Too Much Rain

Wednesday morning (late Tuesday) we began getting too much rain. I'm not complaining too much because I know there are other with much more than us - and with bigger problems. In the morning when I got up and checked the rain gauge there was 1.7 inches. By the end of the day our total was 2.5 inches.

So, the daily total was a good rain, but not normally enough to cause the flooding you see in our back yard. This has happened a couple of years ago too when the ground was already saturated and we got more rain. Our 14-day total was 6.5" with 3 this last week, 2 the previous week, and around 1.5 three weeks out.

Not to worry, the water has gone down pretty good over the last couple of days. One or two dry days and we should be back to normal - but the grass will really need mowing.

Dakota usually avoids the watered down areas, but in this case there were no options. Towels at the back door for a few days.


A couple of paths were washed out some and the strawberries are apparently in a low spot. I think everything should recover, although some seedlings were tipped over because of the muddy soil.

Thursday Rain

We got 1.4 inches of rain in a storm Thursday evening and Friday night. It came down pretty good for a few minutes but was otherwise kind of nice - especially for the garden. During a break I took some wet photos of the garden and also a few this morning.

The strawberry plants where a bit of a muse for a while...


In the morning the circle-like patterns of the rain caught my attention.


The whole world in a rain drop.


Blooms from the chives and the allium bulb in the front of the house are just popping out. The nasturtium leaves gather the water right on the lobe tips. I like the flat leaf profile and the contrast of the red edge. I had the chance to do the classic water dropped tulip picture. Also, the hosta funnels are coming unfurled.


Lots of these guy-gals getting some air.


The garden spot by our strawberry patch.


A "bird bath" and view of the back corner. The rain seems to saturate a lot of the colors in the clouded light.


Closer view of the back corner next to the fence. A couple of butterfly stepping stones and some other pairings of plants.


The raspberry canes busy stretching their roots - I hope.


I had some tomato seedlings left that I decided to plant with the cauliflower and onion barrel. We put some flowers in the top of one of the hanging tomato buckets.


Here's the southern foundation bed and a plant from the east side. I like the leaves on this one (will have to check my records for the name), but they tend to droop down. (Update: Those are Ligularia leaves.)


The vegetable beds (click for details). Earlier I said we had "wild progress" in growth, and I guess that is only going to keep accelerating for the next few weeks. The short peas are starting to twine together and the climbers are - well - climbing.


It's that time we now can get some regular harvests of swiss chard and spinach.


Also some radishes and lettuce. Look at the sparkly salad in the water.