Playing in the Snow with the Tractor

We didn't get the plastic sled I wanted before the big snow, but we did break out our other toy - the little tractor.  

The deep snow meant that we got to try out one of the tractor implements that has been patiently waiting near the barn.  The scraper thing - ooooh... 

Brandon compared using the tractor implements to an erector set.  Nothing we have came with instructions, and since we've never used this implement before, it was a game of trial and error to get the scraper thing attached to the tractor in a way that looked like it would work.  This task was extra complicated because the hydraulics on the tractor were so cold we couldn't make the parts that move up and down, move up or down.  

The scraper thing attaches to the tractor in three places.  Two of the places were pretty straight forward - we just had to force heavy, rusty, and cold finger-pinching pins in the right places to hold it together.  The third attachment point wasn't so easy to figure out.  We had two options for fitting the extra bits that hold it all together. We don't know what these pieces are called, but I'm sure it's something like "Wedge Shaped Thumb Crusher", or "Long Rusty Curse Extractor".  We opted for the thumb crusher, and it worked like a charm! 

He's off!  Since Brandon couldn't raise or lower the scraper, we weren't sure he would be able to scrape the snow from the entire long driveway without getting it jammed.  

While Brandon was scraping, I stayed warm by wearing some of our Christmas presents - a Yoda hat and hand made face muffler - and dancing to pop music playing in our ear protector/radio.  I love snow days.  

I could tell Brandon was enjoying his snow day as well.  Who needs a sled when you have a tractor!

I drew Brandon's portrait while he scraped.  Looks just like him, doesn't it?  

The scraper thing is angled so that the snow continually falls out to one side.  Once we saw how this worked, Brandon was able to plan his route so that the snow dropped to the outside edge of the driveway.  

Unfortunately he did such a good job that I was able to drive my little car to work today.  We learned a few things during this tractor play.  By the time he was done with the driveway the hydraulics on the tractor were warm enough that they began to work.  Good to know.  Also good to know that if you forget to put the cotter pins through the holes in the big bolts that hold the scraper on, it comes right off when you back it up into a snow pile, and it's really hard to get it unstuck from under the tractor!