We have a mixed bag of weather this morning.  I've seen bright sunshine with temperatures ranging in low 30s and at the same time beautiful fluffy snowflakes floating through the sunshine.  Now the sun has disappeared and there are only random flakes in the air, but the mountains over Walden's way appear to be in a full-blown snow squall.  My shaded thermometer is reading a very constant 30 degrees while the others at different locations vary depending on sun or shade.  We had some rain off and on yesterday and the snow at the backyard stake is down to 3 inches.  Nothing big in the forecast, so we'll have to make do with what we have.

This morning's Times Argus carries the obituary of Rod Clarke.  Fred and I took a journalism class from him in 1985.  It was memorable.  Rod brought in Tim Lewis, who was at the time working for WCAX, as I recall; Tim teaches journalism at Lyndon State College now.  They were two crazy guys with a real passion for their craft and excellent, sometimes scary, teaching skills. 

I dug out my notes from that class (Of course I kept them!) and smiled at some of the "rules:"
"When in doubt, leave out."
"Don't screw it up with too many facts."
"Be fair."
"Write as if you are being charged for every extra, unnecessary word."

We used to bump into Rod occasionally in Montpelier when he worked for United Press International (UPI) - sometimes at one of the local watering holes after work on a Friday night - and over the years his name has come up and we remember his brash, fun, energetic, motorcycle-riding, mountain-man style. We feel fortunate to have known him even a little.