The torrential rain of the last few days has definitely had an effect on the garden. I have beet seedlings sprouting fast and furious, and plants I’d almost given up on appear to be thriving once more. The mulch piles are loaded with mushrooms (not edible ones, alas!) and the birds are emptying the feeders faster than we can fill them, it seems.
The trenches we’ve been digging over the past two years are definitely worth the effort on days like this; the area near the house is draining much more quickly, and the roadside ditch resembles whitewater rapids at times. I’m looking forward to fall, when the temperature goes down enough for me to resume the excavation and hopefully make them a little prettier…
I pull weeds from our gravel driveway endlessly, only to be faced with twice as many after a rainstorm. It’s a labor of love. And hate. And, occasionally, salt, because I’m starting to lose my temper with it.
Everything is very messy and dirty and damp and slovenly, and I crave the tidiness of a Better Homes & Gardens display property; but that’s just not how it works at the height of summer when indoor and outdoor tasks are warring for primacy. Fortunately, we’re not getting many visitors these days, so there’s a limit to how embarrassed I can get.
I hope your gardens are blooming prolifically and that your lives are as full of sunshine as possible. Take the time today to appreciate flowers and birds and nature in general. Here’s an awesome video to brighten your day.