We were at a gathering of stationary engine enthusiasts on Saturday. These are some of the nicest folks you could ever meet, much like antique tractor enthusiasts! It was a beautiful fall day with a chilly start and the bluest skies. Surrounded by corn and soybeans, it wasn’t difficult to imagine these engines hard at work on the family farm. I leaned in close to each one, trying to hear the whisper of the story they had to tell.

I was especially interested in the engine that came from Czechoslovakia as that is my own heritage. Had it see the same land that my ancestors had walked? I don’t know, but the owner was a fellow Czech and he told me I could probably find one around if I looked! Many of those who came to partake in this engine gathering, brought pieces and parts to trade as they tried to find what was needed to repair or rebuild the engines they love. I wandered around and wondered where these engines had been and what work they’d been at all those many years ago. Many were still in their original condition, covered in moss or pocked from salty environments. Some though, have been painstakingly taken apart and sanded smooth, rebuilt, refurbished and repainted to that shiny glory they started in. This one was one of the most beautiful engines there.