Saturday, November 16, 2013

Single digits

Fall is beginning its transition into winter. I think that our spell of mild temperatures is over. This morning we're down to 2ºC (about 35ºF) and there seems to be ice on our roof windows. The forecast for the next few days shows only single digits, from freezing (zero) up to around 7º or 8º highs (mid 40s F), with high pressure keeping us under a fog layer. Standard November weather.

Sights like this are fewer and farther between as the air chills down.

The daily wood fire is now routine. I clean the ashes out of the wood stove in the morning, then go outside for kindling and some logs. I usually split a few logs with the axe while I'm at it for better burning. I make the fire just after lunch (or earlier if the house has cooled down too much) and keep it going until the evening. We warm the house up in the morning with the oil-fired central heating system.

I added the heavy wool blanket to the bed yesterday. Last night I was toasty warm and slept very well.

9 comments:

  1. this was our weather earlier in the week; on sunday it's supposed to hit 70F!

    currently 4a saturday morning, raining, 46F. have a nice weekend!

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  2. Does France not have piped gas? Or is it because you are in a small town that you don't have gas?

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  3. If only we can have just a few days without rain! We still have potatoes to lift and onions to plant and mowing to do!

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  4. Wood fires! Yummy smell :) I'll bet that your house smells great all during the cold weather, between the cooking and the everyday wood fires. :)

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  5. I added the heavy winter blanket to our bed yesterday too....here in AZ it's dropping into the 50's (F).......haha!

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  6. this sounds lovely; how I miss a 'real fire'.
    Here it is 'down to 60 degrees'

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  7. I've only ever been in a house once where they used the fireplace and it didn't seem to be much help in heating the place.

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  8. anne marie, wow! 70 in November. Like in San Fran. :)

    andrew, yes, they have piped gas, but not where we live. It's a small hamlet, so we have either propane or heating oil (which is our case).

    pauline, yes, a few days without rain (or bruine) would be good. I want to cut the grass again, too.

    judy, I suppose it does, but you know how it is. You don't notice so much when you're used to it. So you will just have to come and smell for yourself! lol

    lynn, oh, you poor things! I suppose that for you desert dwellers, the 50's can feel quite chilly.

    michael, real fires are nice, but lots of work. Tradeoffs, no?

    starman, ours is not a fireplace but a wood stove (which actually sits inside the fireplace). Big iron box that gets very hot with fire inside. It warms us up nicely.

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