It's hard to believe that January is nearly over. For weeks the rain has turned much of the local farmland into swamp. Duck, geese and swans are seen swimming in corn fields and pasture land. But finally after weeks of damp, rainy weather, and days dark enough to make even the most optimistic people feel a bit blue, the sun had returned.

The sunnier weather brings with it a cold, biting wind but that seems a small price to pay for some of those golden rays. The chimes on our front porch have been making music all weekend. When the wind abates somewhat I hear only a soft tinkling, but when a gust whips by they clang and clatter like an orchestra gone wild.

The sun rays reflect off the slough, making it look as though hundreds of diamonds have fallen from the sky. A wood duck glides by, seemingly unperturbed by the cold and boisterous water.

At first glance the winter landscape appears asleep, but I take a moment to watch and the world outside my window is very much alive. Today it is as though every bird in the neighborhood is paying a visit. There are of course the usual starlings and crows, dark-eyed junco's and house sparrows. But watch with me a while and you'll see song sparrows and white-crowned sparrows, spotted towhee's and black-capped chickadee's. A pair of bold steller's jays come dashing in, sending the smaller birds flying up into the branches of the fir tree where the feeder hangs. But the jay's are like school yard bully's, loud and noisy when they come, but at the first sign of danger they are off in a flash of blue. The gentle dove softly glides down, stays for a quick meal and is off again. A downy woodpeckers also frequents the suet feeder, her black and white feathers ruffled by the breeze. Even as I walk away, I can still hear the happy song of the red-winged blackbird.

On the other side of the yard, away from the feeders I see robins, northern flickers and a lone varied thrush. Something dark goes by the window and I watch as a young eagle flies by then come to rest on a cottonwood tree overlooking the water.

In the slough dozens of ducks are swimming about. Hooded mergansers with their bright white crests, vibrant coloured wood duck, mallards and american widgeon's.

The ground is frozen now, many of the puddles have turned to ice over night, leaving swirls of art on each untouched piece of ice.