It has become abundantly clear to me that I will never have time to write and post a thorough review of 2013 in aggregate, and so, dear readers, I will do so month by month. I hope you enjoy this monthly retrospective as much as I have enjoyed pulling it (later, them) together.

THE BEST OF EM-I-LIS: JANUARY 2013

I took my first writing class, Food Writing, and through it got to know four wonderful women. At the end of the course, three of them and I formed a writing group and have met every two - three weeks since. I met Lili in person in Louisiana this past December and may get to meet Laura and Catherine (and see Lili) later this year in NM: WWW Writing Retreat, here I come!

Tom and I spent four days in Charleston -our first time there- to celebrate his birthday. We loved the city, its food and coffee culture, the weather, the architecture... To read my recap of all we loved, click here. And please read what I consider one of my more amusing observations: Les Idiots a Le Bar.

Per the usual, parenting was often tough. I think this post captures that sense of struggle well!

I was flattered to win Fresh Farm Market DC's winter produce photo contest with this pic of persimmons: