A bit of August

Today for the first time felt more typically August.  It still was NOT hot and sultry but the temperature did get into the 80s and humidity was higher, a slightly sultry feeling.

You know, like August.

The GRider and I were out intending to re-ride a bunch of what I rode yesterday.  Obviously I intended to find another way home but we were headed towards the Capitol with a run down Summit Avenue to follow.

There were many cumulus clouds in the sky and as we neared the big state building a couple of them coalesced and began to look a bit grey on the underside.  We swung up to the opening in the construction fence across the street from the Credit Union to get this view of our tax dollars at work.

In the foreground you have the very early stages of the new Senate Office Building.  Work also continues on the Capitol rehabilitation project with scaffolding and wrapping.

Both look pricey.

We were intimidated by the sky and decided that we needed to be closer to home.  We headed back.  It never actually rained so I am feeling a tad sheepish but when it comes to an hour or so riding in the rain better safe than sorry.

I dropped the GRider off at home and took my final loop.  I came upon that piece of equipment I noticed yesterday but today it was fully staffed and engaged in harvesting.

Perhaps most interesting is the all female crew, a bit of a farming rarity.

That thing is a full fledged combine, a mini sized one to be sure but it is cutting the wheat there at the front and then that stuff behind the seated operator is processing and separating the wheat from the straw and chaff.  The whole crew clearly is engaged in some sort of experiment as they individually do one of those little square bits and then stop.  The red shorts person is emptying the wheat from one of those squares into a brown paper bag about the size of a lunch bag.  The figure in black, I don't know, checks her work or something but they get the bag sealed up and labeled and then they toss it into a rack there on the side of the machine.  The stuff being left on top of the still standing stubble is just straw with the grain having been removed.

After all that they move up and do another little square.

I wonder what they are doing.