rainfinallyWe have been waiting for weeks and weeks! Yes, we’ve had smatterings of rain here and there, but not the all out downpour that we’re used to getting on a regular basis during Monsoon. Last night, we finally had our first downpour on the property. Not sure when it started, but by the time I arrived home around 5:30 it was in full swing and it may have been going for a bit of time. Lasted about an hour I’d guess. Stopped raining for a couple of hours and then started again around 9pm. Always nice to lie in bed and listen to the rain.

Since the wind was driving the rain in a south westerly direction, I ran out and moved the meat bird’s tractor to give them the most shelter from the wind. Guess I moved it enough, because Sue said that the ground was quite dry inside still this morning. All the chickens, large and small, seemed to weather the storm just fine. The plants were thankful for the rain as well. Saturday I had finally planted the bush roses in the holes that Sue dug a couple weeks ago. Also planted a rooted cutting from the rosemary bush, IMG_4591as well as a grape vine we rescued from Ace Garden Center last fall. We weren’t sure it would survive when we bought it; it was their last grape vine – on super, super sale… it looked half dead, but we decided to adopt it and nurse it back to health. Seemed to have worked. I planted it on the end gabion garden so it could climb up the welded wire. Not sure if it’ll like it there – the ground was clay, mostly. So I dug a large hole and put a lot of composted manure in there to help out. The grape is a white Thompson Seedless, so it should be yummy if we ever get any to set.

IMG_4592Four of the 5 roses that were planted are miniatures that we brought home from my cousin Lola’s first baby shower. Her son is 12 now – my how time does fly.  The miniatures are just little yellowish-white flowers, but they bloom and bloom. I pruned all the roses back quite a bit when they went in because I never did it over the winter. They are already putting on new growth, so I think they’ve liked this cooler monsoonal moisture that we’ve had the last couple of weeks. The other rose (in the foreground) is a grandiflora “Rock & Roll” burgundy and white variegated flower. We rescued this one at the same time as the grape. So far it has survived our minimal care and I hope that it settles in and does well in its newest home. Today I planted another climbing rose out by the front fence. I was going to add it to this line of roses along the walk until Sue reminded me that it is actually a climber. So now we have two on each side of the driveway to climb along the fence… can’t wait to see what they do next year!

IMG_4594The other plants in and around the gabion walls are doing well. Still have garden starts that I really need to get into the ground. Keep thinking that I’ll do it in the afternoon, and it is just too darn hot and humid by then. Once it starts cooling down, it’s too late and dark to be working outside with the bugs!  We’ll see how the growing goes. At least we have an extended growing season here. Maybe I’ll get my act together soon. Right now, I must sign off because I need to give Leggs her spa treatment, and then medicate both her and Wheezy. Life is never dull around here. Next update will be on Saturday. Until then, as always~
Thanks for reading.

Today’s Weather: Hot and Muggy. No rain yet, but our little weather station says that we still have a  40% chance of rain at 9pm it goes up to 60%, then 70% the next hour. I hope that is truly the case because we are still terribly behind. Currently, at 6:30 p.m., it is 92° with 23% humidity, wind w at 11 mph, pressure is at 29.77 inHg. Today, sunrise was at 5:27 and sunset will be at 7:23.

Egg Report: Wednesday – 22 chicken, 3 duck.  Thursday – 31 chicken, 3 duck.