A surprising twist for the giant Iowa State Fair pumpkins

Linh here. I'm growing two giant pumpkins with the goal of showing one of them at the Iowa State Fair. (Their names are Hope #1 and Hope #2, just in case.)

Driving the news: In a surprise turn of events, Hope #2, my backup pumpkin, is doing better than Hope #1.

How it happened: A few weeks ago, Hope #1 was blooming beautiful flowers. Wow! Pretty!

Hope #1 at the end of May.

Then I learned the bright yellow flowers were not supposed to be happening yet, and it was putting its energy into the wrong place.

Meanwhile, Hope #2 was quietly growing without much messing around by me. And now, it's over 5 feet long.

Hope #1 (left) and Hope #2 (right), pictured June 12.

Zoom in: In other news, this week, I got a check signed by Mayor Connie Boesen herself, for $52.

The city offers a 50% subsidy for rain barrels, and I bought one a couple of weeks ago after it became clear this spring was going to be full of rain.

Anyway, it fills up really fast, and now I have a strange hodgepodge of garbage cans and totes full of rainwater in my backyard.

My rain barrel (left) and residual rain containers (right).

Countdown: 59 days until judgment day.

The growth of Hope #2 from May 27-June 12. GIF: Linh Ta/Axios