January 12, 2014 Photo (012/365): "Just Add Tonic..."
Juniper bushes add glorious color to a drab winter palate with their bright blue berries and braided green needles Juniper berries are also the source of my favorite cocktail: A classic gin and tonic (with two limes!)
January 11, 2014 Photo (011/365): "White Tulips"
White tulips are my favorites, especially on a gray January day! "Every person is like a single tulip. While they may blend when together, each one is special in its own light." - Daniella Kessler
January 10, 2014 Photo (010/365): "Cracked"
January is difficult. The warmth and light generated by the holidays has faded, but the cold lingers and a restlessness sets in. To remedy our cabin fever, we venture outside. The waters along the shores of Lake Michigan are too unstable to play upon as the mighty currents of the great lake cause the ice to shift and crack. But after weeks of freezing temperatures, our inland lakes are solid. There is something thrilling about walking, sliding, skating, and even sailing atop the frozen water. Ice boating is very popular here and it's thrilling to watch! The boats fly across the ice and the skilled sailors compete in races that rival any summer regatta. Strategic areas of the inland lakes are populated with ice shanties. I really don't understand the appeal of ice fishing: sitting atop a frozen lake staring at a hole in the ice. Nor do I comprehend the logic of warming oneself with a space heater set upon that same ice! I do, however, appreciate the desire to be outside in the fresh air...and the delicious perch and bluegills caught in those icy waters!
January is a long month and the winter is far from over, but rather than letting the weather break your spirit, try to go outside and have some fun. Better to crack up than to crack under the pressure!
January 9, 2014 Photo (009/365): "Tenacity"
As predicted in the Farmer's Almanac, the winter of 2013-2014 has already been brutal. Yet even after weeks of snow and sub-zero temperatures, this sprig of lavender in my garden remains silvery green and wonderfully fragrant! Lavender is indigenous to warmer climates and doesn't thrive in Wisconsin, but I planted this perennial because it reminds me of the glorious color and perfume of the lavender fields in the South of France. My plant never seems to sprout many flowers (last year, I had only one stalk), but it has endured our harsh winter, pushing bravely through the icy snow. And although, it will probably never produce enough blossoms to fill a sachet or to make the lavender ice cream that I crave, this tiny sprig of lavender is a model of tenacity and hope that spring will eventually arrive.
"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" - Ode to the West Wind (Percy Bysshe Shelley)
January 8, 2013 Photo (008/365): "Frozen Bubbles"
The temperature reached a balmy 5° F after school today with only -6° wind chills, so I attempted a little science experiment. The challenge is catching the bubbles before they either burst or blow away!
Here are a few tips: Choose a calm day (I tried to freeze bubbles on Monday, but it was way too windy and cold!).
Heat your bubble mixture before you go outside; it helps the bubbles last longer.
Have your camera ready and experiment with angles and exposure.
Most of all, have fun!
January 7, 2014 Photo (007/365): "Ice"
Oscar Wilde said, "Conversation about weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative."
Yet unless, you've been outside these past two days, you can't begin to imagine how cold -50° wind chills feel! And so, Oscar Wilde, I beg to differ! I reserve the right to talk about this bone-chilling, eyelash-freezing, record-breaking Wisconsin weather, while vividly imagining a tropical paradise with turquoise water, white sand, and boat drinks... #OperationStSomewhere