Power of the Past 2012

This past weekend was the "Power of the Past" antique tractor show in Ottawa.  We've gone the past 4 years, and it is a September tradition the boys love!  Driving to the show, I had to take a couple pictures of the beautiful yellow flowers that are in full bloom EVERYWHERE! (I call them black-eyed Susans, the boys insist they are sunflowers -- whatever they are, they are so pretty!) 

 We made it to the show and got our buttons.  The featured tractor this year was the Minneapolis-Moline, so we had to get a close-up view of these special tractors, of course.

 Then, per tradition, we each had to find our favorite tractors to stand by for a picture. Calvin with the Allis-Chalmers. . .

 . . . Oliver with the Oliver. . .

 . . . and the girls and me with the Porsche.

 Yes, Porsche.  Did you know Porsche made tractors?  Me either, but this one was shiny and beautiful!

 Calvin decided he sure liked the Porsche, too, and wanted his picture by it as well.

 . . . and the John Deere and the Case and multiple others.  He kept going from tractor to tractor, saying, "Take my picture by this one -- It's my favorite, too!"  And he's just too cute for me to refuse.

 

One of the demonstrations at the show was the hay-baling using the "power of the past" -- How many farmers does it take, anyway?  Things sure have come a long way since these times! 

 

There are the finished hay bales!

 Where's Calvin?  Oh, he found his way up in this crazy tree with 7 trunks!

 

We got lunch and some homemade ice cream for dessert.  And can you believe an antique tractor engine is used to churn the ice cream?  Whatever it takes, the ice cream was sure yummy!

 Another highlight of the show is the miniature horses that have been in attendance the past couple of years.

 Calvin couldn't wait to pet the little horse, but Oliver and Violet weren't so sure.

 Oliver was especially interested in the 'tractors of war' this year. . .

. . . and the boys decided they would make pretty good missiles!

We finished up our day by watching the "Parade of Power" where literally hundreds of antique tractors are driven by their owners around the park.

 Russ' favorite tractor is the Farm-All M (forgot to get his picture in front of one, sorry Russ!).

 

And what in the world is this silly new pose Mr. Oliver is doing??

It was a gorgeous fall day, and we all had a great time checking out all of the old tractors.  This is such a fun event and I'm thankful it's so close to home so we can go every year!