The cold front passed through bringing a few 28 degree nights and 49 degree days.  The outer bands of hurricane Sandy blew fall decorations off the porch and brought down large dead oak branches.  After what she did to the entire eastern area, we have no complaints.  Families and friends in the east made it through without power loss or flooding.  Our comfortable sunny fall days returned with a temperature of 76 yesterday.  Cliff and I pulled weeds, limp frost-bitten morning glories and pepper plants still full of peppers, which I picked and will chop and freeze.  He wanted to till the clay once before the cold winter hardens the ground but had to maneuver around still existing broccoli, rosemary, and parsley, which will probably make it through the winter.  There are still another three stately oaks that I think need to come down on the south end of the garden that will give it the needed 6-8 hours of sun.  Taking the trees to the ground has been difficult for me.  I was surprised by the emotions that came over me when I first heard the crunching and crushing of breaking trees and the dense thud that shook the earth under my feet.  Living in Cherokee County amid the forests flourishing with wild turkey, deer, small black bear and varieties of birds makes one reflect on the Native American reverence for earth and nature. These trees will bring warmth to our home and the plowed earth will provide food for family and friends. 

I'm getting sappy in my retirement!!!  I really do love western NC.