The huge box elder next door is smaller by several good sized upper limbs after last night's heavy rain, hail, and wind gusts. The one hitting the clothesline also put a deep bend in a top rail of the dog kennel. They feel bad about the mess, but my old hackberry nearly took out their garden shed one year, so these things happen. I've stuffed the trash can at the curb full of a few of the big old sunflowers that all toppled last night. The wood will probably wait until December to go to bulky waste, though Abby ZurSchmiede on Facebook (Harpgirl on Mudcat) has been experimenting with hugulkulture beds and now would be a good time to try it with all of this extra around. The premise is to construct a raised bed over a bottom layer of cut up limbs and rotting wood. She has a galvanized frame around hers, but you could also simply bevel the sides. Keep it to a size so you can reach into it without having to step in it.

Temperatures are cooler, humidity is close to 100%. After 3-4" of rain the yard is gumbo. My plans for the day have changed somewhat.