Pool!

Summer may be winding down but Skyler still is enjoying the pool on the patio.

Now with a larger tractor tire inner tube!

A good Sunday.

Skyler the dog watcher.

The girls asked Skyler to take care of Sadie & Maxwell while they camped at "Country Fan Fest" the last 2 nights.  He's been a great caretaker!

Everyone has had plenty of exercise!

ACE is the place!!!

We finally ventured into our local ACE Hardware yesterday afternoon to get a house key made for Skyler.  I'm in heaven!!  I even joined the ACE Rewards club!  I can't wait to go back!  Skyler said he can't wait to go back either.

He handed Vince (who we learned lives around the corner from us) our house key.  Skyler was mesmerized by the key duplicating machine.
:)

So long tree...

The City finally got around to removing the dead pine tree in the park yesterday.  That tree was at least as old as me!  We walked by as they were finishing grinding up all the dead needles and branches and they only had to fell the trunk of the tree.

2 weeks ago.  The Parks Department was out on a reconnaissance mission.

What we were greeted with as we rounded the corner to the park.

Spare no expense!  The City has a nice and new bucket truck with towable chipper.

Not much left to go.  :(  I hope they will plant a replacement tree.

Just a cat on a ladder!

Eddy cat was curious as to where Skyler was yesterday.

Skyler was up in his loft.  The cat gave up after this picture was taken.

A little help from my friends.

Skyler has been playing next door with Sebastian lately.  On Friday he showed Sebastian how to build the Lego set we got him for his birthday.  Skyler said that Sebastian picked it up quick and "did a really good job even though it was his first time building".  :)

They play pretty well together.  Picture courtesy of Sebastian's Mom.

Baby mantis!

I found a baby Praying Mantis last week while watering pots out front.  I called Skyler to see it and he told me all about the lifecycle of the Praying Mantis that he learned while watching "Wild Kratts" on PBS.

Still tan and tiny.  Skyler told me that they can't fly until after they turn green and grow their wings.  :)

A day with Artemis.

We got to watch Artemis most of the day yesterday while her Mom attended to some business.  The 2 kids played pretty well together, Skyler had some "sharing" issues at times but overall they did OK.  We even braved a quick trip to Costco together!

Despite being overcast and not hot, they wanted to swim.  Here's Skyler waiting for Artemis to come out and join him.

They both had tractor tire inner tubes.

Running in circles in the pool.

After a little over an hour, they were getting rather cold.  They got changed and warmed up watching "Boss Baby".  💩

Train ride in the park!

We headed up to South Weber yesterday morning to ride the miniature trains at Canyon Meadows Park.  This occurs the 3rd Saturday of every month through October and we plan to be back.  It's a pretty sweet setup!  Skyler (and I) now want one in our yard...  :)

Double track?!

"I hear one comin'!"

There it is!

Away it goes!

Pretty big park/track!

Hydraulic drive locomotives.  You can see the V twin engine through the cab windows.  If were to do a locomotive, it would have a 3 cylinder liquid cooled diesel or gas engine. (think John Deere garden tractor)  :)

Skyler and Mommy's turn.

Woo Hoo!

There's even a working crossing complete with crossing arms!

It's hard not to notice how silly the whole thing looks especially when you see a grown man operating the thing.  I still want one!

Still having a wonderful time.  At least Skyler was!

Crossing the sidewalk.  The horns are just automotive type horns, I would have to change that on mine.

The neighbors must be thrilled!

Headed for the station.

Whoever is in charge must be on the City Council.  It's incredible to see what they have done with the place.

Solo ride!

Pretending to be a "rock" in the ballast car.

Pretty cute!

"See you next month!"

On our way home, the intercooler hose blew off of Mommy's car because it never was tightened properly after the dealership visit last month.  Yay for shitty workmanship from the transmission recall! The mechanic even left several screws (and the nuts holding the boost pipe) off of the car!!!

 I limped it home and was able to re-attach everything properly.  I'm planning on visiting the dealership (with photographic evidence) tomorrow.  😡

Goats!

Skyler loves to stop and see the goats along the canal when we walk Maizey Dog.

No more green grass, the goats had to settle for some Russian Olive leaves instead.

On this day 49 years ago.

Man's greatest engineering achievement happened!

COMBINE!!!

We made it out to my friend Wayne's farm yesterday morning to ride along during wheat harvest.  Skyler was SO excited to be in the cab of the combine!   We rode for a little over 2 hours.

We were in the field next to the new park in Blufdale that we visited a couple of weeks ago.

30 foot draper header.  Draper means belts instead of a cross auger.

Unloading on the go.  The wheat was yielding 110 bushels per acre and 60 pounds per bushel test weight.  Not too shabby for the desert!

Wet spot!  We came awfully close to getting stuck.  It was touch and go there for a minute.  You can see the draper belts in this photo.

30 foot header, GPS auto steer set to 29.5 feet makes for a perfect width pass.

This might be the last year he can stand up without bending over in a John Deere cab.  :(

Unloading again.

We finished the field!  Skyler checking out where all the chaff comes out.

Half million dollar beauty!

Happy.

Riding the Parkway.

We were finally able to get going first thing in the morning before the heat got here yesterday.  Skyler was so happy to ride his bike he asked that we go again.

Headed South.  We were turned back at 7800 S due to flooding under the bridge.

Shake shake bridge!

Spraying the unused lawn at the water treatment plant.

He was really flying along headed back to the trailhead.

West Jordan's Gator.  Their newest trick?  Two people with backpack blowers clearing all the debris from the trail!