Feral parrots and A Tractor Parade

Today we joined our cousins in a tractor parade! That's not your usual entertainment in the LA area, but Tustin has a rural history that they like to honor with an annual parade. So Jack loaded one of his tractor (and a friend's) onto a trailer and we all drove to Tustin, where we joined a group with about 18 tractors. While they were unloading the tractors we noticed a dozen or so large birds on nearby telephone poles. They turned out to be green parrots. Later I learned that the San Gabriel Valley area has several populations of non-indigenous parrots that escaped from captivity and formed thriving communities.

After the tractors were unloaded Randy and I planned to watch the parade from the sidelines. But one of the other participants had brought 2 tractors and offered one to Randy. So Randy became part of the parade.

And then they found a seat for me on another tractor. Jim's tractor has two seats and he was nice enough to invite me to ride with him. He likes to keep his tractor as original as possible so there are no backs on the seats. At the start of the parade I almost tipped off the back a couple of times, until I learned the secret - I hooked my toes under a bar on the footrest and hung on!

There is a little glass jar attached to a tube on top of the tractor. I asked what it was for and Jim said it was to catch dirt and such from the air before it hits the oil bath. The little John Deere inside the jar is a mark of the high esteem that Farmall enthusiasts hold for John Deere.

The parade was a lot of fun. It included marching bands, horseback riders, Girl Scouts and, of course, 18 tractors. Afterwards Teresa took us out for a late lunch at Papachino's Grill and Greens.