It’s been a most unusual spring and beginning of summer. The days have been cool – we’ve been lucky to break 70 degrees and the nights have been downright cold. Typically at this time of year we’ve got the windows open 24/7. Lately, if we open them at all, we have to close up at night.

Today was gorgeous and I took full advantage of the weather. I don’t believe I sat down for more than five minutes the entire day.

We never got around to putting in a lawn. With sandy gravel around the house and clay everywhere else, I’m surprised that grass and weeds grow at all. Up until now, I’ve been using a weed whacker to tackle the worst of things. Yet, we finally purchased a lawn mower and mowed our weeds today. The ducks and chickens have had more fun exploring the newly mowed yard.

In my flower garden, the lilacs and lupine are beginning to fade, the peonies are popping and the lavender is just on the cusp of bloom.

Paul and I worked on the hugelkulture garden outside the greenhouse, moving fence and making space for mini hugelkulture barrels for growing pumpkins.

The garden is finally starting to look like something. This is the second year of the hugelkulture experiment. I’ve got garlic in two beds, zucchini and summer squash in another and peas in the fourth. Paul cut some old black, plastic, culvert into rings that I’m filling with compost, peat and top soil to grow pumpkins.

Paul modified an old screen door into a screen for the greenhouse. Today he built the framework for the other door. Rather than screen fabric, we’re using welded wire for the doors. The goal is to keep the critters out, but keep the airflow moving. Next on the list is another set of doors covered in greenhouse plastic to close the greenhouse up.

These yellow jackets made a nest in an over-turned planting box. It was fascinating to watch them move in and out before Paul came to the rescue and dealt with the little buggers. While I enjoy bumble bees and honey bees, I can do without yellow jackets.

There were lots of flying critters in the garden. A yellow swallow tail enjoying the last of the lilacs.

A big fat bumble bee enjoying the last of the lupines.

The greenhouse seems to be a magnet for caterpillars and moths like this forester moth.

I discovered this guy on my tomatoes. I coaxed him out and hurried him along.

All in all, it was a lovely day to spend in the garden. However, my body is so tired that I’m somewhat thankful for the forecast of a rainy day for tomorrow!