I'm happy to report we did NOT hit 40 below last night as the above image of a thermometer indicates. Our low reading was only 21 below. That, my friends, is way too cold without a good snow cover. Over Friday and Saturday just past, we got 5+" of snow which caused everyone around here to breathe a sigh of relief. Then the high winds marched in and scoured the snow off the field garden, off the raised beds, off the lines to our septic system, etc., etc. Where did all that lovely snow go? Mostly piled into drifts in inconvenient spots that had to be shoveled yesterday.
In the winter, we count on being able to pile snow up against our house which really helps keep it warmer. Right now there's no snow with which to do that. We're very fortunate that we're still warm and cozy inside, we have plenty of wood for heating and so far, water pipes and such have not been affected. But we've already heard of others in the area that are having trouble with frozen pipes. We need a good amount of snow if we're going to have these low, low temps.
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I had a really good day yesterday doing things I wanted to do.
I've kept my canning and preserving recipes and notes I've made regarding same in a three-ring binder forever. That poor binder was falling apart, one of the rings didn't close anymore, and I've been wanting to tidy up the contents and transfer everything to a new notebook. Like so many tasks we put off, when I finally sat down yesterday morning to do it, I found it didn't take long at all and now all is filed away securely with easy-to-access tabs. (Good job, Mama Pea.)
Finishing my quilted winter shower curtain was next on the list. The only thing left to do was to put in the 12 buttonholes across the top edge where the shower rod rings attach. I've got a slick buttonhole attchement for my computerized Janome sewing machine, but I could not get the buttonhole mode programmed in. Arrrgh. Now I need to contact the shop in the big city where I purchased my machine and see if they can talk me through getting things back on track. I hope the fix will be as simple as that, but I may have to take the machine in next trip there.
Being just a teensy bit stubborn (ahem) and not wanting to have to put the shower curtain aside, I cobbled together satisfactory buttonholes utilizing a satin stitch on my older machine. I was lucky in that the top border where the holes needed to go is a dark blue print, and I used a dark blue thread so the quasi-buttonholes just about don't even show. All turned out well. Except for the need to get my computerized machine back in working order. (I can still use all the other functions on the machine, however . . . whew!)
I'll post pictures of the shower curtain and crocheted rug I made to match (which I also finished yesterday) as soon as I get the Christmas decorations down in the bathroom and the winter ones up.
I was determined to spend time yesterday snuggled under a quilt on the couch reading for a while. I did. For about 10 minutes before our daughter popped in. I never did make it back to my book or couch.
The most fun of all was starting a new quilting project, but I'm keeping mum about that until I'm farther along because I'm not at all sure it's going to be a go . . . or a waste of fabric.
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Knowing the house was going to be on the cool side this morning, last night before going to bed I pulled an unbaked pan of Apple Crunch out of the freezer and let it defrost on the counter overnight. First thing this morning, I put it in the oven to bake knowing having the oven going would help warm up the kitchen.
Oh, but look! I think a mouse (wearing Size 12 shoes) must have eaten a corner of it already. Dang.
I'm off now to fold laundry. It's Monday, laundry and ironing day, you know. The clothes dryer (nope, I wouldn't even think about hanging anything outside today) is tumbling its second batch as we speak. The heat from it is welcomed today, too, that's for sure.
Stay warm, everyone!