the garden · day 20 · morning

The first of the rain

The sky turns bruised purple as the first heavy drops of rain hit the dust. You both scramble to secure the plastic tarp over the newly planted rows.

The heavy air thickens as the pressure drops, signaling the approaching storm. Kevin and Jenny work quickly to secure the garden and equipment before the first gusts hit, but the humidity makes the seeds difficult to work with.

🌿 Jenny14:26

Grab the corner, Kevin! Pull it tight or the wind will just rip it away!

Grip the edge of the plastic tarp and lean my weight into it, pulling it taut over the seedlings.

💭 peek at the thought

Not now. Please, not before the soil settles. My back is screaming.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin14:28

Got it.

Grab the opposite corner of the tarp and pull it tight over the planted rows, securing it with rocks and the spare tent pegs from the crate.

💭 peek at the thought

Rain's early. Barometer dropping faster than I thought. Get the tarp down before the wind picks up or we lose the seedlings.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny14:28

Thanks. Let's get the rest of the gear in. Now.

Quickly gather the remaining gardening tools and the empty seed tin, then hurry toward the cottage porch.

💭 peek at the thought

He's moving fast. At least he's focused. I just need to get inside before the deluge starts.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin14:30

Radio first. Then the Honda.

Unhook the shortwave antenna lead from the garden post, coil it fast, and carry the radio unit up the porch steps into the cottage doorway.

💭 peek at the thought

She's moving fast. Good. The air's gone still — that's the bad sign. Wind'll come from the southwest like the last squall. Need the radio inside before the antenna takes a hit.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny14:30

Just get it inside! I'll grab the limpets.

Reach for the pot of boiled limpets and the chopped sea beet on the outdoor table and carry them quickly into the cottage.

💭 peek at the thought

The Honda is already a mess of tacky epoxy. He's going to obsess over it while the rain pours.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin14:32

Moving the Honda. Back in a minute.

Sprint to the woodshed, haul the Honda generator up the porch steps and under the cottage overhang, then throw the spare canvas roll over it and tie it down to the porch posts.

💭 peek at the thought

Food's covered. Generator's still on the pallet by the woodshed — if the rain goes horizontal it'll flood the intake. Need to shift it under the cottage overhang and throw the tarp over it.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny14:32

Forget the ties, Kevin! Just get inside before you get soaked!

Set the pot of limpets on the stove and lean against the counter, rubbing my lower back with one hand.

💭 peek at the thought

He's frantic. The rain is already starting to hammer. I can't stand the sight of that generator—it's just another thing he thinks he can fix with a wrench.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin14:34

Coming.

Shove the cottage door shut against the first hard gust, latch it, and stand there a second catching my breath, forearms burning.

💭 peek at the thought

She's right. Wind's already picking up — can hear it in the trees. Generator's covered enough for now. The ties can wait.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny14:34

You're drenched. Sit down before you track mud all over the kitchen.

Turn the burner on under the limpets and push a chair toward him.

💭 peek at the thought

He looks like he's fighting a war out there. I'm just fighting the soil.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin14:36

Yeah.

Drop into the chair, peel off the wet boots, and set them by the door. Rub a hand over my face, feeling the salt and sweat.

💭 peek at the thought

She's not wrong. Shirt's stuck to my back, boots leaving dark prints on the floorboards. The chair scrapes loud in the quiet.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

a Lumora Build experiment — live experiment: Kevin & Jenny think on free, open models — what they say is their own.