Weather: topped out at 92, according to the weather station here on the ranch. High humidity all day long, which made it feel like a sauna just stepping outside, not to mention what it felt like when there was actual work happening. About 3 PM, thunder rumbling in the distance, but no rain here at the ranch, and the skies to the east cleared by 5 PM.

Plants: the front crop of peanuts is starting to fall over, which means it’s nearly harvest and curing time for those. The spinach sowed in a couple of 4×4 frames in the front garden is coming up. All of the melons look terrible and should probably be taken out for compost. Still no new sweet basil seedlings from that direct sowing – the second direct sowing, in fact – which is very strange given that it usually grows like a weed.

Done: Weeded, a job that never seems to end. Transplanted 64 cherokee purple tomato plants from the flats, and 32 bell peppers. Reseeded more dud green beans. Ran drip irrigation in the final row of the back garden to replace the traditional irrigation that had been there. Topped the lemon and lime basils in the herb garden. Watered everything except the trees. Replaced one of the watering timers, which picked today to go crazy. Sliced open half a dozen used burlap coffee bags so they can be used for moisture and weed control around the transplanted tomatoes and peppers from today. Picked and tested some of the second round black eyed peas from the front garden. Relaid the black plastic mulch in the front garden that had blown around a bit. Checked for the spider that hangs around the front walkway on the siding, but couldn’t find her; her three egg sacs are still in place.

Servers conspired to keep me out of the garden and inside or at the NOC, including a marathon session at the NOC on Thursday. While working in the outer vestibule, a storm rolled through, with a quick, bright flash of lightning followed by a tremendous rumble of thunder that shook the front windows. Luckily I was in the one place guaranteed not to lose power while I was working on a balky server.

Weather: highs about 90, little rain. Last night again lightning and thunder in the distance, but bypassing the ranch. This means watering rounds on Saturday.

Plants: Saturday will be the attempt to plant out the flats. The forecast is for more of the same of this sort of weather, so the garlic planting will have to wait a bit, until the temps are consistently not hovering around 90 every day. This will also give me time to clear out two more frames that will eventually hold garlic.

Done: Nothing, alas, as I spent my days up to my eyeballs in servers, either putting in new ones or dealing with old ones. The week ahead will surely be better.

Weather: high around 90, some rain (hooray!).

Nothing done today. Between mom’s birthday and dealing with two brand new servers where the NICs didn’t want to cooperate and talk on the network, there was no time for anything else. Tomorrow is another day, as Scarlett would say.

Weather: high around 85, a bit over 3/10 of an inch of rain. Storms breaking around us here – lots of sound and fury, but not enough rain.

Plants: Peanuts keep popping up in frames where we pulled them, leftovers from that harvest. Left them for now. The first okra plants are nearing 6′ tall, the second round at 4′ now. These are to be pulled, as we’re over okra for the season.

Done: Completed weeding the garlic frames and fertilized in prep for planting. Two frames still taken up by pepper plants that seem to be enjoying the (relatively) moderated temperatures. In the rear garden, the last row of frames is completely weeded. Sowed three types of shelling peas and replaced the dud green bush beans with new seed. Realigned the drip irrigation that was out of place from the pulling of the black eyed peas.

Weather: high around 85, intermittent drizzle, nothing significant. Unfortunately, the nor’easter seems to be blowing itself out by the time it makes its way all the way inland to us.

Plants: The cucumbers replanted where the black eyed peas had been are all up: adam gherkin, homemade pickles, and american slicer. It’s time to sow another round of shelling peas. Big, fat bumblebees spotted on the flowers near the front walk.

Done: A light day, since the bulk of the morning was spent having blood drawn and getting a chest xray and the afternoon on the business. The remainder of the garlic we pulled in August has been processed and stored.

Weather: about 80 as a high, no rain through this evening.

Plants: Tomatoes, peppers, mints, onions, and brassicas in the flats near the back garden seem to be doing well, complete with tiny frog hanging out in the peppers. The tomatoes, brassicas,  and peppers need to be transplanted this week; onions can wait; mints need to go into pots rather than to frames. Olive seeds did not germinate.

Done: Weeded out and fertilized seven of the frames to be planted with garlic. Unloaded lumber destined to be built into two more doubled frames in the middle of the front garden. Cleaned up various junk from the long week of work on the gardens.