half an inch of rain today, in two good steady showers. nice crash-bang gullywasher down here early this afternoon, according to our wwoofers. less up in town, but still some. and probably more after i left work. wild contoured grey skies, bright blue around the passing bits of storm.
in the garden, the corn, planted slightly early around mid-may, is chest-high. the Three Sisters method is working beautifully: beans climbing the corn stalks, squash in alternate mounds producing enormous leaves to shade the ground around everything, preventing the heat from warming the soil to excess. they are all enormous and happy. the patty squash are starting to set fruit, and a few beans are starting to flower. given that “knee high by the fourth of july” cliche that every second person seems to feel obliged to repeat upon sight of a corn patch, i am delighted to feel that we are actually slightly ahead of the season on something! high nitrogen rainwater, truckloads of horse manure in the soil, and this ongoing rainy, not-at-all-hot summer are all contributors, i’m sure.
and from the north:
detail of the understory, the world beneath the squash leaves:
patty squash setting fruit:
golden amaranth seedhead, also as tall as i am:
beans climbing the corn:
and, bonus gratuitous puppy pic!
tomorrow we are planting the most recent perennials/dye beds, out behind the ritual grounds. we have rented a perfectly ginormous chipper, and on Sunday we will chip up several large piles of sticks and use the resulting woodchips to mulch the ritual grounds. which, given the rain, is much needed!
*fingers crossed for a sunny handfasting day!*