Here in the Sierra foothills of Northern California, we have had exactly two days of rain this month. The first single day of moisture was a light mist to a drizzle. The second, yesterday, was real rain, with puddles forming and everything. It began tentatively, picked up a bit, paused, and then came down with a vengeance, lasting into the evening.

This is in stark contrast to the rest of January, which has been the opposite of rainy. Every last bit of moisture has been sucked out of the landscape by unseasonably warm and dry conditions. There is little snow pack in the mountains; a horrific drought has descended upon the Golden State.

I was relieved to say the least when I got caught in a light shower while out running errands. This morning, the air smelled fresh and clean. The birds were hopping around in the damp leaves, finding plenty of food. Along with a flock of Juncos, I spotted this Flicker. The clouds are still hanging around, and I hope they gather again and wet things down before they blow away.