Last week I wrote about the bitter cold we had experienced and how we were expecting more. The cold came just as forecasted. On Tuesday when I was at school they announced they were canceling school on Wednesday and Thursday because of the cold. When the wind chill is below -20°, you can’t have children standing outdoors waiting for the school buses. So I had unplanned days off on Wednesday and Thursday. I spent a large amount of both days tending the wood stove, keeping the fire going.
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| I like the shadows on the snow. |
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| Between the barn and the house. |
In this old house we have to be careful of freezing pipes. A few days ago while doing family history, I came across a letter written to me by my Aunt Esther back in the 80's where she said that she and Aunt Eleanor were surviving the winter well and that the pipes had only frozen once so far. I always wondered how my aunts survived the winters in this house for the seven decades they lived here. Back then the house wasn’t insulated – we had insulation installed when we had new siding put on in 2001. And they had no wood stove, just the old and inefficient floor heater that we replaced with a more efficient one two years ago. I think they used to close off the upstairs and just live downstairs during the cold months. The first winter we lived here we were always cold just having arrived from Southern California and we kept the thermostat turned up to 80° day and night. When our first gas bill arrived we were shocked – it was over $400 dollars! Now we keep the thermostat at 60° (most of the time) and rely on the wood stove to provide the additional warmth. In the years that we’ve lived here, we’ve had the pipes freeze a few times. We’ve learned what we have to do to keep that from happening – we set the faucets to dripping and open all the cabinet doors. That’s how things were here last week.
When it gets so cold, strange things start to happen. The air becomes very dry and static electricity builds up in the house. Touching anything metal is usually accompanied by a shock and folding laundry is electrifying. Turning down the blankets on the beds creates miniature lightning storms. Outdoors, the trees begin to pop and groan. I remember reading once about how in the far north the trees sometimes explode when their sap freezes suddenly. None of our trees have exploded – yet. On sub-zero nights when the sky is clear, the stars are brilliant. The lack of moisture in the air makes them shine without twinkling and they seem closer. Unfortunately, when it’s that cold, you can’t stand to be outside for very long to look at them.
Despite the cold, we had to go outside (reluctantly) sometimes. There was still school on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Stacey, Hannah, and Josiah still had to go to their work. And I had to go down once a day to do the chores. The chickens do not like the cold. They don’t go out in it. Their coop isn’t heated (except for their two waterers), but because it is protected from the wind, it stays a bit warmer inside than outside. The chickens drink more and eat more when it’s so cold. I have to give them extra food and make sure they have plenty of water. Last week it was cold enough that we had eggs freeze in the nests. That doesn’t happen often. The shells crack and the eggs are unusable.
When it gets so cold, strange things start to happen. The air becomes very dry and static electricity builds up in the house. Touching anything metal is usually accompanied by a shock and folding laundry is electrifying. Turning down the blankets on the beds creates miniature lightning storms. Outdoors, the trees begin to pop and groan. I remember reading once about how in the far north the trees sometimes explode when their sap freezes suddenly. None of our trees have exploded – yet. On sub-zero nights when the sky is clear, the stars are brilliant. The lack of moisture in the air makes them shine without twinkling and they seem closer. Unfortunately, when it’s that cold, you can’t stand to be outside for very long to look at them.
Despite the cold, we had to go outside (reluctantly) sometimes. There was still school on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Stacey, Hannah, and Josiah still had to go to their work. And I had to go down once a day to do the chores. The chickens do not like the cold. They don’t go out in it. Their coop isn’t heated (except for their two waterers), but because it is protected from the wind, it stays a bit warmer inside than outside. The chickens drink more and eat more when it’s so cold. I have to give them extra food and make sure they have plenty of water. Last week it was cold enough that we had eggs freeze in the nests. That doesn’t happen often. The shells crack and the eggs are unusable.
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| A frozen egg. |
Weather like this makes me feel deep gratitude for things often taken for granted. I’m thankful that we have a reliable source of power that keeps our electric heaters and our well pump running. I’m thankful for the natural gas that powers our furnace and water heater. I’m thankful for the wonderful wood stove we have that gives off such comfortable warmth and for a well-stocked woodpile. I’m thankful for wool socks and thermal underwear and fleece-lined clothing and down comforters. I’m thankful for cars that start even when they are frozen solid. And I’m thankful that, even though it is brutal, the cold is also beautiful. The delicate patterns of the frost on the windows, the glory of the sub-zero night sky, the pearly radiance of the sun rising and setting in a sky full of ice crystals – these things are wondrous to behold. If the cold was brutal and ugly, that would be too much for me.
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| Sunset last night as seen through the orchard. |
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| Sunset last night viewed from the neighbor's field. |
Yesterday it warmed up a bit. It was sunny and the temperature rose above freezing for the first time in a long while. In the morning I drove up to West Bingham to visit my friends Bob and Nancy Jones. Nancy is going to Italy with us. I asked Bob if he would take care of my chickens for me while we are gone. He was the best person I could think of to do it. He has a flock of chickens and knows what they need. I had a nice visit with them and came home with a bag full of garlic and onions and a bowl of fresh homemade turkey soup. The Joneses never send you away empty handed. On my way back to Gold I took the Pusher Siding Road. It was a bit slick in places, but I knew the scenery would be beautiful. I was not disappointed.
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| Luddington Run along the Pusher Siding Road. |
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| The view from the top of the Gazdag road looking toward Ulysses. |
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| On the Gazdag Road. |
Yesterday was Groundhog Day and the official word from Punxytawney is that the groundhog did not see his shadow, which means we’ll have an early spring. I hope he’s right, but I doubt he is. Here in Potter County all the groundhogs are in deep hibernation and will be for many weeks to come. February 2nd is actually near the calendar midpoint for winter which falls on February 4th. It’s nice to think we might be half way through it, but I know we’re not. Right now the thermometer reads 43° and tomorrow we are supposed to hit 50° – a winter heat wave! If I’m not called in to school tomorrow, it will be a perfect day to start pruning the orchard. There are knee-deep snow drifts in parts of the orchard, but a 50° day in February is perfect for pruning.
I think lunch is almost ready. Sitting here and taking in the aroma of the food and listening to the happy singing and chatter coming from the kitchen (Hannah and Miriam are singing Disney songs) makes me happy.
Good Sabbath.
I think lunch is almost ready. Sitting here and taking in the aroma of the food and listening to the happy singing and chatter coming from the kitchen (Hannah and Miriam are singing Disney songs) makes me happy.
Good Sabbath.
