The Nadir of Winter

It doesn't feel like it tonight, but we've passed the nadir of winter. The days are getting longer. This is the time of year when the temperatures bottom out and begin to trend higher. In a couple of weeks we should begin experiencing some daily highs above freezing. Then the glacier surrounding the cabin can begin to recede.

Our driveway is a continuous, treacherous ice sheet, but still navigable on most days. There have been days and nights where we must hike in and out. It's cold but the exercise and views are breathtaking. Thus far the car and truck have reliably started but I think both are becoming weary of subzero weather. 

Seventy Degree Difference Between In and Out

The NWS forecasts minus ten tomorrow morning, but it's usually warm and cozy inside. It'll be nice to get back out again and resume the projects. It's too cold and icy to work on the window trim and firewood stockpiling. Our boots have ice gripping spikes but it's difficult and risky to do much outdoor work. 

Frost Covered Window

Our remaining single-pane windows are often painted with beautiful, intricate frost patterns. It's cold on the porch. I use it as a walk in freezer. The new double-pane, argon filled windows are amazingly efficient, but often the first casualty of efficiency is charm.

The Dog Toaster

The beagle spends all but a few minutes of her day on the couch. Here she is in front of the dog toaster. Occasionally we'll augment the wood stove with a portable heater, this one is a small propane heater that's popular with the ice fishing crowd. We don't run it overnight. The beagle stays warm all day and night in front of the wood stove or Kero-Sun heater. 

Juno, a Classic Nor'easter

We weren't affected by Juno, the recent nor'easter that dumped two feet of snow on Boston. The trailing edge of the storm had little energy, most people west of the Hudson River received no snow while the east side got buried. The next big storm system is due tomorrow, but all we will get is bitterly cold temperatures. 

Cold, but a Beautiful Sunrise

When it's below zero, the sunrise provides beautiful show as the morning light is reflected off the Sentinels. The trillions of little ice crystals that flash-form on supercold surfaces sparkle in the dawn. All these subtle effects can't be fully captured in a photo. 

A Winter Sky at Sunset

When the sun makes an appearance - it's not a daily affair - the sunsets are also gorgeous. No matter how many times we've seen it, we have to stop and appreciate the beauty. If you can do that without getting anxious about getting off schedule, then you've crossed into the world of the country person. That's the same culture that expects a long chat with neighbors instead of a curt 'hi, howya doing?'. Which culture is better for the soul?

Our daily low temperatures will creep into the double digits by the end of February - maybe all the way to 11 above zero. Winter retains a firm grip but it's gradually relaxing.