August 2, 2008

View of the day-The team waits for the humidity to drop in a field of rye outside of Gettysburg, SD.

Well it was Crazy Days in Gettysburg and no one was crazier than Marilyn who was over in the other campground at 6:55...AM!...to pick up Lynn so they could have .25 coffee and catch up on the doings of the summer. That, and do some shopping.

It was really humid and cool...more than one item was blown off the tables that were set out for the sidewalk sales. There had been rain to the south, but it was moving straight east so we got lucky, although it remained cloudy and there wasn't much drying down of the crop.

Lynn had to get their camper moved up to Hoven, 25 miles NE of Gettysburg, so we only shopped until 9am and then she was on her way...with several bags of treasures. Marilyn went back to the camper to get Al, who got to sleep in, then it was time for breakfast and some decision making about the day.

We waited patiently for the humidity to go down...it never did. We went out and did a test...15.2% moisture...not much of a chance there, so we went back to the camper. Marilyn went back to do some more shopping...she only had one bag from the mornings excursion...and picked up a neat portable ice maker that just fits perfectly in the camper...makes 12 ice cubes in 6 minutes. The zippy marts can stick their $3 bags of ice...well, you know where...in the freezer. This baby will make 35 pounds of ice a day!

We went out around 4pm and did another test...this one more promising, so they said we could cut a load and see how it went. Al took the load in while Marilyn carried on combining until Al called on the radio and told her it tested 14.6% and perhaps she should quit. After he returned to the field with the empty truck we went back to the camper and called it a night...for harvesting at least.

Marilyn decided to take in the local dance recital at the town auditorium. This recital is for the summer dance classes that the 4-13 year olds take for six weeks. It was a change of pace and because Marilyn is a tapper herself...some of it was painful to watch...good thing they were cute and the costumes were fabulous. Actually it was pretty good for only six weeks of lessons.

On the walk home, Marilyn noticed the haze starting to fill the air and once again the humidity is at 91% so it will be a late start tomorrow. But we still have to get up early...

It's the harvester's appreciation breakfast...