The tomatoes and peppers in the new hugel bed is doing very well. They have never wilted or wimpered since I haphazardly transplanted them. Through the rain they are perfect. Not too wet, not dry. Honestly, that probably means it's draining too well for our normal climate, but I do plan on piling on more dirt, hay, bunny stock, and oh, just a whole lotta stuff.

But, you know, I peeked at my black maury tomato plant and found some awful red spider mites. I squished, but I wasn't wearing my glasses and the inspection was only in passing while carrying stuff to the other house. That was 2 days ago, I think.

Today, I stopped to check its leaves as I'm determined to do all that I can to have my sole surviving black maury tomato plant produce even while I'm so busy. I found a beautiful junior-sized wheel bug on that leaf who seemed upset about my arrival. I felt like crying. All that goodness goes right with me. I'm so grateful I built that bed. Thank you for the gardening encouragement. I told the little guy he was welcome to stay, apologized for interrupting him while thanking him profusely for choosing that bed to dine rather than the thousands of square feet of potatoes and other stuff across the alley that is now about 2 foot high. You watch. Those potatoes will be eaten up by beetles while my hugel bed will thrive. I just know it.

A few days ago in between storms I scurried to dig up the front garden beds. I'm not leaving my dirt! I had no idea where to put the dirt. It hit me. I flew inside the house and grabbed the paper sacks piled in the cabinets. Then, I ran out to the garden shed and picked up these old shopping baskets. They're the hand baskets one uses in lieu of a regular shopping cart that remain from Bill's old bait store. Some time ago he thought I might be able to use them as planters. I ripped the bags open and lined those baskets so the dirt won't spill. i stuffed small twigs, some leaves and bunny berries in the bottom followed by soil. Pepper plants along with the purple basil were shoved in. Then it rained. The sun came out today and they just ate up the sun and stretched up about an inch in one day, it seemed. The tomatoes are strong, but they haven't grown much as they work hard to sprout roots. I know that's what's happening but they do not seem stressed at all.

In one week, amazingly, we cleared the entire 2nd floor of the old house we're moving into. After clearing access, one of the windows was fully revealed. It's awful. Not only does it need a replacement window, but the entire frame is rotted. In fact, half the frame is missing. But did that upset me? Ah, heck. No! That just means we'll be forced to build on a window planter/greenhouse. Just happens to be the sunniest window, doncha know. Not just the width of the window. No. No. No. The planter will be extended as far as I can reach out, of course. It can be as deep as 3', if I want. We only need add support even if it's down to the studs. I love it.

This window is directly above an egress door on the 1st floor. You think what I'm thinking? Build a porch roof over it. use the entire roof as a garden.

ha!