Well, Maybe the Weathermen Were Right . . .

I said last night I didn't think our temperature would get down to the forecasted -26°, but low (pun intended) and behold, it did . . . plus one degree.

We had -27° on the south-facing front of our house first thing this morning.  But, once again, the day has brought us full sunshine with rays bouncing off the solid snow cover everywhere you look.  Now at noontime, we have -7°.

All is well within this morning.  I have a blueberry pie burbling over baking in the oven as we speak.  There's ground beef defrosting on the counter for a meat loaf.  (Meat loaf, scalloped potatoes and Brussels sprouts . . . what better a winter time meal!)  Although I may save that for tomorrow's dinner while we finish the Black Bean Soup in the refrigerator today.

I made a little different concoction for brunch this morning.  I fried three strips of bacon in a skillet, removed and chopped them, sauteed some onion in the bacon fat, added some cooked green beans and two chopped hard-boiled eggs.  Heated it all together, added salt and pepper and a slice of toast on the plate . . . a real gor-met-ish meal.  At least for this homestead.

Hubby is on the Internet doing a search for gloves which might do a better job of keeping his fingers from getting tingly as they did when he was out for morning chores.  The warmest hand coverings we have are choppers which are leather mittens with wool liners.  But there are certain things you cannot do with them on (anything requiring finger dexterity) so we both need to find a glove that insulates separated fingers to the max.

The wild birds, especially the little Black-Capped Chickadees, are looking as if they're still hepped up on holiday cheer as they zoom from feeder to feeder.

I know it's creating some difficulties for those of you having this extremely cold weather in locations where you don't usually get it.  I really hope you and your animals aren't suffering unduly. 

Up here we're set up for this kind of weather.  Although we, personally, weren't always.  It's definitely been an evolution in "getting it right."  I could tell you stories of our first years up here that would make you question our sensibilities.  Those "adventures" made my mother want to snatch our then toddler from us and raise her under more desirable circumstances.  It all turned out fine, though, because our daughter grew up loving the area as we do and wouldn't live anywhere else.

Speaking of Chicken Mama, I hope she blogs of the night she had last night.  I think she practiced a little "winter camping."  Inside.

I'm off to check the wood stoves.  They seem to be consuming wood at a very rapid rate.