A season of chaos and calm

It’s been one of those stretches where everything happens at once — the kind where you start the week with a sense of control and end it laughing at the idea you ever thought you had any.

The kettle’s boiled more times than I can count, the floors have seen muddy boots, hay dust, and a scatter of willow leaves, and somewhere between late-night label printing and early-morning foraging, I remembered why I love this chaos. It’s real. It’s honest. It’s life when you’re running a small animal business with a big rescue heart.

The cauldron begins to spin 🎃

The first big shift came with the Halloween Wheel — that bright, spinning cauldron of chaos on the website.
I wanted something playful, something that made people smile while they shopped. So I built it: a spin-to-win game for discounts and free shipping. Every spin feels a little like stirring a potion — you never quite know what you’ll get, but it’s all brewed with love.

It’s not just about fun though. It helps me move limited-batch forages faster, keeping stock fresh and seasonal. Nothing sits stale; everything has purpose.

If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s right here → https://www.guineagourmettreats.co.uk/shop/everyday-forages/halloween-specials

The forager’s tale 🌿

The weather’s turned. The mornings have that damp chill that makes your fingers ache while picking hawthorn and hibiscus. But I love it. There’s something grounding about walking the same paths and seeing what’s still clinging on — what nature’s willing to share before it tucks itself away for winter.

This season’s mix has been all about balance and intention:

• Hawthorn for circulation and heart health (and because those deep red berries just look like autumn magic).

• Hibiscus for vibrancy and natural acidity.

• Willow leaves for digestion and gnawing enrichment.

• Blackberry leaves for immunity and gut support.

And then came the second blend — a spookier one — with ash, apple leaves, sow thistle, and a few surprise elements that I’ll reveal once the batches are ready. Every ingredient earns its place; there’s no filler, just thoughtful nutrition.

The truth is, I’ve always believed good foraging is an art form. It’s about timing, proportion, and respect — for both the plant and the animal.

Between the leaves and life

I won’t sugar-coat it. It’s been a rough week too.
Money stretched thin. Energy stretched thinner. I had to tuck away a tiny emergency stash — my safety net. Not because I wanted to hide it, but because I needed to know that when everything else wobbled, there was still something steady that I controlled.

Then there’s the house — always alive, always loud. Everyone needing something, rooms in chaos, voices overlapping. I tried being nice about tidying, about routines, about helping each other… but eventually, kind had to meet clear.
Consequences aren’t cruel when they’re fair. They’re the language that cuts through the noise.

And yet, through all that noise, I found my rhythm again. I started slipping a single earbud in while working — low music, just enough to drown out the chaos without cutting myself off from it completely. A small trick that helped me breathe.

The unglamorous truths

There’s no pretending everything’s picture-perfect here.

Remember that mystery smell we had weeks ago? It vanished, and I thought it was done. But then — an invasion of big black flies. Turns out, that’s nature’s way of telling you something’s decomposed fully. Not pretty, not pleasant, but that’s real life.

Even Buster, our four-legged shadow, had his off days — snuffly nose, clingy mood, less appetite. Watching him reminded me of what I always tell customers: observation first, panic second. Slow is smart when it comes to health — for pets, people, and everything in between.

The rescue heartbeat 💚

Between the chaos, I’ve stayed active on rescue posts — commenting, supporting, and reminding people that every GGT order keeps those rescues ticking. Sometimes I don’t even mention the business. Sometimes just showing up, being kind, and sharing a rescue post is the advert.

Because that’s who we are — handmade at heart, rooted in rescue.

Lessons from this chapter

• Nature sets the pace — when willow slows down, I don’t fight it. I adapt.

• Boundaries are a form of care, not control. For the kids, for customers, for me.

• Focus beats silence — I don’t need peace to work, I just need purpose.

And maybe most importantly — even when life’s messy, muddy, or loud, the work still carries love. Every handful of forage, every packed box, every note tucked inside an order — it’s all part of this imperfect, heartfelt ecosystem we’re building together.

If you want to peek behind the leaves or grab your Halloween treats before they vanish, wander here:
👉 https://www.guineagourmettreats.co.uk/shop/everyday-forages/halloween-specials

Thanks for being part of the chaos, the calm, and everything in between.

— GGT