"Fall seven times, rise eight." - Japanese Proverb

Things are finally slowing down with the harvest enough that I'm able to catch my breath and do a little reading. I picked up the book, "Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life".

It's another perspective on the Blue Zone longevity, and a pretty easy read. I like the examples and personal stories of mindset and behavior changes that improve resilience.

I don't know about you, but when I was younger, I felt like I could take on the world. Nowadays, it's good to have reminders to help keep me motivated, lest I let myself get caught up in the setbacks instead of the progress.

I wanted to share with you the ten "rules of ikigai" featured in the book, one each week. Then, I want you to think about how you can use that rule in your daily life. Hopefully at the end of 10 weeks, we'll all have a little more inspiration as we head into the darker days of winter.

Rule #1: Stay Active, don't retire.

I found it interesting that there is no word in Japanese directly equivalent to the American word "retire", as in "leaving the workforce for good". Wherever you are in your life's journey, it's important to stay active, and do things that add value to your life and the lives of others.

Whether it's "work" work, volunteer work, or personal tasks, having something to look forward to each day engages the mind and the spirit.

Think about which things you enjoy doing most, and how you can keep doing them now and in the future. If you can share what you love with others, that's even better.

Visit Common Sense Home chat on Telegram to share your progress at https://t.me/commonsensehomechat​

I'd love to hear about your projects and progress.

Helping you create resilience and abundance,

Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan)

This week's featured articles...

Harvest season is wrapping up in many areas, and there are some great deals to be found on bulk produce from market gardeners as they clear the gardens.

Even though we had fewer plants this year, our tomatoes are still producing nicely, and we're preserving a batch or two of something each week.

I've updated our article on canning tomatoes to include both water bath and pressure canning, plus an explanation about why some common canning practices can cause trouble.

I also freshened up the homemade spaghetti sauce recipe with some new photos. I think they turned out nice. :-)

We're visiting another wild plant this week - velvetleaf. You may be able to spot the big leaves and distinctive seed pods on field edges and roadsides. The seeds are edible, and the plant has a long history of use in other cultures. In the US, it's become a nuisance in cultivated fields, so I've included some tips for eliminating it, too.

We are officially into autumn, and the local orchards are filled with apples. This simple fried apple recipe is easy to make and uses no refined sugar. It's perfect as a light dessert, and makes a great topping for pancakes or waffles. I love the smell of apples and cinnamon cooking on the stove top.

One of our reader favorites, the Five BEST Herbs Workshop, will be available again soon! You can register to attend for free here. Even if you can't make it live, there will be a replay available, so make sure to register so you don't miss out.