21. Cold comfort for birds – a feast of seeds

My garden has had a steady flow of birds visiting the feeders for the last few weeks.

22. Plant now – and create fireworks in the borders

It will be Bonfire Night soon but now is the time to think about creating some fireworks in the garden next season.

23. Go Organic

Snow in October. Who would have thought it? Not me, for one. According to the BBC weatherman the last time we saw snow this early in the South East was in 1974

24. The Dog & Duck, Emmbrook

A family-run pub that tries to cater for “anything we can think of or people ask us to do” – that’s what you get at The Dog & Duck.

25. Beat the credit crunch at budget supermarkets

26. Chestnut and Apple Soup

Use the excellent vac-packed peeled chestnuts that are widely available. Or take some fresh chestnuts in the shell, nick them from centre to pointed top, at right angles to base.

27. Two views of New York

Deciding where to stay on your first trip to New York is a real headache. ALISON WHITE made sure she got it right by booking into two hotels in two different districts

28. White’s wine - Autumn warmers

29. The New Mill Riverside Restaurant, Eversley

The New Mill is stunningly beautiful – but luckily for diners, it doesn’t have to rely on its looks alone.

30. Let mog Merlin work his magic

Wonderful white Merlin is a deaf nine-month-old boy looking for a new indoor home, while big kitten Garfield aged just six months is also searching for that purrrfect place.