GREEN Tractor
When our daughter Meagan was just a toddler, she was enamored by tractors. Whenever she was strapped into her car seat, she would while away the time just looking for tractors. And, whenever she spotted one, she would proclaim it loudly--"red tractor" or "blue tractor." However, her greatest excitement was reserved for those John Deere's that are found throughout our part of the country. When she spotted one, Meagan would yell, over and over again, "green tractor, green tractor, GREEN tractor!" Did I mention that Meagan's favorite color is green?
Until recently, I didn't realize that a love of tractors, particularly green ones, could be hereditary. But, I guess my grandson, Tobin, comes by it naturally. I've been told that his dad, Andy, has always loved those green tractors, too.
Tobin carries his love of farm implements just a little further than either of his parents, though. At the age of twenty-one months, he knows that his beloved green tractors are John Deere's, and he'll tell you so, plainly and loudly. He also knows the difference between a backhoe, a loader, and an excavator. Backhoes, the green ones, of course, are his current favorites, even though they are not John Deeres. (I was surprised to find pictures of backhoes of every imaginable color, even pink and purple, when we googled them.)
When Tobin sits on Grandpa Bill's lap in church on Sunday mornings, he asks Bill to draw one backhoe after another. Occasionally, for a change of pace, he'll ask for a tractor or loader or excavator, but he always gets back to backhoes. It isn't unusual for Bill's bulletin to be covered with drawings of backhoes of all sizes.
To tell the truth, most of the adults in the family have become quite proficient at drawing various kinds of farm and construction equipment. Some of us can even construct semi-realistic equipment from blocks and Legos. For the first time in my life, I know the difference between a backhoe and an excavator, and I know all about augers and buckets and stabilizers, too. It's amazing to me that I can learn so much from a toddler. But, I must admit that I was somewhat baffled the other day when Toby asked me to draw a combine. He was thrilled to ride in Grandpa Stan's combine during the recent corn harvest, so combines must have been fresh in his mind. I had to check the internet quickly for pictures of combines before I could draw a reasonable likeness.
Tobin and his mom and dad live in a new house that is surrounded by cornfields. As his house was being constructed, Toby was able to watch many different kinds of equipment come and go. Every day since he has lived in his new house, he runs from one window to another to watch Grandpa Stan drive by in his John Deer tractor or backhoe or, recently, the combine. I guess Toby's love for green tractors, and related machinery, comes naturally. But it doesn't hurt that Grandpa Stan keeps buying him those cute John Deere accessories. I guess it's never too early to start grooming a future farmer.
Until recently, I didn't realize that a love of tractors, particularly green ones, could be hereditary. But, I guess my grandson, Tobin, comes by it naturally. I've been told that his dad, Andy, has always loved those green tractors, too.
Tobin carries his love of farm implements just a little further than either of his parents, though. At the age of twenty-one months, he knows that his beloved green tractors are John Deere's, and he'll tell you so, plainly and loudly. He also knows the difference between a backhoe, a loader, and an excavator. Backhoes, the green ones, of course, are his current favorites, even though they are not John Deeres. (I was surprised to find pictures of backhoes of every imaginable color, even pink and purple, when we googled them.)
When Tobin sits on Grandpa Bill's lap in church on Sunday mornings, he asks Bill to draw one backhoe after another. Occasionally, for a change of pace, he'll ask for a tractor or loader or excavator, but he always gets back to backhoes. It isn't unusual for Bill's bulletin to be covered with drawings of backhoes of all sizes.
To tell the truth, most of the adults in the family have become quite proficient at drawing various kinds of farm and construction equipment. Some of us can even construct semi-realistic equipment from blocks and Legos. For the first time in my life, I know the difference between a backhoe and an excavator, and I know all about augers and buckets and stabilizers, too. It's amazing to me that I can learn so much from a toddler. But, I must admit that I was somewhat baffled the other day when Toby asked me to draw a combine. He was thrilled to ride in Grandpa Stan's combine during the recent corn harvest, so combines must have been fresh in his mind. I had to check the internet quickly for pictures of combines before I could draw a reasonable likeness.
Tobin and his mom and dad live in a new house that is surrounded by cornfields. As his house was being constructed, Toby was able to watch many different kinds of equipment come and go. Every day since he has lived in his new house, he runs from one window to another to watch Grandpa Stan drive by in his John Deer tractor or backhoe or, recently, the combine. I guess Toby's love for green tractors, and related machinery, comes naturally. But it doesn't hurt that Grandpa Stan keeps buying him those cute John Deere accessories. I guess it's never too early to start grooming a future farmer.
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| Tobin was--what else?--a farmer for Halloween, wearing John Deere green |
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