Friday--

We had good weather yesterday (hot but sunny) until late when a train of pop-up storms came through.  It seems now-a-days that rains come like sledge hammers.  I harvested strawberry leaves, sweet basil and sage all of which is now dried and ground and in jars.  I had to water all of the plants on in the fence hangers.  Everything else was in good shape but those dry out so quickly.  I also, finally, got a large part of the tomato pruning and staking done.  If it is dry today I will finish that chore.  The dragon's egg cucumbers are starting to really take off with the Barese cucumbers a bit slower.  The beans are doing well except for the red-seeded asparagus beans which did not come up at all.  I debated replanting but I have three other varieties doing very well so I will let it go.

This story just gets worse as time goes on.  No one really knows how much information was scooped up by the hack and I doubt that anyone has any serious idea of how to prevent any more of these breaches.

I have followed this story for the last several years--not simply Iowa but everywhere.  We bought honey at the farm market and that beekeeper said half of his hives died over the winter and a friend who started beekeeping last year lost her hive.  I have yet to see a bee here and I have had plants blooming that should have attracted them.  I can't keep a hive of honey bees because I don't have the room but I decided to order a mason bee house for our space.  It should be arriving soon.

Only one word for this; OUCH!!!  We can't even imagine this kind of situation and are shaking our head in amazement.