My Big Green Tractor

I have a passion for tractors. Now not everyone knows of this; but my heart skips a beat when I see one - especially an old one. Recently there have been several really good Country songs that are all about tractors. I may as well confess, I love Country Music almost as much as tractors. The most recent one is "My Big Green Tractor" by Jason Aldean, and I always get so excited when it plays on the radio that I just have to turn it up and usually wind up dancing around the house.

One day a few weeks ago, my hubby called from his shop saying he had a surprise for me, and that he couldn't wait to get home. Since he's been making all sorts of cool things for our new venture Classic Cottage Living, I assumed it was something new he had made. When he pulled in the driveway, I went out to see what it was that had him all jazzed. He opened the back hatch, and pulled out his old childhood (and now put together) John Deer riding tractor and said it was for me. He told me he knew how much I loved tractors and now I had one of my very own. I was speechless - and that takes a lot, some might say.

I still love to go out and just look at it. First of all because it's a TRACTOR, but even more importantly; to know my husband used to tool around on this great piece of Americana when he was a little boy. He told me the story of his older brother riding it down a hill with one of his friends and breaking it up very badly, probably on purpose. You know how big brothers are sometimes. Funny thing was that his mother kept it all those years, albeit in pieces; and gave it to him about 10 years ago. We've hauled it around some, and nothing was ever done to put it back together, but yet it still remained part of the "stuff' we felt important enough to keep.

Let me tell you, I doubt that I was any less excited than that little boy was when Santa brought him that wonderful bright green tractor on Christmas morning 40+ years ago. Time has passed, but obviously not the thrill of having your very own John Deer Tractor, no matter what the size. What a wonderful man he is to know all the joy such a thing would bring me, I guess I'll keep him (and my little green tractor).