The Spring Garden is producing!

This blog has gone a bit south because my computer access has been limited due to technical problems. However, I am trying to get going on this puny mini netbook whose connection will crash at any moment.
The spring garden (sorry, no photos yet), has been struggling because there was such an abundance of cold weather, then followed by really hot mid days. The lettuce has not been truly thriving, but we are eating broccoli, asparagus and arugula most nights. There is always something kin the garden to sustain us and our friends. I am salivating in advance of the English peas that are plumping up for a feast this next weekend. Cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, carrots, beets, beans, onions and potatoes are all potential at the moment.
Every night we are trapping armadillos, possums and raccoons outside the vegetable garden fence. We think the raccoons are the varmints who empty the bird feeders, and the armadillos are intent on breaching the fence around the vegetable garden, and if they are thwarted they just dig really deep holes in the yard so I keep the hoe handy. I renewed the flags on top of the fence to discourage the deer, so far successful.
Dollar weed has invaded the vegetable garden, no matter how deep the mulch, and each day I pull out what I have the energy for. We replaced a large jute mat we had on the porch so I took it out to the garden and plunked it down on top of the dollar weed, covered it with mulch, and so far at least that section looks pristinely free of weeds.
What I love about gardening in central Florida is that every year is different! So, this spring we haven't had any love bugs or caterpillars to notice. (yet!) But we have gnats to hate! The hummingbirds came back right on schedule, but where are the chimney swifts? The monarch butterflies are applying chrysalises to everything and the owls make noisy love all night.
The stars are bright and I look for bats in our bat house. Iwalk down to the pond to look for what's there. Maybe alligators? Certainly kingfishers and Florida ducks hunkered down for the night.
I see five deer out by the feeder, two fawns.
And now, I must tend to the voluminous watering schedule we have during the dry season.