Dear Reader,​
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As the year draws in and the days shorten here in northern Spain, we wanted to send a little update from our wild corner - and a Christmas gift for you.

A small book celebration

We were delighted to receive another generous review of No Paradise with Wolves, this time from Ed Stubbs over at Birdguides -

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And we’re still glowing over the news that No Paradise with Wolves was named one of BBC Wildlife Magazine’s Best Books of 2025.
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Alongside that, the generous messages you’ve been sending have meant more than we can properly say. To see this story of land, learning, mistakes, persistence and belonging resonate so widely has been deeply humbling. Thank you, as ever, for reading and sharing.

If you’ve read the book and purchased it via Amazon, we’d be incredibly grateful if you felt able to leave a short review there. For first-time authors especially, it really does make a difference.

Less scrolling, more living

You may have noticed we’ve been a little quieter on social media recently (though we did pop up briefly to meet El Anguleru, Asturias’ wonderfully humble, nature-rooted Christmas figure).

The quieter presence isn’t because less is happening - quite the opposite.

The house build continues.
The cows still need moving.
The land still needs tending.
And Luke, in his infinite wisdom, has decided now is the perfect time to build a fire pit.

Life feels full - but amid the busyness, we’ve made something non-negotiable: daily time outside, whatever the weather.

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It’s a rhythm that feels deeply aligned with Wild Finca - and we suspect many of you might be craving something similar too.

So here’s a simple invitation.

A small practice in noticing

✨ Step outside and name five things that give you a sense of awe.​
(No need to make it profound. Just say what you see.)

Here’s an example from the other morning. I (Katie) walked up the track to meet the postie and found myself noticing:

1. How incredibly soft moss can be. Not all moss - some is definitely on the crunchy side - but the soft stuff? My goodness it's soft!
2. How NOISY jays are. There were three of them, absolutely shouting their heads off. It made me wonder who had annoyed whom and why.
3. A teeny, tiny black bug with a sun-yellow stripe down his back. No idea who he was, but he was really quite beautiful.
4. How beautiful ivy is. The leaves are heart-shaped, for goodness’ sake.
5. The miniature ecosystem on a single patch of a single tree.

Nothing dramatic. Nothing productive.
Just attention, and the gentle widening that comes with it.

When you’re ready, step outside and name five things that pause you.

A bird call.
Frost on a leaf.
The smell of damp earth.
Wind moving through hedgerow or tree.

Name it.
Notice it.
Let it be enough.

(And if you feel like replying with what you notice over the coming days or weeks, I’d genuinely love to hear.)

🎄 A Christmas gift from us to you

Finally, to mark the season, we wanted to offer something practical and hopeful.

A free guide that Luke has put together - amidst the house-building chaos - about something he's much more enthusiastic about: How to Build Your First Wildlife Pond

Created by Luke, this is a step-by-step guide drawn from a lifetime of pond-building - from a small hole dug at age three at his family home (still thriving today), to the 30+ ponds now scattered across Wild Finca, each alive with frogs, newts, dragonflies, snakes, and more.

A pond is one of the simplest ways to welcome wildlife back in. Even a tiny one can become a whole world.

And if you do build one, we’d love to see it. Tag us at @wildfinca or simply reply to this email.

And if you’ve enjoyed the pond guide and haven’t yet picked up No Paradise with Wolves, you can find it wherever you buy books - and yes, there’s still time for it to arrive before Christmas if you’re thinking of gifting.

This will be the last you hear from us before the New Year, so we wish you a wonder-filled festive season - whether you’re marking the Winter Solstice, Christmas, or simply the turning of the year - and all good things for 2026.

From our wild corner to yours,
​Luke, Katie, Roan and Albus

​www.wildfinca.com​