Perfect Dozen to place.

It's to my deep relief that the promised rain and snow didn't arrive: all that's coming is cold. It's going to be deep and bitter, cutting all the way through, and if it's not windy and wet and simply cold, then I can manage much more easily than if it was two or three of those things together.

There was less than a tenth of an inch of snowfall today. While I'm relieved the streets won't need icing, I'm still disappointed there hasn't yet been sufficient accumulation to enjoy - at least, for more than the four or five minutes while it fell.

I made a point to feed the pigeons today ahead of the cold and the anticipated rain and snow; while the precipitation didn't come to pass, I'm still happy I fed them. What was loveliest next to them still, always, being happy to see me was the same sight I saw this Wednesday, which was a tree without leaves, but with sparrows instead. The birds were the same color as the fallen leaves on the ground, and landed on the branches in such number and abundance to give me a moment's pause and take another look to be certain it was birds. They kept the small tree from being empty, and it was their calls instead of fruit that added to the day's sweetness and joy.