Cold House Journal

It continues to be the Winter That Wasn’t here in New England.  This newspaper notice, sent over from by friends in Vermont, pretty much sums it up.

I just have to mention, today someone stumbled on this blog after Googling the phrase “used rubber hot water bottles”.  No joke.  I had never thought of employing soiled condoms for that purpose.  I’m not sure it’s a good idea, either.  This blog does not endorse the idea.

I’ve been kind of hiding from everyone here, because until the past couple days it’s been embarrassingly warm, inside and out.  I’m not quite sure the “cold house” moniker is really even going to be deserved this winter:  so far since the first fire (which was October 26) we’ve averaged 59.2° in the kitchen area.  It’s early yet, of course, but still that’s about 7° warmer than the overall average for last winter.  Partly, this has been due to a record-warm November, and a not-especially-cold early December.  Also it’s been very sunny, mostly, and Treemagedon has resulted in more sunshine hitting the house.  But in addition to all this I think there has also been a little more wood burned than would have been the case under similar circumstances in the past.

But, at last, some wintry weather has arrived.  The past couple nights it’s dropped down to about 10°F outside, and 46° in the kitchen in the morning.  The bedroom, right now at dinnertime, is 50°, so it should be in the 40′s by bedtime (good sleeping!)  It feels like we might be able to hold on to our claim of being slightly unusual for another winter.  And of course, there’s only so much wood in the shed (about 1.2 cords dry, I’m guesstimating) so there’s only so much heating that can be done.

By the way, Treemagedon is complete.  Much more work than I’d anticipated, but all the Norway maples have been eradicated from my property, along with two dead cherries.  Split by hand (yeah!) this produced about 2 cords… stacked and waiting for 2012/13… and maybe 2013/14…  Meanwhile, my backyard looks sort of like the scene in the Lorax after all the Truffula trees are cut down and the Thneed factories close up.  But not to fear– replanting will commence in the spring!

Since the freakishly warm weather continues, there is almost nothing on-topic to report at the moment.  So, I’m sharing this photo-essay about using firewood as decor.  I love all of these!  Especially the one with the painted logs… which reminds me of writing numbers on the wood… which is not something I would ever do, of course.

(P.S.  I did restack the pile that fell over, and then built another even longer one, and still there is more wood coming from Treemagedon.  Three more fellings and the property will be Norway-maple-free.)

In the oft-quoted words of Frost, “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, that wants it down.”In this case, I have a strong suspicion that the “something” has four paws, whiskers, and a fluffy tail. I have no hard evidence, but from the way it toppled, it looks like the something was swaying or pulling it over from the top.  (“I could say ‘elves’,” said Frost, “but it’s not elves exactly.”  Exactly, Max?)

Or of course it could just be that, as I said, the pile was subpar, and not up to Virgo standards.

Thoreau quoted his plow-driver as saying that wood is a fuel that warms you twice.  This does not take into account the possibility of having to re-build your wood pile… thrice may suffice.

There hasn’t been much to tell you about lately, because it’s been unseasonably warm.  Today I read that it has, in fact, been the warmest November on record here in Maine.  The grass is still green, which is creepy.  Some dandelions are coming out.  Maybe there will be more to write about if summer ever ends.