all when you were young.”
“I will be nice, as long as they see things pretty much my way.”
“And just what IS a ‘festplatz’?”
Prairie Moon Quilts 