The ducks start the mornings with joy. As soon as I let them out, they squeal for joy and grunt merrily as they root for things to eat. Ducks seem to have a hundred words for happy things. You can almost understand them as they comment on what they find, “Oh, that’s good, not good, divine, have you ever tasted anything so good?” Ducks enjoy commenting on their food more than people.

This evening’s sunset was a stunner. It hardly seems like January anymore. Today is the start of another long, warm, dry spell. At this rate, the first of the daffodils will be in bloom before February.