Well, we avoided runners with the All Souls Trail Race, averted confusion with the bat-house builders, and made our way through the parade preparations down to the beautiful San Vicente Creek Trail at the south end of Silver City, and had a nice walk on warm and sunny fall day.  Doug shared his unique and powerful take on the gifts and uses of many of the common plants of our area, including a number of "invasive" plants and trees.  Some of these plants offer some of the best medicines Doug has come across.  The interesting discussion came up again over whether or not these plants "should" be here, and Doug offered his unique and humble opinion about these plants, for all of whom he has a deep respect and reverence, and posed the question: who are we to know what they are here for, and what they might be seeing or doing, what important role they might be playing?  It's a tricky question, but it does open my mind up again to the observation I make over and over again.  The observation is this: that so far, our modern human minds and all their understanding and knowledge of the natural world and what's best for it have seemingly been wrong almost 100% of the time in the past 100 years or so.  I do think we are slowly gaining some wisdom around it, but it is an interesting thing to ponder: do I know more about what's best for this ecosystem than the plants that choose to grow here?  Who knows?