Thanks everyone!
John, they found the teacher dead and her husband admitted to it.
VERY premeditated.
Marla, yes, it's a little fairy house, ceramic, handpainted.
The big mushroom I made in ceramics class, back when I needed a hobby when I was going through chemo.
It's 2 pieces, and the stem is filled with gravel for weight. The tops fits onto the stem and into 3 grooves so it is sturdy.
The top is a multicolor 'exploding' glaze that looks like marble after it explodes during firing.
I used to use it under my rain chain to disperse the water at the old house.
Thanks Karen...wont give up on the tree until it rots away.
The variegated plant is
Euphorbia characias 'Tasmanian Tiger', a gift from an AP forum friend.
Jerry, those are Sempervivums: Hens & Chicks. Also an Orostachys, same family of plants. All are very hardy here.
They are fine all winter, and evergreen, usually getting purple, red and bronze colors during the winter.
Thanks Jonna, I have one pot on each side of the front door.
LuAnn, I'm constantly up on the ridge looking down the entire length of the property.
Puts things at a different perspective and gives me more ideas.
We are at the 2nd most highest point in our town at 67' above sea level at the SE corner of our property.
Very unusual for LI which is notorious for being flat and easy to flood. We're above the 'Storm X' floodline.