Weather Update from October 27th:

So, despite the magical Autumn feeling high winds can create, they also can create some serious damage. On October 27th, the winds whipped through the Los Angeles area at top speed!! It started at about 3pm and then escalated through the night. At one point (about 8pm), I was afraid our sliding glass door was going to be blown inward. Needless to say, I was heavily concerned about my garden the whole time and could not wait to get over there the next day, to check on what had happened.

When arriving at the garden on Wednesday Morning, October 28th, I instantly saw my trellis nearest the entrance, had fallen onto the stalks, fox glove and snap dragons on the other side. Initially, from the looks of things, I thought their was a lot of major damage. However, after removing the trellis and debris, I assessed the damage clearly and found things were not as horrible as I had anticipated.

The casualties were mainly snap dragon flowers and the fox glove. The fox glove in particular took the worst beating from the trellis. It was smashed pretty intensely and several flowers were crushed. I only lost about 3 stalks at the front though. And, all of my seedlings, even around the fallen trellis, were fine! Thank goodness.

I think the most disturbing part, after the flower damage, was the amount of trash and cigarette butts that had flown into my beds from the VW mechanics smoking on the street in front of my garden. City gardening. What can I say? You only have so much control when your in a community setting and then, add the fact that my garden beds are literally flush up against the street. This definitely equals the need for a lot of letting go.

And yet again, like in my first day of planting my winter garden writings, I am reminded that we only have so much control over our circumstances. Sure, we can research, plan and plot all we'd like about our pregnancies and gardens, but in the end, mother nature prevails. Her power greater than any mortal. I am left humbled and my garden is left to restore itself over time.