There are plenty of reasons to get up at dawn, and at least six simple ways to make the most of it when you do.

I love the quality of the air at sunrise; no matter the season, it's always colder, crispier and more energizing than at any other time of the day.

There's something just plain special about the start of a new day.

I do something physical most days: spin on Pinkie Patti's back in the morning while she's still asleep, walk in the afternoon, or  swim in nearby Lake Memphremagog.

Sometimes Pinkie Patti and I play a few holes of golf in the late afternoon (amazingly, she still hits a good ball at 84, despite her Alzheimer's).