The Absentee Gardener Has Returned

Over the last week we've been in Kill Devil Hills, NC enjoying the beaches and sights of the Outer Banks. It was a fantastic vacation. We visited three out of the five lighthouses in the area and the boy and girl both climbed the one at Currituck and the boy climbed the Cape Hatteras lighthouse without a moment's fuss of whine. The girl cried buckets because she wasn't tall enough for the Hatteras climb. I didn't make either climb...but more on that later.

My big question is for any of you from that area is regarding the Wright Brother's National Monument and where the first flight took place. All throughout our elementary schooling we read and were taught that the first flight took place in Kitty Hawk, NC, but the location of the monument and flight markers is actually in Kill Devil Hills. Kitty Hawk is only a hop, skip and a jump away, but the place certainly is KDH and not Kitty Hawk. Anyone know the story here?

The garden suffered...actually, the entire summer garden with the exception of the sweet potatoes is coming out tomorrow. All of the remaining tomatoes have BER, the cucumbers look to have contracted wilt or the like, but I'm mostly sad about those lima beans that I had waited so long for. Those triangle like brown bugs completely infested it while we were gone and sucked the life out of the plants. I'm sad, but I think I may still have time to put some more cucumbers and beans in before the first frost. I'll also have the room to try the broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage from seed directly in the garden instead of from transplants. I need to get my garlic order in before it's too late as well. A lot will be happening in the garden this next week, but the results will take some time. It's just been too darn hot this summer. I'm glad last summer (June was mild) was my first real summer garden. If it was this year, I'd be discouraged. Besides the mad zucchini rush, however.

Good thing is that I picked a colander full of yellow pear tomatoes today and I'll get the joy of planning out a summer/fall garden at the same time! Another good thing is that all of your orders placed for Keychains for a Cause will go out tomorrow!! Thank you for placing those orders and being patient while we were gone.

The morning comes early. Sweet garden planning dreams.