Marty Long has finished the sculpture and the scaffolding has gone home with him. When it’s not so blustery out, I will show you what it looks like. But right now it’s just rainy and windy.

A friend of ours gave us the little memorial stone you see in the photo in memory of our beloved dog whom we lost this summer. It is now nestled safely at the feet of mama oak the carving.

Yesterday I actually planted the last three shrubs for the year. A beautiful red witch hazel, and two native deciduous azaleas. now my gardening, spades and shovels aren’t put away until spring. Well, maybe not spring because I do buy ittle live Christmas trees is outside decorations and then I plant them after Christmas.

A friend of mine posted the following today on her social media pages and I think it’s a perfect thought for November:

November comes
And November goes
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.

~ Elizabeth Coatsworth (1893 – 1986)