I has potatoes!

 Break in the weather today, large drifting clouds that threaten to dump water any moment. I scooted out to the garden as soon as I could because I knew that the amount of rain we have gotten in the last 24 hours very well caused havoc. I was partially correct. The hawks have been calling all day so it sounds like they're building their nest again for sure.

 But first, with no planning whatsoever, a rainy day smile at the bottom of the stairs. Totally unplanned but made me smile immensely.

See what I mean by big clouds? Wonderful blue sky peeking through and just as I was taking the picture of the west bed the clouds let the sun through just enough.

Other end of the west bed just for reference and then the big bed. Everything is just busting out, but then noticed that back potato had some wilted leaves. What the heck?

It seemed like it was rather floppy like the stem had been cut so I dug a little soil around and stabilized it. If it isn't recovered tomorrow I'll have to see what potatoes are underneath and pull it out. Only thing I can think of is voracious bugs because there's no way a gopher could get up into that bed.

So the reds are poking up through the soil but I have no straw nor extra soil to cover them, those are small ones maybe a half inch across so way too small to harvest. I shifted soil around so they were covered and will figure out something in the meantime. That is how I discovered the potatoes I harvested. I did find a slug and flicked it over the wall after I got a picture (which is a juggling act in itself with an ipad).

Beautiful rosy red potatoes. I was shocked at how big that one was when I dug it up! Wow! Full on eating size. I then remembered they needed to 'cure' before storing so they're sitting out in the black container on the front porch with a paper towel covering them to keep out of the light. If I had somewhere safe to put them inside I would. I at least separated them so the biggest one and two others were in the other, lower black container and used yet another tray to cover the others.

According to what I've read is they need ventilation but humidity, in the dark and about 40-65 degrees. Well, can't get much better than that outside. So they will be ready to bring inside to use in about ten days. I think the only container better would have been one of the clear containers with holes in them but wasn't going to trudge all the way back down to the garden for that.

So yay for potatoes!  Will check the other plants tomorrow, weather willing.

And a minute of the rain runoff outside my window yesterday.