Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Fresh Air Is Good For You

We bundled up and walked out to get the mail today. (Maybe not the brightest idea.) You see, the temp read 10 above but the wicked wind blowing must have made the wind chill around 90 below. Or near that. At least. But fresh air is good for you, right? Must say I had a few moments when I was wondering if the old, stale, WARM air inside the house wouldn't have been better.

Although it may not look like it, I could see. But I will admit I was having trouble breathing with that scarf wrapped around my face in mummy fashion.

Papa Pea had to take his mitts off to take the picture and was not happy about how instantly his hands became fro-ZEN!

I guess we need to get hardened off . . . fast. This is our first real cold snap of the winter. We've been lulled into complacency by our unusually mild temps up until now.

Please, Mr. Old Man Winter, if you would just bring us a good covering of snow, it wouldn't seem so bad. And if you want to lose that wind for the rest of the cold months that wouldn't be bad either.

22 comments:

Carolyn said...

Crazy. Just plain nuts. Don't you have sled dogs up there to fetch the mail for ya? Or maybe a friendly Yetti?

It's going to get cooler here overnight, but right now I'm in shorts because it's frekking 81 degrees inside. Admittedly, a bit too warm. Darn woodstove....too hard to regulate.

Not sure what's up with the no-commenting thing either.

Chai Chai said...

With no snow cover the ground just seems to radiate cold, this winter is no fun at all.

rugosarosefarm said...

Looks chilly but refreshing. I love snow!

dr momi said...

What the heck did you get in the mail??? It looks heavy :-)

Tombstone Livestock said...

if that is the daily mail filling your arms I would find me an old Flexy Flyer and a rope to drag the mail across the snow. (I forgot I have a flexy flyer, just no snow) At least it was sunny for your walk and you had Papa Pea join you. Take care and stay warm.

2 Tramps said...

So glad that you are enjoying the cooler weather! Like you, I think it seems really cold. Funny how 20 degrees can feel so cold now when it seemed pretty warm when we were still sleeping outside last fall...

Anonymous said...

Wow, you are braver than I am. I stay inside when it's that cold. Brrrrrrr

Sparkless said...

It looks like you have about as much snow as we do. Sunny today again and around freezing or a bit below. We missed the real cold and the wind luckily cause when your house has no insulation wind blows right through the walls and it gets chilly inside.
I went for a walk tonight myself and it was refreshing.

My SubUrban Gardens said...

We had a lot of wind today too, but we were a lot warmer. I awoke to thunderstorms (yes, in January!) and 53 degrees. I'm in Dayton, Ohio. By night time, it was snowing though. lol!!! I hope you can keep warm.

Lynn

Sherry said...

We haven't had a really "winter" yet, not sure thats a good thing because believe it or not we have had a couple of wasps already come into the house,also lady bugs. These should be sound asleep, wonder if bugs will be worse this year. anyway, the fresh air is good for you, even if we freeze..lol

Susan said...

Argh! It seems like we're in the same boat - except we're up to 30 this morning! The prediction is for high winds (as I type) and plummeting temps. Batten down yer hatches, Mama Pea -- it's going to be an interesting winter. I hope you get a nice thick covering of snow, though. We need it!

Prairie Cat said...

We keep trying to get acclimated to the weather here, too. But it seems once we get used to the colder temps, it gets back up into the 60s the next day!

Mama Pea said...

Carolyn Renee - I had to laugh at your suggestion of having a friendly Yeti go get the mail! During the winter, if we don't have to start a vehicle for any other reason, we always walk out to get the mail. Even if it's frigid, it's only 1/2 mile round trip so it is good for one or both of us. At least that's what I have to try to convince myself of. ;o}

Chai Chai - You can say that again!

rugosarosefarm - One of the main reasons we moved here was the heavy snow in winter. Grumpf. That seems to be changing. :o(

dr momi - Luckily that package was super-light. We take a mesh bag to hold the letters, catalogs, etc. but every once in a while have to carry a box back in, too.

Tombstone Livestock - There have been times when I wished we had taken out a sled!

2 Tramps - If we hadn't had the wind yesterday, it wouldn't have been bad at all.

Mama Pea said...

Stephanie - Hubby went out to do chores this morning when it was around zero and although he looked like the Abominable Snowman in his outfit, he said it wasn't bad at all.

Sparkless - Our driveway goes through heavy woods so the snow stays on the ground there as opposed to the open spaces (like my gardens) where the wind has scoured it almost bare.

Lynn - Hope you didn't get a layer of ice between your rain and snow! That makes it sooooo bad.

Blackberry Brambles - Sad to say, I have a feeling the garden insects this year are going to be a challenge because of most parts of the country having a much warmer than usual winter. Blech.

Susan - Besides that, you need to give that Snow Wolf a real trial!!

Prairie Cat - I know! The wild fluctuation of temperatures has us all out of kilter!

Leigh said...

You are so brave. Or crazy. Actually I think Alaska stole everybody's snow.

Mama Pea said...

Leigh - I'm betting you'd be just as hardy if you lived up here. (Did I just hear you saying, "Never!"?)

I suppose if any state was going to get dumped on with snow this winter, Alaska (rather than, say, Alabama!) is a good choice. But we up here in the northern states have sure been short on the white stuff.

Karen L. said...

So, the title of this post refers to Fresh Air but I'm thinking with that scarf wrapped around you face, you might just be breathing mostly CO2. Did you feel faint while walking back to the house? Well, guess there are enough "holes" in the scarf to let in air and let CO2 out. I was going to suggest that your husband check to make sure you were acting normal but then how would he know if you weren't? Just kidding!!!! Here's hoping the wind has subsided. I agree, that always makes one feel oh so much colder!!!

Mama Pea said...

Karen L. - Ha, ha! Vewy funny! Reminds me of when someone asks my hubby, "How's your wife?", and he replies, "Compared to what?" What really bugs me when I wear a face mask or scarf over my face is the wet, drippy, frosty stuff that forms on the inside of the scarf. Eeeuuuw and gak. It's almost like a claustrophobic thing for me.

Erin said...

I think due to your mild winter so far, you are "losing it"! Losing that thick skin LOL... I can make fun since that's what I go through here as a MN to VA transplant! Now if it's 38 with a good stiff wind I complain and can't warm up! Although I will say that when I go back home I love it, the difference must be that I actually prepare mentally for it and dress better when I am back home. Yesterday I had on a down jacket, scarf, but with capri yoga pants and flip flops.... I've clearly "lost it"!

judy said...

"I Really Must Stay,But Baby Its Cold Outside"I Really Must Go,But Baby Its Cold Outside",might as well sing,its too cold outside.if its -30 here with windchill,whats it up there? FYI-no news is good news for now. the oncologist did not have the report back from radiology yet, they did quit a few picture ,from neck down,another day or 2.thats the news from the southern tundra of MN,whats new in the north tundra?

Jody said...

Brrrr. I hope you're enjoying a hot cup of coffee this morning.

Mama Pea said...

Erin - You HAVE to give up those flip-flops! Mid-January is time. Give 'em a rest. You'll be pulling them out in a couple of months anyway. What a sight you must have been . . . sorta like your top half was winter, but you bottom half was still in summer!

judy - Keeping our fingers crossed for a good, good report!

Jody - We got the house warmed up jiffy-quick this morning so I didn't even put on my hoodie over my sweatshirt and turtleneck!