We got a bit of rain this week, on 3 different days, so plants that were looking a little wilted between waterings during the summer are much perkier with this frequent precipitation. Heavy rain is expected for this evening as well. Frogs and snails are around the yard often in the wet weather. I collected a handful of 15 snails on Saturday. (I'm being good and not tossing them over the fence into the neighbor's yard, but into the green-waste bin instead.)

Capturing a sharply-focused shot of a flower with raindrops on the petals always delights me. Sometimes I'm merely captivated by the crystalline sparkle, but now and then I think of how the water drops are one of the vital substances that contribute to a plant's growth.

Last week, I was happy to discover the rhubarb coming back up! Maybe it will thrive in a wet winter. Nearby, also having grown tall enough for me to notice, is a black nightshade plant (Solanum nigrum). It has sprung up in the fencetop planter, among the delphiniums and columbine. I think birds drop seeds of these around the yard sometimes. I'll let it stay for now and provide berries for the birds, but I'll yank the nightshade out if it starts to crowd my flowers.

In preparation for the workplace craft fair, I've completed 20 pieces of garden-themed jewelry, some nature illustrations for coloring pages, several potpourri sachets of gathered flower petals (scented with combinations of orange/cinnamon and silver fir/bergamot essential oils), and the item I am most proud of: a Garden Flowers 2018 calendar. I had 30 of these printed at a reasonable cost; now to see if there's enough demand for this product that I can make a profit!

Soon, I want to set up an Etsy shop to offer any calendars, jewelry and coloring pages that don't sell at the fair. The thought of my Passion Project of gardening, crafting and photography becoming not only a labor of love, but a supplemental income source, is exciting.