At the end of this deck I got a nasty surprise a few days ago. In the middle of the night I heard the water turn on. At first I thought it was one of my micro-sprinkler units but after ten minutes, the duration they are set to go on for, and I didn't hear the water turn off I knew I had to go out and see what was going on. At 3:30 in the morning this had little appeal. But I got up from bed, took out a flashlight and made my way outside. When I stepped off the last step it was into a pool of water and water was gushing everywhere. It took me a while to figure out that it was coming from a hose. Somehow, someway, the faucet had been turned on full blast. It was an easy fix, I just turned it off. The mystery is how it got turned on.
When I did a Google search the next morning I found several explanations for this happening. The first raccoons. Yes, they can turn on faucets and I do have a raccoon family that frequents the garden. The second, water pressure can build up in an old faucet and cause it to twist itself on. Of course it could have been a ghost, but all of the ghosts here are far too nice to play such a trick.
I will be installing a new faucet, one that I hope will be pressure resistant, raccoon and ghost proof.
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And now to the pinks of late summer.
Pink is my favorite color in the garden but rare in the late summer when yellow seems to predominate. However I do have some pretty pink blooms I wanted to share with you. Above, some zinnias I started from seed, they stand up well to our hot summers.
Two Chinese Pagoda crepe myrtles, lovely, and so dependable, one in the front garden and one in the back garden bordering the pond.
And...
the dahlias, this one just started blooming this week. The flowers are very large and such a luscious shade of pink.
the dahlias, this one just started blooming this week. The flowers are very large and such a luscious shade of pink.
Lastly, with it's puffs of pink bloom the incredible gomphrena, Fire Works.
I have also added several new pink salvias this year but that is for another post.
Thank you for visiting.
Such pretty late summer pinks. Gulp!!! Hope your new faucet is raccoon, pressure and ghost proof. What a way to sake up in then idle of the night.
ReplyDeleteHappy new week!
Thank goodness you are a light sleeper!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I look for pinks in late summer. Geraniums, tuberous begonias and anemone are all dependable. I always enjoy the views of your garden.
Wow! I'm not sure I would have the nerve to check out a mystery at 3:30 in the morning. Well done! The garden is looking so pretty. I love pink in a late summer/fall garden too.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness that must have startled you at 3:30 am...with water conservation measures in place here I would have done exactly as you did...run out and turn it off. Our resident Raccoons here do many strange things too...your pinks flowers are looking lovely...your garden is delightful.
ReplyDeleteI had to read this to my husband and neither of us had heard that a faucet could turn itself on or that raccoons could do the trick either. Learn something new every day!
ReplyDeleteOh WOW! Adrienne, your garden blooms are GOR-juss! Your pink crepe myrtle and dahlias are such stand outs! Your garden is my dream garden! Except maybe, the haunted part :)
ReplyDeleteThat kind of wake up would have totally freaked me out, you brave girl you!!!
hugs...