The weather has been terrible since morning. Rain, humidity around 95%, and a piercing cold. It's okay for a walk, but not so much for sitting on a bench. These are the kinds of days you quickly want to forget.

It's good that we still have a rose garden, where many flowers and roses have retained their color. This provides some comfort before the coming winter.

The birds, of course, appeared in droves. A few crows, chickadees, and a whole host of sparrows. I don't know where they came from; there have never been such numbers before. As soon as I stop for a moment on the bench, they're already taking up their starting positions on the branch. It looks comical.