Deep Freeze

Todd on Mt. Garfield

We’ve been in the deep freeze lately, with temperatures below zero or in the single digits most of the time. The high next Saturday is forecast to be -10f and the low -20f. Throw in the windchill factor, and we can make snow by hurling boiling water into the air. Are we crazy (asks my brother who lives in Florida)? Okay, maybe. But after all, we live in Northern New England.

We enjoy four distinct seasons, and winter is one of them. And we’re privileged to have an ample supply of firewood, a well-insulated little house, and propane to fuel our back-up furnace. Throw in a generator for power failures, and we’re assured our pipes won’t freeze. Knock wood, of course. (The feature image for this post on the main page is of our cement dogs in front of our little house, sporting their festive Christmas jingle collars as they disappear into the snow.)

Winter hike

We also embrace the cold. Snow means skiing, snow shoeing, and ice skating (when conditions are just right). Unfortunately for the alpine ski areas, despite an ample snowpack, severe cold has cut into their business. My niece Hannah works at Wildcat up by Mount Washington, and they’ve had to close due to sub-zero temperatures and wind.

Todd still hikes with his Wednesday hiking crew, though they do adjust their hikes according to weather conditions. Last week’s outing was an ascent of Mount Garfield, which is only exposed at the summit. The rest of the hike is through woods, breaking trail in two feet of snow. Ugh. But they love it! The biggest challenge is probably keeping hydrated and fed. One hiker’s Camelbak hose snapped right off before he could even attempt to suck water through it, and Todd only ate half of his PB & J because by the time he got to the second half it was frozen solid. Good grief!

Sled technician at work!

Our favorite winter sport over the holidays has been sledding. Our 1,100 foot, steep driveway makes a perfect luge run when the snow is packed and grippy enough that we don’t need to put sand down for cars. There’s one big turn to add to the excitement, and the moon has been growing to full, making for excellent night sledding. We bundle up in several layers and slide away! Click here to go to my YouTube channel to see the Bartlett family sledding, first Rachel with six-year-old Elsa on her back, then Steve with dog Briar running behind. (The photo to the left is Elsa “sharpening” the sled runners with an ice ball. She likes speed!)

The walk back up the hill is very warming, but even more fun is when Todd is out on his tractor and offers a tow. The photo below shows Todd giving the Bartletts and their sleds a lift back to the top. See Steve’s neon-orange knit cap? He’s sliding on his back (by choice, of course!).

The Sled Train!

Inside our house, the temperature only cracks 60 degrees when we’ve had the wood stove cranking for most of the day, but it feels cozy compared to the Arctic outdoors! I simply put on a hat every morning before I make my way downstairs to start breakfast. As for dog Beau, he has a coat and boots for going out for walks. No kidding! And inside, he makes a beeline for the couch, settling onto the end closest to the wood stove. 

On the farm, the animals huddle together in the barn. A couple of chickens went on walkabout one night and froze to death. I guess they get the Darwin award. Sorry, chickens. I do worry about all the creatures out in the woods that aren’t in deep, cozy hibernation. I hope they’re getting enough calories to keep their internal furnaces stoked. One thing’s for sure: the days are getting longer and spring is around the corner. In the meantime, the moon is full tonight and the sled run beckons! 

Beau in his sub-zero gear!