It's hard to follow up an inspiring story, but life goes on.

We're doing things around here, although it's nothing inspirational, and for sure, not anything that would change the world.  Today, for instance, I went to the Dental College in Kansas City and found out what teeth I have left are too complicated for young dental students.  Oh well.  

Last weekend we went almost to Canada to go to one of the best tractor shows... THE best, really... that we've ever visited, in Rollag, Minnesota.  This was our second visit.  I'm pretty sure our first was before we had Internet.  When I call it a tractor show, I don't do the place justice:  It's sort of a living history museum where you actually see the antique tractors, as well as horse-drawn implements, being used as they were 100 years ago.  All the tractor shows attempt to do this, but they don't equal the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers.  Cliff said he'd never go again, due to the ten-hour drive.  Then I mentioned flying to Fargo and renting a car and he actually talked like that might be a possibility.  I'm not counting on it, but the cost wouldn't be prohibitive, maybe $550 round trip for the two of us.  

One special thing about the show at Rollag is the serene quiet; at most shows we attend, there are so many four-wheelers running around there's a constant racket, and they take up a lot of room, so it's hard to maneuver your way around.  Not to mention all the kids of a certain age (my late father-in-law called them "young smart-alecks) who have their dad's garden tractors to ride and think they are Andy Granatelli (I know nothing about races, but Cliff mentions that name sometimes).

So at Rollag, you enter into a different world that smells like coal, wood smoke, and steam.  And the only noises you hear are tractors putt-putting past once in awhile and the train that runs all around the grounds, bells ringing and whistle blowing.  Personal vehicles allowed on the grounds if you can prove you have a health issue that requires it, but that's the only way.  

 Although the grounds are huge, you really don't have to do a terrible amount of walking because these wagons pass by every three minutes and take people all around the edge of the grounds.  There are several convenient places to find a seat, too.

I enjoyed the 1930's farmstead because that's what most farms still looked like in the late 40's, when I was a child accompanying my mom to various farmhouses to hang wallpaper.

Any kid, old or young, could drive a tractor... with a little assistance, if it was needed.

Apparently, Blogger isn't going to allow me to post any more pictures on this entry, so I will share more tomorrow.