Look out slugs. I'm armed. This is a must have tool for obsessive gardeners. You know who you are. Can't quit, even though the sun set 45 minutes ago? Wondering if the full moon has activated the snails?

This is great for nightime trips to The Pile

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Day 1
Day 3
Day 4
Day 6
Day 7

On to Day 12

I was trying to ignore it, hoping it was the weather, but now I can no longer deny it. My compost pile isn't in the active zone any more. It's not even in the steady zone. It's about 80 degrees. And moving the thermometer around doesn't help.

I don't know why it suddenly cooled down. I take it personally. Perhaps I unknowingly insulted the Compost Fairy. Perhaps she didn't like the orange, grapefruit and lemon.

I haven't turned it - yet. It's too early, isn't it? But I've piled some of the fallout around the bottom edges back on the top. I was surprised to find that the bottom inside matter was so dry - I've been lightly watering the pile every day, but apparently not enough to get the inner muck damp. I'm hoping that is the real problem.

The outside temperature today is 53 degrees. It rained yesterday, and might rain again today so I'm counting on Mother Nature to get my pile back to business.

On to Day 12