The Highs Have It!

Our daughter Jamie started a nice dinner-table go around a few years ago: Everyone shares a high and low of their day. It gives you a quick chance to reflect and share, whether you're part of the family or a visitor.

Now that we're halfway through the first month of 2014, I'd like to offer a photographic look at the "highs and lows" of my month so far.

HIGH: Started 2014 off right with the Burlington First Run 5K. Braved the cold temps
with my sister-in-law and running partner, Louise Thabault.

HIGH: George has spent hours on the Lakeside Skating Rink, and
sometimes he even gets to skate!

LOW: This was literally the low of the month, although I think it did go down to -12F.
Almost a week of below zero weather with wind chills that VT hasn't seen in 20 years.

HIGH: Breathtaking views of cumulus clouds on Lake Champlain
 -- forms when the water is warmer than the air.

LOW: Buckets of rain caused this little lake, which we
actually shoveled off, so the rink could re-freeze once the temp dropped.

LOW: Frost etched on the kitchen window like a street map of London.

HIGH: Instant gluten free bread crumbs to top GF mac & cheese.
Just crush Glutino pretzels (shake off excess salt first).

HIGH: Winter wheels in trendy Northampton Mass

HIGH: Balmy temps in Springfield MA the weekend of Jan. 11
when we visited my sister, Robin Withers, and her family.

HIGH: Parsnips! Deliciously sweet, and so easy to cook.  Just cover with water
in a shallow frying pan. Boil until the water is gone. Poof - they're done.

HIGH: Our neighbor took advantage of yesterday's
sunshine to hang out her sheets.

Just a disclaimer that I did not take photos of the following LOWS: waiting at Sears one Sunday morning to replace my dead Mazda battery, the times George and I fell on sidewalk ice, the hours spent scraping ice off multiple cars, or the afternoon spent helping Jamie install plastic over her drafty 7' tall windows. Oh yes, and the two credit cards we lost in less than two weeks. So technically the the Highs and Lows might be tied for now... let's see what the rest of the month brings!