I found ten kinds of wild flowers growing
On a steely day that looked like snowing:
Queen Anne's lace, and blue heal-all,
A buttercup, straggling, grown too tall,
A rusty aster, a chicory flower —
Ten I found in half an hour.. .

~ Excerpt from Late October, by Sara Teasdale

Raw, is the best way to describe this weather. And, yes, a thin layer of frost this morning. 34 degrees! I went with Charlie for an early run. Awake early, adrenalin still pumping. No chance of an outdoor swim. Fortunately, the ground is soft, sodden, muddy; I tripped running and landed on the muddy earth. It felt a little fun to roll in the mud. I had a busy day and a great day. A friend stopped by for lunch, a homemade soup, a quick visit. Tonight, the whole family at dinner. And our ritual: my birthday appreciations, one from each of them. I soaked it all in. What they most appreciate about me. The opposite of raw weather at that table. I am entirely present and aware of how special this moment is.