NOVEMBER

November 1st RAKING LEAVES
Typical of November, the chilly and damp weather has arrived. We have been lately in the habit of lighting up the woodstove in the morning for a couple of hours to warm up the house, but it seems a waste of wood to keep it going all day long if there's work to do outside. We can always find a little something more to do in the garden. Today Pete turned under the two patches of clover that we had planted as a "green manure" this past August after harvesting the peas, beans and early lettuce.

Meanwhile, I went into the woods and raked several wheelbarrow loads of leaves from under the hardwoods to spread over the garden. I went back for a few more loads to layer onto the compost pile. So while many people are busy raking their leaves in an effort to get rid of them, here we are making untold trips into the woods harvesting them. Either way, it's invigorating exercise and a good way to keep warm out of doors this time of year.

November 2nd ART AND MUSIC
When there is work to be done, whether it's gardening, woodcutting or some other maintenance chore, Pete and I always do it together. But when it comes to art and music we ply our trades alone.

Hence today, it being damp and drizzly again, I elected to stay indoors with a lingering fire in the woodstove and work on notecards to take to the local consignment shops for their upcoming holiday season. These I sketch from drawings which I have done earlier in the year in my notebook. Tiny pine trees, sprigs of wintergreen, blue asters, and partridge berry all fit nicely on the miniature gift cards that the stores have ordered.

Pete spent the day indoors too, in the Hodge Podge Lodge - a small outbuilding he's set up as a studio - writing and recording a new song.

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