Firewater Friday - The mountains are calling and I must go

Mount Washington in New Hampshire is one of the most amazing places I've ever visited.  Home of the world's worst weather and record holder for the highest wind gust ever recorded in the northern hemisphere and second highest wind gust world wide at 231 miles per hour set in 1934.  









I've been to the top of the rock pile at least once a year for the past 10 years and several times prior to that.  Why visit the same place over and over again?  Because it's different every time I go.  I've been up in every season . . . fog, rain, hail, snow, sunshine, above the clouds.  It can be 80 degrees in the valley and freezing with snow at the summit.   You can drive up in the clouds and be above them at the summit.  It can socked in on the way up and clear blue sky day on the way down.  I've rarely seen animals up top and those I've seen are birds.  And it's always windy up there . . . that is except for my last visit last week.    There was just a whisper of a breeze.  



That was pretty cool but made it really interesting was the number of bugs.  I've never seen a bug on Mount Washington and this time there was a plethora of bug . . . so many varieties it was amazing.  Obviously, they're there all the time . . . they're usually just hiding out and laying low to avoid the weather and wind.


These are the bugs I encountered that day . . . stink bugs in a variety of colors, black flies,  stone flies, beetles and last but not least a yellow swallowtail butterfly.

Pretty neat, huh?






Fresh Lime Frozen Margarita


I think the secret to a really really good margarita is fresh limes.  Admittedly, its not as easy as pouring a margarita from a jug of TGIF mix . . . I guess it depends on how badly you need that margarita!


5 Fluid Ounces Tequila
3 Fluid Ounces Fresh Lime Juice
1 Fluid Ounce Sweetened Lime Juice
3 Fluid Ounces Triple Sec  
Ice Cubes
1 Lime, Cut Into Wedges
Kosher Salt


Measure the tequila, lime juice, sweetened lime juice and triple sec into a blender filled with 4 cups of ice.  Cover and blend at highest speed until drink is almost smooth.


Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a margarita glass and dip in salt.  Pour into a glass; garnish with lime. Serve immediately.

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