“Autumn is the season to find contentment at home by paying attention to what we already have.” Melissa Michaels, The Inspired Room With so much strife and uncertainty in the world, it is easy to become focused on what is wrong, what we lack, or what we wish were different. Yet within our own homes and daily lives, there is often much to be thankful for. A warm place to rest, food in the pantry, something harvested from the garden, or simply the comfort of that familiar evening chair. These everyday blessings can become so ordinary that we hardly notice them. Yet when life becomes difficult, they can remind us how much we still have to be grateful for. Gratitude does not make our troubles disappear, nor does it mean overlooking the hardships others face. It simply helps us recognize the good that remains part of our lives. When we appreciate what we have, we may also become better stewards. We care for our belongings, make use of what is available, waste less, and find satisfaction in simple things. This month, I'd like us to spend a little time considering gratitude and how it shapes our everyday lives. One place where gratitude often comes to life is around the family table. Food brings together what we have grown, gathered, prepared, and learned from those before us. A familiar meal can carry memories of family, home, and traditions that have been passed from one generation to another. If we can, I would like to begin a monthly exchange of our favorite recipes. As time permits, let's share a favorite recipe that we enjoy preparing during each month. With members from many different places and backgrounds, I think it would be wonderful to learn each others traditions and possibly bring a few new traditions into our own kitchens. November brings the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, while other countries have their own harvest celebrations and seasonal traditions. And let's not forget that our friends in the Southern Hemisphere are enjoying spring rather than autumn. Although our seasons and celebrations may differ, gathering with family and friends around food gives us an opportunity to set aside our worries for a while and enjoy one another's company.

As the leaves are beginning to change colour, it's time to harvest bare rooted saplings. The first ones are sycamore, often considered a weed tree, it's a good medium sized fast growing Pioneer that will form a woodland in well under ten years. Easy firewood and chipping biomass that's suitable for coppice.

Today I've been accused of incitement of hate, because I said I was "anti vegan" and apparently I should have said I was a non-vegan. Although my reasoning was justified and l explained why vegans are not accepted in the community where I live and why they ecologically don't make sense, I am still being told I set a bad example within the organic/ syntropic / permaculture movement. It makes me want to be more anti vegan because people who say they don't exploit animals think they are always right. Not all rural communities can make a living from plant based crops and stopping hunting would lead to an imbalance, because there's an abundance of arable crops and pastures,and no major predators for deer and boar . They Don't even start thinking about processing of vegan food, based on soya, or almond milk. I'm I really a demon for being "anti" -Something.

It seems likely we will have some catastrophic event between February and 2030, after three days under the kitchen table with only the light and warmth of a candle ,with perhaps a pack of playing cards for entertainment, having eaten all the tins of cold beans, and filled the toilet bucket, we will emerge to a new world order. The army and high rank civil servants are planning to stay in their bunkers for 90 days, so we will be on our own. If you're trapped in a prison, mental institution or hospital, or any area of high population density, the chances are not good. If you were trapped travelling out of urban areas you'll already be toast. I think this may be a planned population reset , like the first two world wars or COVID. World social engineering on this scale , comes from where, and who are these influencers and puppeteers? Sometimes it's enough to suggest a event will occur, to instigate a reaction, or change in public opinion. Especially if we were told to prepare and nothing happened. Believe it , or not, change is in the wind!

Establishing trees by direct sowing seeds, pips, nuts and stones is a cheap and low risk way of making a forest garden. Sow a group of various seeds and after a couple of years remove/transplant all, but the strongest or most preferred. Here I've planted 150 nests of freshly collected, chestnut, horse chestnut, acorns, walnut, and black walnut.