A
cold front came through this week, cooling our temperatures. Suddenly – and I
mean suddenly -- we needed warmer bedclothes and sweatshirts. We literally went
from using a sheet and summer pajamas on Monday night to needing a blanket and
leggings on Tuesday night. We’re now warming the bed with the electric blanket
and last night we even pulled up the quilt. This morning it was 32 degrees. I
know that this report is rather mundane, but it seems so strange that we had
such warm temps all through September and the change happened so suddenly.
Here
are pictures taken during last week’s Elderberry Fest. That afternoon was warm and
we were in shirt sleeves as we sought elderberries on Russell Ridge. Smoke
still filled the Clearwater River Valley. In fact, the smoke has been coming
and going this week, but fire experts have assured us that with the coming of
winter – and winter is coming, they say – the fires will be extinguished. As
Chris put it – no one remembers a forest fire season like this one.
With
fall temperatures now showing on the thermometer, we’re into autumn prep for
sure. Mike set out our harvest / Halloween yard ornaments while I decorated inside the house.
This finishes the garden, I told Mike this morning. Turn off the water and I’ll pick
the tomatoes, I said. But while I was out, he not only picked the
tomatoes and summer squash but pulled out the plants as well. This evening I’ll
cook a vegetable mélange for supper and freeze what we don’t eat. I’ll also
make healthified apple crisp for dessert.
We
turned on the furnace this morning and then decided to go ahead and light a
fire in our little wood stove. Mike cleaned the chimney this afternoon. And
then we headed out for some shopping. It’s never a good idea to shop on Friday
afternoon, but sometimes it just happens. Among our purchases was a small
oil-filled electric heater for the sewing room. The idea is that I will heat
that room and confine myself to those quarters on cold days so that we can
conserve on heat to the whole house. When may I start this routine and
must I come out? KW
Dan says you have to come out once a month to pay the light bill. LOL!!
ReplyDeleteLOL! Does Dan think my little heater is going to significantly augment my light bill? I doubt it. My room is pretty little. I will have to come out to meet some basic needs, but it won't be to pay bills. Mike's got that covered.
ReplyDeleteNah, we know it's cheap--I use one in my sewing room when it's cold, too. He was just being smart, and inferring that you could stay as long as you want. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh -- that's what I thought at first, but then I wondered . . . When I was working, we ran the furnace for a while in the morning. Then Mike retired to the office which he heats with an oil-filled heater that belonged to my dad. He didn't light a fire in the little stove until close to time for me to come home. Since I retired, it has not been practical for us to continue this routine, but we can now that my stuff is in one room.
ReplyDeleteWe keep reading those tips for cutting down on our utility bills, but we've mostly practiced those for years. Makes it hard to do better.
Those Halloween figures in the yard sure are cute! Are they wash-able? What happens if it rains? They look like fabric. Do you have lights in the windows as well?
ReplyDeleteWe bought those characters for cheap at Jo-Ann's several years ago and I think they can still be found in the marts. They slip into bamboo holders and Mike says the holders are splitting. Yes,they are fabric, and we've never had enough rain this time of year that I've worried about them, but it would be a simple matter to bring them in if necessary. Really, I think they cost $5.00 each.
ReplyDeleteOh -- I forgot to say that I don't have lights in the windows. Difficult to do in these windows covered with blinds. Some people set those lighted designs in their windows.
ReplyDelete