Where Did September Go?

Romie and me, at the top of Clingman's Dome

September has been a busy month! That means it has simply flown right by without as many blog posts from me as usual. There was the Garden Writers Association Annual Symposium in Dallas that took up one week and we just returned last evening from a family vacation in The Great Smoky Mountains, after spending a week there.

View from Observation Deck at Clingman's Dome

Both weeks were incredible, though I'm beginning to get a little travel weary. This year has been one for the books, as far as travel is concerned! I can now say that no more trips are being planned for the rest of the year. (Planned, I said.)

I've got some catching up to do, as far as this blog is concerned, and I intend to get right at it.  I've got so many photos to share from Dallas, as well as from the Smokies trip. And...there is something else exciting going on here at Our Little Acre!

My dad and husband are in the process of constructing a conservatory that will be attached to the south side of our pool house. After thinking they'd hit solid rock at 30 inches when digging holes for the foundation, they discovered it was merely our wonderful clay, extremely dried out from the drought. They persevered and eventually made it down 36 inches, with the help of Jim Snyder and his power equipment!

The conservatory will be 10' by 12' when completed.

The drought has taken a toll on the garden as well, especially after an entire week without any supplemental watering from me. It will prove to be interesting, I think, when next spring gets here and we find out which plants have the wherewithall to survive winter after a summer like this one.

We came home to a very definite change in the weather, with it being much cooler and FINALLY, we got some rain today. No great amount - just a steady drizzle most of the afternoon and evening.  Hopefully, it will continue into tomorrow so that I won't have to do so much watering. Even the cats aren't bothered anymore by the water from the hose when I drag it around and use it; they're used to me having it in my hands and know I won't spray them.

We've noticed a slight change in the color of the leaves, but we don't expect the color to be very good this fall, due to the dry weather. Many of the trees have lost their leaves because of it and many of them have leaves that simply turned more brown than red or yellow.

In spite of it all, the garden lives on and I'm amazed at what has done well. This isn't the first dry summer we've ever had and I doubt it will be the last, so I will take note and love those plants that have hung in there!