A break in the rain...

It's been raining like crazy here! And my poor plants show it. The soil is water logged. The leaves on the zucchini and tomatoes are yellowing. I'm a little worried. But keeping the faith that the sun will come out...tomorrow? (Wow. That was bad. But I just couldn't help myself...)

So...before the LAST big rain over a month ago I'd planted a ton of seeds. OK, maybe not a ton. But I did plant quite a few. Beans, squash, birdhouse gourds...and a few rows of beets. As you can see here...I've got about 7 beets growing. That's not too encouraging. But hey...I'll take what I can get. Like I keep telling myself...this year's garden is a learning experience. Take it for what it is...and learn...and persevere.

Here are the overlapping rows of beans that I planted. I planted rows of beans before the LAST big rain, too. And after the germination period I got nothin'. So I figured that the rains ruined the seeds and I planted some new ones.

Would you believe that the DAY AFTER I planted the second batch of bean seeds the FIRST batch started sprouting? Um...yeah...call me Murphy.

Hey look! A harvest! A small harvest. But a harvest nonetheless.

That is my first radish...I planted it, watered it, plucked it from the ground and ATE IT. (Yes, yes...I washed it first) And it was good. Spicy and hot...just like I like 'em. A little small...apparently I didn't wait long enough. But how could I help myself? Isn't it beautiful?

So I'm being nosy and poking around the radish bed...looking for more immature baby radishes I can rip from their warm cozy bed and eat when I come across this....

Hello my sweet...you are doing a GREAT job! I only wish you ate pincher bugs. But I'll settle for the aphid control....

At the encouragement of my husband...who LOVES these dang chickens very much...I brought two of them into the garden with me in hopes that THEY would eat the dang pincher bugs. Libby and Betty were the chosen ones...

They enjoyed it very much. They caught many mosquito hawks. And plucked a few other tasty bug-like morsels from the grass. They wandered around...explored...pooped a few times...and reveled in their little bit of freedom.

It was all well and good until we hear a loud, distressed chirp from the hen house.

It was Nellie...frantically calling for her sisters. As soon as Libby and Betty heard Nellie's call...they responded with the same loud distress call...pining for their sister.

That was our cue to call it a day. These girls really do NOT like being separated from one another...it's quite sweet really.

Ahhh...safe and sound and together. All is well.