On a quiet morning, soft white snow fell over Enchanted Forest for the very first time this year.
Pip the hedgehog woke up before sunrise and felt a strange hush outside his burrow. When he pushed open the door, he saw something he had never seen before: tiny white flakes falling softly from the gray sky.
He called for his friends, and soon Clover the rabbit and Thistle the mouse came running. The three animals stood together near the old tree roots, watching the snow land gently on the red and orange leaves around them.
Clover took a careful step and left a small round print in the thin snow. Thistle's tiny paws made tiny dots beside it. "Look, we are drawing pictures on the ground!" Thistle said happily, hopping from spot to spot.
Owl flew down from a branch and smiled at the three friends. "When the air gets cold enough, rain turns into snow," Owl explained. "This is the forest's way of telling us that winter has truly arrived."
Pip caught a snowflake on his nose and laughed. Clover said they should run and tell Rusty and the others right away. The three friends walked back through the forest, leaving a trail of small footprints in the new snow.
This story is fiction.
On October 29, 2026, the United Nations said that people around the world are restoring nature faster than ever before. Workers and volunteers in 149 countries are now bringing back forests, grasslands, and other wild places. Together, this land is about as big as the whole country of Kazakhstan, one of the largest countries on Earth.
This work has also created more than one million new jobs for people who plant trees, grow native plants, and care for animals. In Kazakhstan, one wild animal called the saiga antelope almost disappeared many years ago. Thanks to years of careful protection, there are now almost four million saiga living wild again.
The United Nations called this the largest effort to bring back nature that has ever been recorded. Still, officials say the world must work even faster in the next few years to reach its big goal for the year 2030.
Source: phys.org (from a UN Environment Programme report), The Astana Times
Snow is expected in Sapporo today, while rain moves through Osaka and Fukuoka before clearing later.
Wear a warm coat if you are in Sapporo, and carry an umbrella in Osaka or Fukuoka this morning.
Forecast by: Japan Meteorological Agency, forecast issued November 9, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
On this day in 1890, Japan's first electric elevator began carrying people inside the Ryounkaku tower in Asakusa, Tokyo. The twelve-story tower was the tallest building in Japan at the time, and the elevator could lift about fifteen to twenty people at once. In 1979, Japan's elevator industry chose this date to celebrate elevators every year.
On this day in 1969, the children's show Sesame Street first appeared on American television. It used puppets, songs, and funny characters to teach young children letters and numbers. The show became hugely popular, and new episodes are still made and watched by children in many countries today.
Source: UPI
Since 2001, the United Nations has marked November 10 as World Science Day for Peace and Development. Schools, museums, and scientists around the world hold special events on this day. The goal is to show how science can help solve problems and build a better, more peaceful future for everyone.
Source: UN-SPIDER (UNOOSA)
Horoscopes are just for fun. Signs are listed by today's luck.
Overall Today brings good balance, and your plans should go smoothly.
Money A fair deal or a small gift may come your way.
Love A gentle conversation will bring you closer to someone special.
Lucky color sky blue
Lucky item a pair of soft gloves
Overall A happy feeling will follow you through most of the day.
Money A small bit of luck may help your money today.
Love Someone will enjoy a kind surprise from you today.
Lucky color sea green
Lucky item a soft pair of mittens
Overall People will want to hear your opinion, so speak with confidence.
Money A plan you made earlier may finally start to pay off.
Love Your warmth will draw someone closer to you today.
Lucky color gold
Lucky item a bright mug
Overall Your ideas will flow easily, so write them down before you forget.
Money A small bit of extra money may come your way today.
Love A short message to an old friend will bring a happy reply.
Lucky color silver
Lucky item a small notebook
Overall Steady effort today will lead to a nice result by evening.
Money A careful choice now will help you later this month.
Love Small, kind actions will mean more than big words today.
Lucky color charcoal gray
Lucky item a warm pair of socks
Overall A small surprise in the morning will make your whole day feel brighter.
Money Think twice before buying something you do not really need today.
Love A kind word to a friend will warm up a cold day.
Lucky color orange
Lucky item a warm scarf
Overall A small task you finish today will clear your mind nicely.
Money Check your plans carefully before you spend anything today.
Love Being honest about your feelings will help, even if it feels hard.
Lucky color green
Lucky item a neat pencil case
Overall Take your time today instead of rushing into decisions.
Money Keep your money plans simple and do not take any risks.
Love A quiet moment together is better than a big outing today.
Lucky color deep red
Lucky item a warm hat
Overall Stay close to home today and enjoy simple, quiet comforts.
Money Spend only on things that truly make your home feel cozy.
Love Family time will feel more important than usual today.
Lucky color cream
Lucky item a soft blanket
Overall Today may feel a little slow, so rest when you can.
Money Wait before making any big spending decisions today.
Love Give a friend some extra patience if they seem tired.
Lucky color purple
Lucky item a thermos
Overall Things may move slowly today, so try to be patient with yourself.
Money Save a little today, and you will feel proud of it later.
Love Listen more than you speak, and someone will notice your care.
Lucky color brown
Lucky item a cup of hot tea
Overall Plans may change suddenly, so stay flexible and calm about it.
Money Hold off on any new spending until tomorrow if you can.
Love Give people around you a little extra space today.
Lucky color pale blue
Lucky item an umbrella
We use must and have to when something is really necessary, or when there is a strong rule to follow.
B — must not means something is forbidden, but don't have to means it is simply not necessary.
Answer: B — must not means something is forbidden, but don't have to means it is simply not necessary.
Tuesday morning was cool and a little gray. Lyn walked partway to the hotel with Star, their breath showing faintly in the cold air. "Three more days," Lyn said, patting Star's head before turning toward the station.
At the front desk, Lyn checked a small pot of chrysanthemum leaves she had brought along to show a guest who loved gardening. Twelve leaves now, one more than yesterday. The guest smiled and asked when it might bloom. "Not for a while yet," Lyn admitted. "But it is growing well."
Back at home, Linda looked at the empty vase in the guest room and sighed. "The chrysanthemum will not bloom in time for John," she said to Pinkysan, who blinked slowly from the windowsill. Linda decided to walk to the small morning market near the station instead.
At a flower stall, rows of bright blooms stood in buckets of water. The seller suggested a bundle of autumn chrysanthemums, already open, in warm yellow and deep red. "These will last almost two weeks if you change the water," the seller said. Linda chose a generous bundle.
When Lyn came home that evening, she found the flowers already arranged in the guest room vase, glowing softly under the lamp. "They're beautiful," Lyn said. "Almost as nice as our own chrysanthemum will be someday."
Star sniffed the flowers once and sneezed, making both of them laugh. Pinkysan settled on the windowsill nearby, keeping a quiet watch over the new blooms. Over dinner, Linda counted on her fingers: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. "Three days left," she said happily.
After the dishes were done, Lyn pulled out her list one more time. Guest room: ready. Tea: ready. Gift: ready. Flowers: ready at last. Only the welcome meal remained to plan, and that could wait for the weekend. Outside, the evening grew quiet and a little colder, and everyone settled in for the night.