It’s been raining here the last few days. Nice, slow and steady, seed germinating rain. The kind that pours down, stops long enough for the earth to soak up the love, and then starts again. Good smelling, life renewing, sleep with the windows open kind of rain. I love it. It also gives me a reason not to leave the house so I love it twice.

Some of my deck containers. Pickling cucumbers, black cherry tomato and red vine tomato. Just outside of frame are hot peppers. They’re camera shy.

I went outside to walk around, breathe the fresh air in and check on everything during a break in the rain yesterday. Out of habit, I grabbed the hose while I was out there. Whoops, won’t be needing that. What a different a few days of rain makes! Almost everything is poking through. The only thing not in in the front bed is the corn which hates cold, wet soil. Hopefully our nice rain didn’t cause the seeds to rot.

front bed, early may
Front bed before the rains. Zucchini and Squash transplanted well, Peas and Beans taking off along the chicken wire trellis

I say almost everything is coming through. The front bed is a vision of beautiful budding spring, the back one is not. The only thing living in there are weeds and a head of romaine that I planted last year but just showed up this year when I was turning over the beds to prepare them for planting. I’ve planted things in there twice so far but nothing has germinated. I think it’s my seeds. It was supposed to be a lettuce and greens bed but I’m afraid it’s too late to plant anything again. It’ll be too hot and go to seed before we’re able to enjoy it. So I have two options that I can see. I can buy some seedlings at Moms (organic and/or heirloom) or I can plant more of what’s in the first bed. I’m leaning for the second option. A few more rows or corn (which I should have anyway to ensure full ears), some pickling cucumbers, some beans.

My beds aren’t much, especially for me calling myself Farmer Brown, but they’re a start for us. I’m already enjoying my one, lonely romaine plant and get so tickled to pick a leaf or two for a sandwich or a burger. I look forward to enjoying the bounty of my backyard and even be able to put some up to enjoy later (more beans! more cucumbers!).