Good morning! Happy Saturday. Made it to the last weekend of October 🎃

Let’s be honest, it’s essentially November. Tuesday is. If I had to choose I much prefer the way the woods looks with the leaves off the trees.

Cold start to the morning in the twenties but warming up fast. Sunny and already 45 degrees at the Rensselaerville State Forest. 🌞 Calm wind.

Chilly this morning, used the heater but also cold tonight. Temperatures will drop below freezing at tonight around 1 am. ☃️ But it is almost November and today is beautiful so no complaints.

I had planned to head out of town for the weekend ⛺ but I felt so sick on Friday morning 🤮 but by afternoon was feeling better and already had things packed. Last weekend until March with Daylight Savings Time so figured best to make the most of the additional time ⌚ in the evening. Plus it’s mild, sunny and not too breezy though it was down in the twenties by morning.

Out walking today 🚶 stopping to observe nature 🐦 🦃 🦌 and reply to too many work emails 📧. I have to say it’s been a working trip. Hardly just a vacation. But I’m getting good at reviewing Google Docs from my phone and my current phone has a long battery 🔋 life.

Big fire 🔥 last night 🌃, though I retired to bed 🛏 by around 9 o’clock. Going forward I’m going to start cleaning and separating out the recyclable plastics ♻ as I shift towards more of a winter mode of living with fewer trips. I don’t care they burn fine but urban recycling is good too that is when it’s not a scam. That said, when own my homestead I doubt I’ll recycle much off the farm except maybe metals. The rest will be fed, composted or burnt. 🐽 Real recycling is about making less garbage by buying less crap and making the most of what you and your land has. 🚜

I really do love these clear days 🍂 once the leaves are off the trees. Something about how clear the woods is without leaves on the trees, the long November shadows. Knowing that winter is coming ❄ but there is something wonderful as nature prepares for the time ahead.