"I'm sitting in a tire holding a shovel!"

Need I say more?

Signs of fall.

I managed to till the majority of the corn stalks into the ground using the tractor tiller yesterday.  Everything is starting to wind down in the yard even though it's supposed to be in the mid 80's this week.  I hope to find a giant tractor tire today to use for Skyler's sandbox.  Stay tuned...

My favorite sight after tilling, the tractor tire tracks!

Play date!

Skyler had a play date with the neighbor kids this morning. We dug potatoes, played on the slide & swing, and played with toys inside. Whew, I don't know how Janilee does it all day, I'm exhausted...

Skyler having lunch after all that playing.

Chicken fried steak!

I love chicken fried steak!  My father and I have had this long standing tradition to seek out the best chicken fried steak in the world!  Well, I came pretty close 2 weeks ago.  There's a place in York, Nebraska that is called "Chances R".  ( Website here. ) Chances R has been around for as long as I can remember.  I never got to go there as a kid because it was too "fancy".  I went there a few years back when I brought Altair to Nebraska and had a steak or prime rib.  Not too bad, not great either.  This time I chose the chicken fried steak.  It was outstanding!  Lightly breaded with an egg wash and seasoned flour, pan fried,  served with mashed potatoes, and home made pan gravy!  It was seriously one of the best chicken fried steaks I have ever eaten!  Naturally, I had to re-create it here at home.  That was last night.  I have to say I got it close.  Altair even liked hers after it sat for an hour and a half waiting for her to get off work.  Sorry, no pics of the Chances R meal or last nights, I was too busy enjoying every bite!

Chances R in downtown York.

The sunset for that day.  It too was almost perfect!

I'm going to have to step it up a notch...

Because of this cute video:

What a great Dad!  I'm pretty sure this will be in my future with Skyler.  Easy to do with the "find my iPhone" app!

Yesterday Skyler got a new dump truck!  It's been his favorite toy since it entered the cart.

I think it may be a little big to launch into space though... :)

Rain delay...

It's raining here today.  I'm glad because we need rain.  Here's a photo from 2 weeks ago in the drought stricken prairie.

At an I-80 rest stop near North Platte, Nebraska.

Bustin' outta here!

Skyler trying to escape first thing this morning. It's going to be a long week...

Somewhere in Wyoming.

We didn't make it to Ogden yesterday nor did I get my lazy ass up this morning to ride up there either.  I decided that seeing a stopped locomotive wouldn't be as good as what we saw Friday.  I'm planning to chase it up Weber canyon when it comes through again next month though.  Stay tuned.

I took enough photos from our trip 2 weeks ago to blog about for the rest of the year!  I probably won't do that, but here's one from a diaper change stop in the middle of nowheresville Wyoming.

I can remember as a kid stopping here for gas.  Now it's just a ghost town...

3 generations and the 844.

I may have to change the name of this blog to the "844 blog"!  Yesterday, my Father, Skyler, and I drove up to Evanston, Wyoming to meet UP's 844 steam locomotive. We then traveled along side it coming down the canyon to the Echo junction. (Sorry, no pics of that, I was too busy driving and enjoying the sight and sound of 844).  You probably remember me writing about it twice last week and seeing it in Nebraska almost 2 weeks ago.  It's still as impressive in Wyoming and Utah as it was in Nebraska!  Skyler has seen the locomotive 3 times now in his life.  Probably more than I had seen it up until this year.  The locomotive and train consist are on display today in Ogden, Utah from 10-4:00.  We're probably heading up there today to see the traveling UP 150 anniversary museum car. I'm thinking of riding the motorcycle toy up to Ogden tomorrow to see it head out West.  The 3 of us had a great time and Skyler loved having Grandpa riding in the truck!

My Dad walking up toward the train which is still moving.

THERE IT IS!!!

It's so loud around one of these.  Can you imagine having multiple units in the yard 60 years ago?!

The firemen getting ready to grease the connecting rod bearings.

The cab.

Ed Dickens, the engineer came over to Skyler to check out Skyler's John Deere boots!  So cool!  He's really a great person to have as a locomotive engineer and PR person for UP.  You can tell he loves his job!

The steam powered turbine generators provide the electrical power to the locomotive.

80" drivers!

It sounds like a living creature, not just a mechanical object.

Skyler with Grandpa looking through the fence at the "beast".

Deere fever!

I painted the new beer fridge in the garage yesterday.  I think it turned out nice and matches the rest of the stationary objects around here...

Drive it like you stole it!!

Today is my birthday and I'm spending it with my favorite person, Skyler!  Apparently Skyler has been taking notes on my driving...

Driving the grain truck last week on the farm.  He thought he was driving...

Skyler with Great Grandpa.

Skyler is lucky to have both a living Great Grandma and Great Grandpa.  I never met or knew any of my great grandparents.  While in Nebraska, I took a bunch of photos but the one that stands out the most is this one:

You see, 34 years ago, there was a similar photo taken on the exact same Farmall 706 tractor with me sitting on Grandpa's lap!  Skyler was thrilled to sit up there with him.  Great Grandpa even showed Skyler where the horn button was on the dash.  You guessed it, every time we were around he 706, Skyler wanted to honk the horn!

Skyler was even more thrilled later that day to ride in the big JD 4555 with Great Grandpa!

Sunsets in Nebraska.

A couple pics of the setting sun while we were in Nebraska last week.  The prairie makes the sunsets that much more spectacular, don't you think?

The sunset as viewed from the farmyard.

The combine heading back after cutting soybeans.

The UP 844 steam locomotive.

As mentioned last week, while we were in Nebraska we followed the UP 844 at speed (60 mph) along highway 30. Keep in mind, this thing was built in 1944 using slide rules.  It weighs nearly 1 million pounds and is capable of going 110 mph!!  It's the largest, fastest piece of machinery I've ever witnessed in action. The locomotive will be in Ogden, Utah this Saturday for Union Pacific's 150 birthday celebration.  I'm contemplating driving up to Evanston and following it down the canyon into Ogden this Friday.  Here's the rest of the pics and video.

Skyler watching from his car seat.  He fell asleep shortly after this pic.  Even with the world's loudest train whistle blowing!

And if you were linked here from my sister's blog, here's a tractor pic with Skyler. :)

Buddy dog!

Buddy is the new farm dog.  He's a 4 month old Border Collie.  Skyler loved having Buddy play with him and "herd" him in the yard.  I sure got attached to Buddy, I think he and Maizey would make good playmates.  If you ever get tired of the farm, there's always a home for you in Utah, Buddy.

He's a real smart dog.  I got him trained to sit on command in one day.

Really great markings!

"Get the cat!"

Home.

I'm happy to say we made it home safe and sound.  853 miles in 14 hours.  Skyler did a fantastic job in the car going out to Nebraska and coming back home yesterday.  He's a trooper! 

A special thanks goes out to my Father, he took care of our place the entire time we were gone.  Maizey dog and Eddy cat were super happy to see us.  Thanks Dad, everything looks amazing!  He even mowed the lawn twice!  Not to mention the countless trips back and forth from his house to ours to let the dog out... :)

Skyler taking a break at Little America in Wyoming yesterday afternoon.

On our way home!

We're driving home from Nebraska all day today. A view from the car and in the car.

Kitteh!

Sittin' on a JD tractor on the farm!

Chasing the steam locomotive across Nebraska.

We drive up to Columbus to see the UP 844 locomotive. It was truly amazing to see it run full speed! I took a video that I will post next week as I'm using the blogger mobile app today. In the meantime, here are some pics.

Strolling the gravel roads.

Skyler is still thrilled to be on the farm. I've never seen him so happy!