Lots of rain is great for the garden. But it also means lots of weeds. The three of us have all taken shifts pulling them up during the past week. I've also woven the hoses into the landscape. And my daughter and I made a stepping stone marker to add a personal touch and designate the birth year of the Neighborhood Garden Project, which we often refer to as NGP.

Our lettuce is ready to harvest. This brought up a question among all of us, as very green (as in novice) gardeners. Do you pull up a bunch, er, a head, root and all? Will it regenerate? Do you pluck a few leaves? I asked the experienced gardener next door. We're talking 50 or so years of experience. She said pluck a few leaves at a time from the various plants to make up your salad and leaves will continue to grow back throughout the season.

Looks like the radishes and arugula are pretty edible, too. I think we'll have to have one of our neighborhood cookouts this weekend and enjoy the first fruit -- vegetables, actually -- of our labor. Yippee!