As I look outside this morning I am amazed at the diversity of nature. Normally at this time of year the ground is covered with at least a couple feet of snow. This year there is almost none and it seems like every time there is a fairly good accumulation we have some unseasonably warm weather and it melts! I've never experienced a winter like this one. We haven't even had to have a tractor come in and plow the driveway yet! I wonder what the spring will bring. Will it be dry? or will the rains come and give us and the farms around us the moisture we need? What about this summer? Will it be colder than normal? Two summers ago we had an unusually cold summer and ended up using the wood stove at least one or more nights each month! So much of what we do is dependent on the weather and living this way seems to bring a person so much closer to the land and what is happening on it.
When living in the city I rarely thought about it but our here thoughts about the weather are constant. Not worrisome, but always somewhere in the back of your mind. What will the weather permit me to do today? If it is too cold, nothing outside, but if warm maybe a quad ride to see where Rocky and Bullwinkle are, or that new moose spotted yesterday with a huge rack of horns. Even my baking is planned according to the weather. Thursday will supposedly be the coldest day this week and since we heat with the same stove that bakes our bread, baking heats up the house substantially. Why not do it on the coldest day as that is the day I will need to add extra wood to it anyway.
Our trips into town, the gardening and almost every other aspect of what we do outside is done according to the weather. Yet many days it is hard to plan in advance! Our local weather service seems unable to predict with much accuracy what the weather will be like on any given day let alone a week in advance. So, for the most part we take whatever they say with a grain of salt and wait until morning. Then take a look outside, check the temperature gauge and see what the weather is really going to be like!
Well so much for my musings today. I have many things to accomplish. Have a great one everyone!
When living on the grid, we certainly don't think so much about heating/cooling and our daily tasks very much. Very eye opening to hear about your sort of "weather eye open" at all times. You certainly feel the heartbeat of the land. Thank you so much for sharing. I love your blog!
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