Oh yeah - we have a garden. And you need an update.
We had friends water Englewood Estates while we were in Michigan and Oklahoma. And they did a fantastic job. But those few weeks were the cruel crux of a strong summer (the kind that follows a totally weaksauce winter). (Alliteration!) And the garden totally suffered. Everyone's did, I think - and I'm only slightly ashamed to say that whenever we would pass by someone else's crippled garden in the weeks following, we would point it out to each other, if only to make ourselves feel better about the garden we had failed to protect against the elements.
Neighborhood fauna continue to poach ripening produce at will. The most painful theft so far has been a softball-sized eggplant. I thought it's dark purple color and giant leaves would camouflage it - but no.
The summer squash are gone. The garlic, too. The tomato plants became thin and too tall to support themselves. I recently cut all of them down (from about 6' tall) to about 1' tall. After a week or two of overcast skies and frequent summer storms, they've begun to regrow and blossom at a promising rate.
The potted herbs and flowers on my front porch, however, are thriving. I think in the spring, getting enough sun is the big issue in our yard. But now - I think everything is getting too much sun. Or rather - too much heat. And the overhang of the porch protects it's inhabitants from the worst of it.
The rosemary continues, ever so slowly, to grow and bush out. The spearmint plants that took forever to sprout have come into their own, and will probably take over the entire yard next year. And there is, to say the least, enough basil to go around.
All of that being said: I still love it. And I still can't wait for next spring, when I can put what I've learned so far into action. I'm considering a fall crop as well - salad greens, maybe radishes, or beets (again). Micah is thinking of doing another round of bush beans - they do well in our yard, and in a short amount of time. We'll see.