Tomatoes aren't supposed to look like that

sideways tomato plants

I was feeling overwhelmed when I went out to work in the garden this morning.  It was like a jungle after our week-long absence and I had much to do.  Tomato blight had taken a strong hold on my plants since it's been so wet and the plants never get a chance to dry off.  My first task was the clear out the blighted foliage and get the tomatoes in order.  They were laden with leaves and fruit and weighing heavy on their cages.  I cut and tied up branches for hours when the sky turned dark.  I felt the first drizzles and thought: It's okay, I only have two more plants to do.  I can handle a little rain.  But then all the sudden the sky dropped about ten shades darker, the winds picked up, thunder rumbled loud and the clouds broke loose with sheets of pounding rain.  I ran for cover in the lean-to and watched the rain and winds destroy all my hard work...

As I stood there helpless, the tomatoes fell over; corn stalks broke; huge sunflowers leaned and creaked, breaking off in places; branches broke off my pepper plants; cucumber leaves tore into shreds.  How disheartening.

Tomorrow I'll see what I can do to set things right again.