On a cool autumn morning, Rusty the fox cub decides to turn over a new leaf, and under one giant golden leaf near Old Elm, he finds a small surprise.
All week, Rusty had forgotten his morning chores and slept in late, curled up by the bakery's warm oven. On Sunday, he woke before the sun was even over the hills and made himself a quiet promise: today would be different.
He walked to the edge of the clearing, where one huge golden maple leaf lay bigger than all the others nearby. Using both paws, Rusty carefully turned it over to clear the path.
Underneath, tiny green sprouts were pushing up through the soft, dark dirt. "Well, look at that," said Owl, watching kindly from a branch above. "That is exactly what people mean by turning over a new leaf. It means starting fresh, and trying to do better."
Rusty grinned and decided this would be his new morning habit: turn over one leaf, look for small new things growing underneath, and start the day with a kind heart. Owl gave a slow, approving nod, and the forest felt bright and new.
This story is fiction.
A wildlife center in the United States is asking people to help name a baby red panda. The female cub was born on June 11, 2026, at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, near the town of Front Royal, Virginia. Her parents are Keahi, age 3, and Rocket, age 7.
Two more red panda cubs, a brother and a sister, were born in May to a different pair of pandas at the same center. Keepers say the June cub is bold and a little mischievous, often more active than her brother and sister.
Workers at the center chose three possible names for the public to vote on: Dolly, Pyra, and Dolpa. Dolly comes from a famous singer's name. Pyra means "heat" in Greek. Dolpa is a wild area in Nepal where red pandas live in the mountains.
Source: NBC4 Washington
Sunday is mostly sunny across Japan, with some cloud arriving later in Sapporo, Osaka, and Fukuoka.
Light clothes should feel comfortable in the warm afternoon sun. In Sapporo, a thin jacket is a good idea for the cool morning.
Forecast by: Japan Meteorological Agency, forecast issued October 17, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
On this day, by Japan's modern calendar, the government issued an order about collecting numbers on farm and ocean products from each region. Japan later chose October 18 as "Statistics Day," a day to help people understand why counting and measuring carefully is useful.
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Japan)
On this day, hula hoops went on sale in Japanese department stores for the first time. In about one month, stores sold roughly 800,000 of the colorful plastic hoops. Children and adults both loved spinning them around their waists, and a citywide craze quickly began.
Source: Zatsuneta
On this day, a group of radio companies in the United Kingdom founded the British Broadcasting Company. It later grew into the BBC, now one of the world's most famous broadcasters. Today, it still sends news, music, and stories to listeners everywhere.
Source: Wikipedia
Horoscopes are just for fun. Signs are listed by today's luck.
Overall This is your best day this week, so enjoy every happy moment.
Money A lucky bit of good news brightens your money today.
Love Warm laughter fills your home with family or close friends today.
Lucky color Pearl white
Lucky item A seashell charm
Overall A lucky, smooth day brings a pleasant surprise you did not expect.
Money A good deal today makes your money stretch a little further.
Love A kind friend shares something that makes you both smile today.
Lucky color Lavender
Lucky item A small mirror
Overall A busy, cheerful day helps you finish several small tasks with ease.
Money A fair trade today leaves you feeling good about a small purchase.
Love A playful joke with a friend turns into a fun shared memory.
Lucky color Coral
Lucky item A striped scarf
Overall Careful, steady work today leads to a result you are proud of.
Money A patient plan today helps your savings grow a little.
Love A thoughtful gift, even a small one, means a lot today.
Lucky color Chestnut brown
Lucky item A leather bookmark
Overall A steady, confident day helps you handle a tricky task well.
Money A small, smart choice keeps your spending nicely balanced today.
Love Kind words from someone you admire make your day brighter.
Lucky color Sunflower yellow
Lucky item A bright hair clip
Overall A new idea excites you today, so write it down quickly.
Money Think twice before buying something shiny and new this afternoon.
Love An honest talk brings you closer to someone you trust.
Lucky color Turquoise
Lucky item A travel journal
Overall A calm, ordinary day lets you catch up on small, overdue tasks.
Money Check your plans twice before spending on something new today.
Love A gentle hug from family warms your heart this evening.
Lucky color Sage green
Lucky item A wooden spoon
Overall A quiet, ordinary day is perfect for finishing small chores today.
Money A simple budget today helps you avoid an unplanned expense.
Love A short call to a friend feels better than texting today.
Lucky color Sky blue
Lucky item A small compass
Overall Today feels a bit slow, so take small steps and be patient.
Money Wait before buying something that is not truly needed yet.
Love A calm chat with a sibling helps you both feel understood.
Lucky color Stone gray
Lucky item A neat notebook
Overall Today moves a little slowly, so rest and save your energy.
Money Hold off on spending, and enjoy something you already own instead.
Love A quiet message to an old friend brings a happy reply.
Lucky color Dove gray
Lucky item A soft pillow
Overall Today drifts by slowly, so rest well and dream a little.
Money Avoid big spending today, and save for something special later.
Love A soft song or story brings comfort to your evening today.
Lucky color Seafoam green
Lucky item A cozy blanket
Overall Today may feel very slow, so be extra gentle with yourself.
Money A small treat is enough to make today feel special.
Love Listen closely today, and a quiet friend may open up to you.
Lucky color Deep plum
Lucky item A warm shawl
We use be going to + the base verb to talk about plans and decisions we made before we started speaking.
B. "Going to" shows a plan you already decided before speaking.
Answer: B. "Going to" shows a plan you already decided before speaking.
Sunday morning arrived clear and warm, with not one cloud over the garden. "Perfect futon weather," Linda announced, already pulling open the closet doors.
"Futon weather?" Lyn asked, still holding her tea.
"Sunshine like this is rare in autumn," Linda said. "We should air out the guest futon today, before the cold weather comes."
Together they carried the thick folded futon out to the garden and draped it over a low wooden rack. Star trotted back and forth beside them, sniffing at the fabric with great interest.
"No digging, Star," Lyn warned, laughing, as the dog gave the futon one hopeful paw-pat before sitting down to guard it instead.
By midmorning, the futon had turned warm and faintly sweet, smelling of sunshine. Lyn pressed her palm against it. "It already feels cozier," she said.
Linda beat the futon gently with a long wooden paddle, sending up a small cloud of dust that caught the light. "Better out here than on John's first night," she said, smiling.
Pinkysan watched the whole process from a safe distance, perched on the veranda railing, tail flicking at every thump of the paddle.
"She doesn't trust that paddle one bit," Lyn said.
"Smart cat," Linda replied.
When the futon was finally folded and carried back inside, Linda crossed it off her list with a satisfied little check mark. "Guest futon, done," she read aloud. "Next: extra blankets."
"One thing at a time," Lyn said, though she was smiling just as wide as Linda. "We really do have weeks, you know."
"I know," Linda said. "But doesn't it feel good to be ready early?"
That afternoon, the two of them sat on the sun-warmed veranda, Star stretched out at their feet and Pinkysan curled in a patch of light nearby. The persimmon tree outside glowed a deeper orange than ever, and somewhere beyond it, autumn kept quietly turning the pages of the calendar toward November.
(To be continued)