A Boy and His Tractor

Did you know there's a special connection between a boy and his tractor?  

Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Luke who loved vehicles....all vehicles......cars, trucks, (especially 18 wheelers), 4-wheelers, construction equipment, and tractors....just about anything with wheels really.  Well, we were out in the backyard back behind the pool area where Jason was working on our outbuilding and Luke spotted it.  "It" was a kid sized John Deere tractor hidden under a couple of saw horses piled with lumber.  That tractor has been there for a LONG time.  It belonged to Colt.....and Colt is 21.  Not much gets past Luke.  I managed to redirect his attention to something else, because I didn't have any idea what was lurking under that pile of stuff and planned to have Jason get it out later and give it a good washing.  

Well, Luke didn't forget.  He was outside with my dad on Labor Day and took him by the hand and led him around back directly to the tractor.  I bet you can imagine what happened next.  Pop didn't try to redirect attention.  The next thing I knew, the tractor was sitting on my sunporch with a very proud Luke proclaiming "Luke-ah's tractor".  Now mind you, it was dirty, duct-taped in spots where it was busted, and minus the pedals.  But you would have thought it was the best of the best by how proud he was of his tractor.  So, he and Pop took it back outside and Pop turned Luke loose with washing it and "taking care of it".  Luke was SO proud.  The rest of these pictures tell the story.  Never mind the way he was dressed.  I had no idea I would be photographing him when I quickly grabbed mismatched shorts for him to play outside (first thing we could find that was clean).

And so the boy and his tractor are living happily ever after. (Thank you, Pop)!  :)

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Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Today is my daddy's 68th birthday. We celebrated yesterday afternoon with the family by going out to dinner for Chinese food.



About half the time, we call him Pop. That's because the grandkids call him that. He's just as much Pop to all of us! He loves to kid around with children....his favorite thing to ask them is "Do you live around here or work on a farm?" OR "Have you been contemplating matrimony?" OR "Do you slumber in the bed?" And it is very interesting to see how the kids answer! He gets my piano students every time!

Daddy loves anything to do with outdoors. He's not retired yet, but I suspect when he finally does decide to retire, he'll spend most of his time outside.....tinkering as we call it, and it will probably be just in time to have Luke at his side outdoors (because they say he's an outdoor kid too).

I've been blessed with the best daddy ever. He was only 21 when I was born. He and my mama have been married for 50 years. Daddy is a hard worker and loves his family. I guess I've always thought there's not anything that he can't do or figure out!



My mama and daddy live next door and I've mentioned before that he stops by everyday to bring in our mail, but another thing he does for us is to take our garbage out to the road every Wednesday evening for the garbage pick up Thursday mornings. Those little things mean alot. Thank you, daddy, for doing those.

I'll also always be grateful for having my daddy to take me to high school every morning before I was old enough to drive. He rescued me from having to ride the school bus that I disliked so much! He brought me to school in his old white work truck (that wasn't very quiet either). I remember everyone turning around every morning and looking when we pulled in the circle drive at school......but I didn't care! I was so happy to not be on the school bus and I'm glad I shared those morning rides to school with him.



I just wanted to say today, Happy Birthday Daddy! I love you and I'm proud you're my daddy! I think I got the best!

(And to my cousin, Helayne,who shares a birthday with my daddy,....if you happen to stop by.....Happy Birthday to you too!)

~ Tammy ~

A Special Windmill

There is just something about windmills that I love. I've always loved them ever since I can remember. I love the big towering ones in the fields on farms and even the smaller ones backyard style. I guess they just say country to me.....and well....I think you know by now how I feel about country!

I don't have a windmill myself, but my daddy does. And my daddy lives next door. He's had his windmill for quite awhile. It's not one of the big towering ones, but it's a fairly good sized one. I remember when he first purchased it. It was silver with barn red trim. I loved it then, and I love it now!



Daddy has always put his windmill in a spot where both of us can see if from our windows. There's rarely a day that goes by that I don't stop by the window and look out to see which way the wind blows. Which way the wind is blowing is not all that important to me as much as it is just being able to "know it" from one glance. I love that! Now there are times, when it's nice to know when a cold north wind is blowing in or a southern wind storm is blowing in, but for the most part, I just enjoy watching it tirelessly and carelessly turn in the breeze. Maybe it makes me feel like I'm on a farm or living in Little House on the Prairie....I don't know...I just love that feeling!



My daddy's windmill is not just any windmill though....it's special. As the grandkids have been born, he's added their names to it. For years, it said Trey and Colt. Later he added Kemper and Joy to the the oldest boys' names. Then Laci came along at the tail end of the grandkids, bringing the grandtotal to five. So here's what the windmill looks like now:



And the very last paint job that the well loved windmill received was John Deere colors! Daddy painted it all and brought it over for me to paint the names on for him. I was glad to do it!



Daddy's windmill is a peaceful,comforting, and simple pleasure that brings me much happiness. Does anyone else out there share my love for windmills? :)

Pop's Birthday

Last Sunday (Feburary 15th) was my daddy's birthday. With it coming on a Sunday, I somehow managed to "forget" to blog it. I didn't forget his birthday at all. We all celebrated his birthday at Bonanza Steakhouse, the restaurant of his choice and mama made him coconut pies!



My daddy (or Pop as we call him since the grandkids came along) turned 67, but you would never know it! He's a hard working, outdoorsy, tinkering kind of man. He loves to hunt, fish, and "tinker around outside" as well call it. He pretty much has to be doing something and if he's not he's probably in his recliner watching hunting or fishing on the TV or a western movie! I guess there's not anything my daddy can't do either (in my eyes anyway).



My daddy is a guy to give out nicknames too. If he's around a kid (especially) very long, he gives them a nickname. Of course, my brother and I have nicknames and all the grandchildren and their friends even. He has a Punk, Partner, Pistol, Toots, Sweet Pea and Snuggles among us. Can you guess which one is me?



Some of his favorite questions for kids are: "Do you live around here or work on a farm?" OR "Have you been contemplating matrimony lately?" OR his favorite "Do you slumber in the bed?" He gets a kick out of their responses (and looks)! We just all sit back and grin.

He loves history, old things, nature, his family, and anything to do with a simple life. I'm very proud to have a dad like mine....can you tell?



Happy birthday (again) Pop! Thanks for being the man and dad you are!

I love you!
~ Tammy ~



(If you guessed "Toots"...you were right...that's me.)