Rural Life on the Mountain: Rain Rain Go Away

Well this has been the rainiest weather I can ever remember. Weeds and plants are growing like wildfire, but it's muddy and just plan weird! Garden is slow to produce even though we felt we got it in early. But there does seem to be some progress. Spent today (after playing tennis - there are priorities) and yesterday taking out a lot of weeds and pruning more of the lilacs. My burn pile is enormous - but we need some dry weather with no wind to burn this stuff.

Green beans in Bloom

semi-crunchy lettuce

We've been eating two of the three types of lettuce I've planted. The mixed lettuce will be ready in another week or two. Green beans (multiple types) are all in bloom so in a week or two we expect to have some beans. The zucchini is finally growing and there are flowers, but seem to be mostly male. Hopeful that soon something that produces a zucchini will be apparent. We also have banana peppers and the beginning of green peppers.

The bugs are very active right now too and I've never seen so many beetles..

Mixed Lettuce

Leaf lettuce and zucchini plants

yellow squash

The yellow squash is finally producing another squash. The first one rotted on the vine due to so much rain I think, so hopefully this next one will grow bigger. Has lots of flowers too.

Cukes

And cucumbers (long skinny ones) are now appearing on the vine. Not what I was expecting, but I do have another plant that is slowly growing and I think is a more traditional cucumber. The long skinny ones have good flavor.

In the yard we still have lilies, phlox, day lilies (yellow and orange), lots of sweet pea (though after today fewer as I've been removing these as fast as I can), Artemisia, asparagus ferns (all these were asparagus I missed picking on time),bittersweet nightshade, yucca, magnolia and Rhododendron in bloom (though the rain is knocking the flowers off), and a few annuals around the house that I planted this year.