Getting Tired Of Fighting The Fight This Winter ...

[eclecticcottage]

DH had to take the LP torpedo heater over to the rental and heat the crawl space to defrost the pipes today. Even have heat tape-just one spot right where it comes out of the ground froze. Glad it's defrosted now.

We have ONE little part of our stacks accessible right now because of major drifting. I'm over getting to the stacks. We've got plenty enough wood on them, it's just hard to reach. Even the "accessible" portion means climbing through a 3' drift.

Dixie, check out NYSERDA's site-you might qualify for a free door blower test if you're interested. Good way to find leaks and sealant is cheap. We hit a low of 49 in the house last year during the vortex and made it to the 50s more times than I'd like to count. We did the test in the fall (never did get our report, but whatever) and found plenty of leaks that we sealed. Been in the 60s and 70s this year-even accidently made it to 83 the other day when it was in the 20's (not used to all that heat lol).

Not looking forward to spring. It'll be a long cool one for sure-once it starts to warm up enough they'll pull the (lake erie) ice boom (hold the ice back on the lake) and send the ice down our way and drop the temps all over again.

 

[begreen]

If you can't lick 'em, join 'em.

 

[ironpony]

I gave up last year and am in the process of cashing out everything. Last winter for me here, Next one will be here

 

[Bobbin]

I've been bravely continuing my walking regimen, but it's taken a great deal of intestinal fortitude to suit up and head on out on every available opportunity. I believe getting "suited up" is half the battle. Once I'm out there and trukkin' along I'm OK, it's the getting out there that's tough...

I can see the maple trees beginning to take on the rosey glow, but the buds sure aren't swelling! We've had to move the bird feeders closer to the house and they're jammed from sunrise to sunset. We even reload them when it's been really cold; I'm amazed at how the little tykes survive these temperatures. Amazing.

I know it will "break", but WOW! nearly every day this month has been below average. I think we've officially cracked 32 twice so far. (it will break, it will break, it will break... )

 

[Warm_in_NH]

I just realized that I'm behind on getting my sap lines set up. All the cold and snow had me not realizing that sugaring could be starting as soon as next week here! (I hope)

 

[DBNH22]

I gave up last year and am in the process of cashing out everything. Last winter for me here, Next one will be here

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Almost every winter the thought of packing up and leaving New England creeps into my mind but then Spring Summer and Fall come and I remember that there's no place on earth I'd rather be during those months than New England, more specifically Maine and NH. Besides not all winters here are as bad as the last two. I remember New Years day about 4-5 years ago my wife and I went to York Beach and actually walked on the beach because it was so mild.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

I gave up last year and am in the process of cashing out everything. Last winter for me here, Next one will be here

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Felt odd watching the superbowl on an outside projector screen, pulling my beers out of a cooler full of ice, listening to the waves crash in the background while in Antigua this year. I'm not sure you're going to like it.

 

[Bobbin]

York Beach? the Banana Belt of Maine! I know it well; always pack a trowel and a plastic bag when the dog and I visit!

The thing about New England is that you think you have to "suffer" a bit to really appreciate the entire year's worth of seasons. You don't! you simply have to accept that it can be numbingly cold and sometimes inconvenient... and dress accordingly! Lol.

I stalwartly maintain that dressing appropriately and making yourself sally forth to "take the air" daily is the way to fight the winter "blues" and keep yourself vital! The way I see it, you can sit in your house, feel confined, and grouse, OR! you can "suit up", make an effort to go outdoors and be part of winter and watch for signs of coming "spring". They're everywhere at this time of year, but if you don't make the effort to look for them you'll never see them. It's 18 here and I'm about to put in my 4 mile forced march. It "sucks" more right now that it will when I'm underway.

I believe, I believe, I believe... (I really do!)

 

[DBNH22]

York Beach? the Banana Belt of Maine! I know it well; always pack a trowel and a plastic bag when the dog and I visit!

The thing about New England is that you think you have to "suffer" a bit to really appreciate the entire year's worth of seasons. You don't! you simply have to accept that it can be numbingly cold and sometimes inconvenient... and dress accordingly! Lol.

I stalwartly maintain that dressing appropriately and making yourself sally forth to "take the air" daily is the way to fight the winter "blues" and keep yourself vital! The way I see it, you can sit in your house, feel confined, and grouse, OR! you can "suit up", make an effort to go outdoors and be part of winter and watch for signs of coming "spring". They're everywhere at this time of year, but if you don't make the effort to look for them you'll never see them. It's 18 here and I'm about to put in my 4 mile forced march. It "sucks" more right now that it will when I'm underway.

I believe, I believe, I believe... (I really do!)

I don't sit around in the house 24-7 in the winter. I do try to make the most of it. But personally I find the capacity for enjoyment in winter in New England pales in comparison to the capacity for enjoyment in the summer. I grew up in NH but don't ice skate, ski, snowmobile, snowboard etc etc etc My view of winter in New England is that it's the price that must be paid to live in and enjoy New England from April to mid October. Some people grow up in a place, can't wait to leave and then they do. Others grow up in a place and know that they can never leave because that place is part of their DNA and they'd be lost somewhere else. It may be a love hate relationship with NE winter and the rest of the year but New England is in my DNA.

 

[firefighterjake]

Y. . .

I stalwartly maintain that dressing appropriately and making yourself sally forth to "take the air" daily is the way to fight the winter "blues" and keep yourself vital! The way I see it, you can sit in your house, feel confined, and grouse, OR! you can "suit up", make an effort to go outdoors and be part of winter and watch for signs of coming "spring". They're everywhere at this time of year, but if you don't make the effort to look for them you'll never see them. It's 18 here and I'm about to put in my 4 mile forced march. It "sucks" more right now that it will when I'm underway.

I believe, I believe, I believe... (I really do!)

Winter used to seem veryyyyyyyyyyyyy long to me . . . then I got into snowmobiling . . . now it sometimes seems awfully short depending on the snow conditions.

For my wife who does not get outside and do any winter time activities the winter always seems quite long . . . one reason why we were in the habit of going south every year for a few years. Didn't do that last year or this year due to money we spent on the home . . . figures . . . last winter seemed to drag on forever and this winter has just been very cold and very snowy. If we go next south next year we'll probably be guaranteed a short, warm winter.

 

[hamsey]

Jake, Maybe we can all pitch in and get some plane tickets for you next year

 

[firefighterjake]

Jake, Maybe we can all pitch in and get some plane tickets for you next year

Honestly . . . I don't need 'em . . . my wife might though . . . and Dixie . . . definitely Dixie!

 

[Warm_in_NH]

If you look closely at the pile of snow, you'll see the tiki torch is starting to reveal itself again! We're getting there!

 

[TX-L]

-6 last night, -10 tonight, 0 tomorrow and Saturday nights. And the beat goes on... I'm used to it, actually.

Snowmobiling tomorrow, "Old Dog" (vintage sled) show and ride on Saturday, Old Dog races on Sunday. I was invited to snowshoe hike a mountain in the Adirondacks on Sunday as well, but will opt for the races instead; I don't think I can do the 10 mile round tripper up a peak and back down. See, there is a lot to do during the winter if one applies oneself! Embrace it while you can.

 

[BrotherBart]

Night before last was 18 degrees, 1 degree, below normal and it snowed again last night. Third snow storm in 10 days. Really, really tired of this stuff and setting temp records. I was tired of stove tending by Thanksgiving, as usual.

Air conditioners ya just plug in and they are self feeding.

 

[Dix]

I'll take that ticket

Weatherman puts us into the 40's next week !

 

[Dix]

Dixie, Dixie, Dixie.......
It's still winter Babe, you ought to know what your getting yourself into living out there....
Before you know it the flowers will be popping out....... And by the way, why aren't you 3 years out with good dry wood?
You know better......

Babe 'Dis.

IF I could get to the back stacks, I would. I'm not falling on ice at 10 PM, and having no one around to save my frozen self

 

[BrotherBart]

Babe 'Dis.

Heck a Texan would have called ya "sugar".

Sugar.

 

[hamsey]

If we go next south next year we'll probably be guaranteed a short, warm winter.

Sorry, Ticket is for Jake only for reason quoted above.

 

[Jags]

Dix - I'm with ya. -15 this morning. Tired of it. We didn't get blasted by the snow like you folks, but it has been darned cold for a long time. More than a month of 15+ degrees below normal with a rare break.

 

[velvetfoot]

The cross county skiing has been great.

 

[gzecc]

I don't tend to grouse too much about things beyond my control. Weather is one of them, but sign me up to the "winter weary club", too. When I was a kid I always used to hope for an "early spring" so maybe I could have my birthday party outdoors... spring never comes that early. And it damn sure won't this year!

I can't believe how much snow we have on the ground right now. The good thing is that it insulates plants and provides an insulating buffer against the unrelenting cold. The downside is that it sits, unmelted atop rooves and awaiting the first rain which it will eagerly absorb and retain, increasing the load on said rooves. Roof collapses are increasingly common in New England, and deaths from roof clearing accidents are increasing. Let's hope for a break soon... and gentle, gradual increase in temperatures that allow the snowpack to dwindle away harmlessly!

It will melt away and in the next heat wave (which will arrive) we'll marvel at how much snow and how cold it was.

(I time my forced marches. Yesterday I set out on my forced march at 9AM; it was 24, upon my return, 75 minutes later, it was 20. Today, I'll shoot for later afternoon and the predicted high... 15-18. I'll be fully suited up... sporting the balaclava and walking more briskly than usual, no doubt)

Also think it insulates the GD ticks that spread lyme. After the miserable winter of 95 we had the worst tick season.

 

[JustWood]

Pretty normal winter for here. With Lake Erie froze over it will be a long spring. Just like ice cubes in a drink prolongs the chill.

 

[valuman]

I used to have to begin battling a tendency toward winter depression right after the leaves fell in October and those cold northwest winds began to blow. Once I learned to get my butt outside to enjoy the fall and winter weather, life changed for me and I would not want to move back to Florida, where I grew up. I love the northern New England winters now and April has become one of my least favorite months of the year.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

That's one cold wave on Nantucket!