Thirteen years ago on this date, I walked out of my fifth-grade classroom, turned the key to lock the door for the last time, and walked away with mixed emotions.  Twenty-two years of doing what I never thought I would do.  Teaching children and watching them transform was enriching.  As I walked away knowing that I would miss the children, I kicked up my heels and thought about never getting up with the five o'clock alarm or doing lessons plans again!  The next morning Cliff scooped up Maxine and put her in the front seat of the U-Haul.  I drove behind him for the next nine hours until we arrived at 79 Clay Durrett Rd in Murphy, NC, my sanctuary with nature's wild life and mighty oaks. Where did the time go?! 

Started collard greens a few weeks ago at the dining room window. Since the huge oak tree finally shed its leaves, the plants get full sun.  Today I'll transplant them out in the kitchen garden and in the containers. 

Earlier this fall I pulled all the old plastic off the kitchen garden so we could modify the way we put new plastic back on. Cliff stapled garden fencing across the top to keep the plastic from drooping in when is snows or rains.  I punched multiple hole in the top to allow rain on the soil.  Then we secured the plastic along the back and top but left the sides and front free to pull back for sunny days.  When the forecast is for thirty-five and below, I drop the plastic and secure the flaps with clips.  The wire support works nicely.  Since this picture I had to cut back the large sage and the lemon balm and hang them to dry for winter use, which also made room for mustard greens that I started indoors.

   I have seven kale plants in various places including the big garden,  I don't cover them unless its suppose to drop to twenties.

And it poured again all last night giving us about two inches in the past two days.  Rumor has it I'm suppose to see clearing later today and the clouds should be sharing the sky with the sun.  

Nobody texted me at five o'clock this morning.  The full moon pulled me awake at one o'clock and it took over an hour to fall back to sleep.  Cliff was disturbed off and on through his sleep by the moon and the neighbor's "circus lights" as he calls it that were glaring through the triangle windows at the top of the peaked ceiling.  We can't figure out why people move from the city to the peacefully serene forest then leave outside lights on all night. 

I bought new luggage for our trip to Florida for Christmas with John and Mark.  The old piece was shedding its lining all over the hotel bed and on my clothes.  It was pretty old..................kind of like people.  We started shedding hair and looking weary.