Weather and Housekeeping

(Could there be a more banal topic for a post??)

Too lazy to get out the vacuum yesterday morning, I was doing a quick sweep of the kitchen floor with broom and dust pan.  Since I was home alone with granddog, Tucker, I asked him how so much debris and so many dust bunnies can accumulate on a regular basis . . . to which he replied with a sneeze so large he banged his chin on the floor.

Truth to tell, our summer and fall seasons do seem to bring more dirt into the house than other times of the year.  We're in and out more during the "nice" weather and don't always change our footwear at the door.

In the winter, boots come off in the entry way and if anything does get tracked in, it's clean snow which melts into clean droplets.

However, when true winter time does arrive, it brings its own challenges . . . in the form of dust.  Wood burning dust.  No doubt about it, burning wood as your main source of heat is not as "clean" as other methods. 

I guess no matter the time of year, there's no escaping a certain amount of dust and dirt, grit and grime that an active household generates.

Laurie over at 111 LaLa Lane asked yesterday if we have been keeping warm.  She's in a more southern part of the country than we are up here in northern Minnesota.  In answer I have to say we've not been challenged by any really cold weather yet.  We've had an unusually warm fall and early winter.

Talking with the check-out clerk in our local co-op yesterday, he commented that his yard, garden, trees, and shrubbery have never looked so good.  Our pleasant weather has enabled him to continue to have one more day, one more day, one more day to work on those fall outside projects much later into the season than usual.

Having said that, this morning we have our first dusting of snow on the ground.  The above picture was taken at first light this morning.  It isn't more than a dusting and will undoubtedly disappear quickly.  With our overnight low only 34°, you know no real serious snow could make an appearance.

So, Laurie, to answer your question, we've had no problem keeping warm into this early winter season.  Plus, I've heard reports that our region of the country will have a warmer winter with less snow than we normally do.  Snow lovers that we are, we'll probably be bemoaning the lack of that snow, but on the other hand, our supply of dry wood in the sheds may still look pretty good come spring.  

We're scheduled to have a few "colder" days, including this weekend, but then back to our mild weather again.  Go figure.

So for a time yet, it seems the house (and the housekeeper) will get a reprieve from the winter wood heating dust.  The other debris and dust bunnies?  I'll just keep sweeping . . . and maybe even have to get out the vacuum cleaner one of these days.