The Cucumber Loves These Recent Rains

Almost everyday this week it has rained. I don't mind. It cools down the heat and reduces the humidity and the sound of the rain is soft and drizzly. It is wonderful to listen to, especially in the morning when all the bugs and birds are singing in the rain. I swear I'm hearing ducks, but I don't see them anywhere out my window. Maybe I'm confusing them with the odd croaks of frogs. 

On another note, during the few trips I've ventured outside in the rain to take the kitchen scraps out to the compost bin I have noticed how fast the cucumber plant is growing. It has tripled in size. It looks like we will have another year of cucumber salads and snacks. Luckily,  I love cucumber. I just wish some of the other vegetables I worked hard to plant would grow too. 

The unidentified squash I accidentally grew is also growing and very quickly thanks to the rain. Half of it dried up last month because of the intense heat so I was happy it recovered so well and quickly in the rain. At one time it grew so quickly and heavy one of the thick stems broke and this squash goo oozed out of the stem. I'm not sure if this happened during the heat or the previous scattered rains or this weeks rains, but I'm sure the weather here is really frustrating the plants. It is definitely frustrating me. 

I noticed the broken stem while trying to catch what appeared to be a stinkbug, a beautiful red orange bug with black spots and black legs. That is the second one I've killed recently. The other stinkbug was crawling within the mint.

The mint is growing very well too, but not just because of the rain. It just seems to be a very invasive plant. I don't mind that either. In my miserable looking garden I will take any green I can get. The rain is helping out. For a week or so the heat was burning all my plants to a crisp, including the ones in the front even if I watered them. I almost lost my fig. All the leaves browned and withered and when I thought it was completely lost the rain came to the rescue and leaves grew back strong and green. 

So, for now this miserable gardener is quite cheerful for the abundance of rain (no hurricanes please) and the resilience of my wonderful, often neglected, plants.