Big fat rain, little stinging rain...

It rained most of the day today. After a long day inside at school, the boys are home and subjugated to more indoor imprisonment, they are restless, and I think we will work on the front walkway flowers tonight to get out and enjoy at least SOME of the evening outdoors.

I've got the start of what I think is an allergy sinus mess, and don't really want to do anything, but the idea of putting more mammoth sunflower seeds in the ground is too awesome to waste. They were so much fun last year, the boys loved playing under them, and they provided a bit of privacy for our tiny front walkway. I will be planting in waves this year, so we can have sunflowers until November if possible. There's a local sunflower maze that does pretty well, and I've always wanted to do a "bean vine" teepee or sunflower shelter for the boys to play in.

All of the new plants from yesterday are still quite perky and happy, with today's rain and the biodegradable pots they came in, there's very little chance of transplant shock, so I think they will do just fine. I'm also interested to see if any more really late seeds sprout in the next couple of days due to today's precipitation. I don't "think" there's anything left ungerminated from our first planting, but you really never know.

I'm not sure what kind of cages/supports I will be using for the tomatos this year. I don't think I want to spend hundreds of dollars on metal cages, and I saw something on Pinterest or another random DIY site that used cheap fencing and a 2X4 cross that worked even better. I am just hesitant to put wood in the garden again this year because in my climate it draws squash bugs and their kind, which "could" attack the tomatoes. I also thought about using PVC, which worked very well last year, but that will depend on growth rates I think. 

Will be going to bed early tonight, received word that my father in law ordered a truckload of dirt for some raised beds that he has been mulling over. The work will be extensive, the garden area is covered in warped rotted plywood and we will have to cut down a very bent over oak tree. We will have to remove all the wood, prep and build the beds, and then cart several dozen wheelbarrow loads of dirt into the boxes, as the truck can't make it all the way into the backyard. Damn sugar sand. I'm excited! The idea of a manual labor weekend is just plain awesome to me.