It POURED rain last night. We’ve had very little rain to date this season, and it was very needed, but we got several inches of rain all at once. All of a sudden, the mosquito population is bursting forth in great numbers.

The growth of the garden plants is likewise exploding. My cabbages and kales that were only an inch or two tall when I transplanted them are 5-6 inches tall now and spreading out. They keep trying to bolt, of course, given the heat, but the bolts are tasty when pinched off.

I still have the second mushroom bed to make. I at least know where I will be putting it, now. I have some cutting of grass and heavy cardboard mulching to do before I can get that in place, but it’ll work out.

The miscanthus grass is likewise still in its boxes. I havent gotten much done this week. I also now have 2 thornless honeylocust trees to plant. Mom found them randomly popping up in her front garden, for unexplained reasons. I must have spilled some seed when I planted them a couple years ago. They really shouldnt be planted that close to a structure, so we dug them out and I’ll get them planted out here somewhere. I dont think any of the others I planted are still alive, so yay for second chances.

We still have NastyRoo, as the lady who volunteered to take him had some stuff come up schedule-wise, but he will hopefully be leaving next weekend. The chicks are a good 5 inches tall now, and really need a bigger space to dash about in. We’re hoping the second broody will hatch soon, also. She is certainly dedicated and trying hard.

The stronger of my 2 mulberry trees, which I planted last year is fruiting this year. Just tiny fruit, but I find it surprising all the same. I really need to get some of the mulch mats down. I finally got some cut, although not as many as I need. I’m going to have to do some hand-cutting with scissors around the base of the trunks, as there are some very robust clovers and such growing quite close.

Really good progress on the goat hut yesterday. After the photo was taken, that wall was finished to the top, and the remaining couple feet of doorwall was also completed. What remains now is cutting the siding off where the window is, framing that in securely, securing/verminproofing the floor and building a door. The new goat has been held for us for far longer than we had hoped would be necessary, but the lady is really needing her gone, now, so we’re pushing hard to get it inhabitable by Thursday of this week, if possible. Having the wood on the walls has made a HUGE difference in the temperature inside the hut. When it was delivered it was basically a frame shell with vinyl siding outside and tarpaper inside. Very hot, not very strong. It WAS an icefishing shack after all. Only meant to keep the wind/snow off. Now, it is far more sturdy, has a window, and is much more insulative, simply due to the properties of wood. And being as it is slabwood, the ladies have been enjoying stripping the bark off for snacks.