Two weeks vacation at the Delaware Shore, what could be better? Unbelievable how fast the time goes ... now I'm back, bringing a Tropical Storm with me!

Oh well, Hanna really wasn't that bad afterall, and we really needed the rain, but it did delay my assessment of the garden for another day. After a week's vacation, I always look forward to seeing what's new in the garden ... however two weeks can wreak havoc!



Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful to my family for helping in my absence to take care of things. But as all you garden enthusiasts know, it's just not the same as when the primary caretaker does the job.

Afterall, we gardeners do things on a daily basis without giving it much thought like weeding, pruning, feeding, etc. When you're gone for any extended length of time, things always fall thru the cracks.

Since it was really dry while I was away, even with regularly watering, things have dried up. It is almost the end of the season, so I don't mind that my annuals look like death warmed over. The vegetables are slowly giving up as well. Even the grasses were starting to droop without any significant rain.

But the biggest difference is in the pond. My dad is the primary caretaker of the pond and fish while I'm away. And please don't get me wrong, he does a great job, and I couldn't go away for as long without his help. However, he just can't keep his hands off that darn waterfall!


I don't know what it is (because I haven't had the time to fully check it out yet), but the pump doesn't seem to be doing as great a job as it did when we first hooked everything up. The water began to backflow again, under the waterfall and out of the pond. So dad did his best and tilted the waterfall forward to give the pump a little help. Thus shifting the decorative stones around it and tearing a few of the elephant ears in the process.

The giant papyrus doesn't want to hold its own anymore. It just leans against the side of the pond. The Canna have once again become too top-heavy for their pots and are leaning against the sides as well. (This happens every year, I really should learn my lesson.) And due to the winds yesterday, the black Taro Elephant Ears have fallen over and can't get up. They're completely knocked off balance, so I'm hoping if I trim the biggest leaves I'll be able to right it again.



The pond needs vacuuming, my parrot boat sank yesterday (I was able to bale it out), the filter needs cleaning and the smaller water feature we have on the other side of the patio needs tending to as well.

But in the midst of it all, there's hope. While assessing the work ahead, I saw one of the frogs sunning himself among the Canna, see it you can spot him.

It'll take another week before I get things right again. Oh well, such is life!