Ruby the robin and her friends sang a goodbye song to the forest before flying south for the winter.
On a cool evening, Ruby the robin stood on a bare branch with ten small birds beside her. Word had spread through the forest quickly, and soon many animals had gathered below to listen.
"Winter is almost here," Ruby said softly. "My friends and I must fly south, where the days stay warm." Pip the hedgehog looked down sadly, but Owl rested a wing on his shoulder. "Don't be sad," Owl said. "They always come back in the spring."
Ruby lifted her head and began to sing. One by one, the other birds joined in, and their voices made one soft, sweet song that floated over Mossy Hill. Clover the rabbit's eyes grew a little wet, but she was smiling too.
"We will think of you every day," Ruby sang. "And in spring, we will fly home again." The animals below waved their paws and called out, "Safe travels! See you in spring!"
As the sun went down, the birds rose into the sky together, flying in a long, graceful line toward the warm south. The forest grew quiet, but every animal smiled, already counting the days until spring.
This story is fiction.
A huge new ferry called the China Zorrilla started carrying passengers on October 26, 2026. It is the largest electric ferry in the world. The ship sails between Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Colonia, Uruguay, crossing the wide Rio de la Plata river.
The China Zorrilla is 130 meters long, about as long as one and a half soccer fields. It can carry up to 2,100 passengers and 225 cars at the same time. Instead of using oil or gas, the ferry runs only on battery power.
The ship's batteries weigh more than 250 tonnes and store over 40 megawatt-hours of energy, the biggest battery system ever put on a ship. Eight electric water jets push the ferry through the water, and it makes no exhaust smoke at all.
The ferry was built by an Australian company and is run by Buquebus, a South American ferry operator. Engineers say the China Zorrilla shows that even very large ships can run cleanly on electricity, not only small boats.
Source: electrive.com, "World's largest electric ship enters commercial operation", CleanTechnica, "World's Largest Electric Ferry Enters Service In Buenos Aires"
Rain moves across much of Japan on Thursday, with Sapporo staying dry until later and Osaka seeing clouds on and off.
Carry an umbrella almost everywhere today, especially in Sapporo and Fukuoka. A light jacket is expected to be enough in the daytime.
Forecast by: Japan Meteorological Agency, forecast issued November 4, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
In Japan, November 5 is called "Good Match Day," or Goen no Hi. A tourism group in Shimane Prefecture created the day because "ii go-en" sounds like the numbers 11 and 5. Izumo, in Shimane, is known as a special place for good luck in friendship and love, so people chose this date to celebrate happy connections between people.
Source: Shimane Prefecture Mythology & Matchmaking Tourism Association
November 5 is also "Good Egg Day" in Japan. Egg industry groups across the country chose this date in 2010 because "ii tamago" (good egg) sounds like the numbers 11 and 5. On this day, these groups share fun facts about eggs and remind people how healthy and useful eggs can be.
Source: Agriculture & Livestock Industries Corporation, "いいたまごの日"
On November 5, 1935, the Parker Brothers company began selling a new board game called Monopoly in the United States. Players use fake money to buy streets and buildings, then try to become the richest player. By that Christmas, people had already bought about 250,000 copies, and the game soon became one of the most popular in the world.
Horoscopes are just for fun. Signs are listed by today's luck.
Overall Your luckiest day this week! A nice surprise may find you.
Money A small gift or treat could come your way today.
Love A kind word from a friend makes your whole day brighter.
Lucky color Sunny Yellow
Lucky item a feather
Overall A lucky day. New plans move forward more smoothly than expected.
Money A good chance to save a little extra comes your way.
Love Someone close is thinking of you more than you know.
Lucky color Deep Crimson
Lucky item a warm scarf
Overall A bright, busy Thursday. Good ideas come to you quickly today.
Money A small, smart choice today saves you money later this month.
Love Someone close enjoys hearing about your day in small details.
Lucky color Bright Orange
Lucky item a small notebook
Overall An interesting day with small, pleasant surprises along the way.
Money A small lucky find with money may brighten your afternoon.
Love Family time feels warm and easy this evening.
Lucky color Deep Plum
Lucky item a bright ribbon
Overall A good day to try something a little new, even something small.
Money A clever idea today could help your savings later on.
Love An old friend may send you a message that makes you smile.
Lucky color Golden Amber
Lucky item a bright scarf
Overall A balanced Thursday. Work and rest fit together nicely today.
Money Spend only on things you truly need, and stay steady.
Love A calm, honest talk brings you closer to someone dear.
Lucky color Deep Teal
Lucky item a small lantern
Overall A steady Thursday. Small, careful steps take you far today.
Money Keep an eye on small costs, and your budget stays healthy.
Love A short, kind message can brighten someone's whole day.
Lucky color Soft Amber
Lucky item a wooden pencil
Overall A calm, ordinary day. Your steady pace works well for you.
Money Keep your spending simple today, and your plans stay on track.
Love A quiet moment with family feels more special than usual.
Lucky color Soft Moss Green
Lucky item a warm mug
Overall A plain, ordinary day. Your usual routine goes just fine.
Money Nothing big happens with money today. Simple saving suits you.
Love A calm, honest word brings you closer to a friend.
Lucky color Sea Green
Lucky item a smooth shell
Overall A quiet, dreamy Thursday. Keep your feet on the ground too.
Money Watch your small costs today, and your luck stays steady.
Love A gentle smile means more to someone than you know.
Lucky color Deep Gold
Lucky item a paper crane
Overall A slow day. Rest a little more, and tomorrow feels easier.
Money Hold off on buying anything big until later this week.
Love Quiet time alone helps you feel calm and ready for others.
Lucky color Pale Blue
Lucky item a soft blanket
Overall Things move slowly today. Be gentle and patient with yourself.
Money Keep your plans small today; a better day comes soon.
Love Give extra patience to others, and the evening feels easier.
Lucky color Misty Gray
Lucky item a soft cushion
We use words like bigger, more, and less to compare two things.
This hat is warmer than that one.
Answer: This hat is warmer than that one.
Thursday morning brought a thin layer of mist over the garden, and Lyn noticed the chrysanthemum had grown another leaf overnight — seven now, round and bright green against the cool air.
"Seven leaves," she told Star, who wagged her tail as if she understood completely. Pinkysan watched from the porch railing, her tail curled neatly around her paws.
At the hotel, the morning was busy with a tour group asking about the best spots for autumn leaves. Lyn suggested Nara Park and the temple grounds nearby, and the guests thanked her with a small nod before hurrying off toward the bus stop.
During her lunch break, Lyn thought about John's visit — only eight days away now — and wondered what to cook for his first evening back. By the time she walked home, a plan was already forming in her mind.
Linda was in the kitchen, flipping through an old recipe notebook. "I was thinking of the chestnut rice again," she said, "and maybe the persimmon cake, since John likes it so much."
"Perfect," Lyn said, hanging up her coat. "What about a small gift? Something simple, just to say welcome back."
Linda tapped her chin. "Maybe something from the autumn market. A small basket of mikan, or some dried persimmons."
Star, hearing talk of food, trotted between them hopefully, and Pinkysan jumped onto the table to sniff at the open notebook, earning a gentle "Pinkysan, no" from Linda.
Over dinner, the two women kept adding ideas: rice with chestnuts, a clear soup, small dishes of pickled vegetables from the garden. Lyn wrote everything down on a scrap of paper, underlining the chestnut rice twice.
"We should check the leaves at Nara Park soon," Lyn said. "If they're still bright by Saturday, we could walk there this weekend and see how things look before John comes."
Linda nodded, pleased with the idea. "Good. Then we'll know exactly what to tell him when he arrives."
As the evening cooled, Star curled up by the stove, and Pinkysan took her usual spot on the windowsill, watching the dark street outside. The chrysanthemum's seven leaves sat quietly in the garden, one small sign of how close November 13 had become.
(To be continued)