Sunday, January 4, 2015

HUNKERING DOWN FOR A COLD SPELL


My i-phone weather for nearest town through the week

Sunday, January 4, 2015
10:00 AM-ish, Peacham Vermont


Dearest Readers,



We’re in it now–winter full on, with its bitter bag of snow, icy wind, and freezing rain forecast for most of the week. It was in the 20’s this morning, (a heat wave), but tomorrow night the temperatures will drop to the negative numbers, warming to the single digits Tuesday night, then back down to below zero through Friday evening.(-20 Wednesday night)

My landlord, Cynther's woodpile


Time to hunker and cuddle, read, cook and sit by a wood stove with a hot drink. Unfortunately I will have to curl up near my electric baseboard-heating units. They work, just are not as woodsy or Vermont-y as smelling the logs and listening to the crackle.



I love the word ‘hunker down”. The University of Georgia Bulldog football fans use it to mean digging in against an offensive play, something a tenacious bulldog would do in a fight. It’s a word with muscle and weight and hard edges that falls out of the mouth like a rock. Bracing for an onslaught is what it is, except bracing sounds too feeble in the face of winter’s wrath. So Etta and I hunker down to see if we can enjoy

being housebound. Vermonters will plow the roads, drive their cars, and get to school or work, but outdoor activities like walks are less enjoyable for me. Etta hates the cold and her legs are too short for the snowdrifts.

Etta in too deep for her short legs


What to Do: 

1. Park the car on the front lawn, to allow the plowman to clear the driveway.

2. Stock the fridge with coffee and half and half.

3. Get to the library for a good book.


4. Pick up the Netflix movie disk in my post office box (I view it on my laptop).


5. Stretch and exercise to get the blood moving.

homemade granola and tea

6. Eat a healthy breakfast for energy.


7. Wear a warm wool blend pair of thermal underwear.


8. Boots, socks, parka, heavy hat, scarf and thick gloves.


9. Try to get Etta to wear her “Mutt-Luks” footwear (a losing battle).

10. Strap on my new Yak-Trax boot cramp-ons (on order)


11. Go out and have some fun. Sport rosy cheeks. 

Homemade rice and bean soup and rye bread

12. Come inside to warm up. Have soup or chili.

sketched-in start of a small oil painting on canvas

13. Write a novel…start a painting
Plow guy arrives to clear the driveway before dawn
 14. Look out the window---go back to bed.

1 comment:

  1. Dearest See See! You are of such good cheer in such challenging cold weather! Love seeing your photos of life up north! Seems so foreign to one residing in Decatur, Georgia.

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