“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.

Last time we looked at a compost pile as a living community rather than simply a heap of material breaking down, but it is important to note that not every member of that community is doing the same job. Some organisms work directly on the organic material itself. Bacteria and fungi are important primary decomposers at different successions although their relative activity can change as conditions and available food change within the pile. Each use compounds in leaves, grass, kitchen scraps, stems, manure, and other organic materials as food and energy although many times in different ways. Actinomycetes also contribute to decomposition. Despite the name, they are actually filament-forming bacteria. They are often associated with breaking down some of the tougher materials that remain as decomposition continues. But decomposition is not only about organisms processing dead plant material. There are other members of the community that interact with the organisms doing that work. Protozoa and some nematodes graze on microorganisms. Arthropods can shred and fragment larger pieces of material. By making pieces smaller, they can expose more surface for microorganisms to work on. Worms, when conditions suit them, consume decomposing organic material along with the microorganisms living on and around it. As they move through the material, they also help mix and change the habitat. These roles are not perfectly separated. An organism may influence the pile in more than one way, and several kinds of organisms may be active at the same time. That is why I think it is more useful to picture compost as a working community than as a list of individual creatures. Some members are breaking materials down chemically, while others are grazing or shredding larger pieces. Some creatures simply move and mix the material. Each of those activities can change the habitat for someone else. The important principle is that the decomposer community works through different but overlapping roles. This also helps explain why seeing one organism does not tell us everything happening in the pile. Finding worms may tell us that the conditions where they are living are suitable for them, but it does not mean worms are doing all the decomposition. Seeing fungal growth as a pile cools or cures does not mean bacteria are absent. Each can remain part of the community balancing each other even as their relative activity changes.

Hello Oasis Builders! I grow scented and medicinal plants for the purpose of distilling into hydrosols. I lost my Rose Geranium plants last year (Pelargonium graveolens) and would like to purchase more asap. Does anyone have an online, organic herbal, scented, medicinal plant supplier?

https://www.skool.com/oasis-builders-8012/classroom/f85f59fa?md=0819ba92b33e4ccda7928568939c2291 I'll be doing a presentation today if interested going through commercial food and the logistics behind how it makes it to the grocery store; giving some food for thought; why we should grow at home or question where did this food come from. Healthy Soil => a Healthy Life Today @ 1pm - 2pm Chicago time Note workshop time: We start at :15 AFTER THE HOUR and run for 55 minutes. Learn how living soil affects plant health, food quality, nutrient density, harvest timing, chemically treated seed, and the gap between field and plate. Jim focuses on soil as the start to a good life. https://www.skool.com/the-art-of-energy-and-strength/about?ref=ddad3ade077a450b800da620ad9499aa

With spring approaching, how do we determine the best time to get seeds going?