Sunday, January 22, 2012

things I've learned this winter...

1. If the snowplow truck is coming, quickly run to the other side of the road.  (luckily I didn't have to learn this one the hard way)

2. Stacking wood is much easier in September than in December when you have to kick the pieces because they are frozen to the ground or in January when they are hidden under a layer of snow.

3. Your body can't differentiate any temperature under 0 F.

4.  Even "real Mainers" get excited when the daylight lasts until 5pm, as opposed to dusk at 3:30pm in late December.

5. Maine really does look like the cover of the LL Bean catalogue, the trees all beautifully flocked with snow, the ice fishermen in their little huts, the skiers in their adorable hats. Swooshing through the woods on my cross country skis, with the snow gently falling I feel like the cameraman is just behind a tree ready to put me in an advertisement. 

6. Wool mittens keep your hands warmer than fancy gloves. 


7. The basement is going to be 60F no matter how much oil you use trying to heat it so you might as well bring all the schoolbooks to the living room and work on the floor in front of the wood stove. 


8. The best way to feel warm is to eat hot soup, drink hot cocoa, and read aloud books about really cold winters, such as Julie and the Wolves or The Long Winter.

2 comments:

dstb said...

Have you read Sign of the Beaver? My boys loved it. Set in Maine.

Also, Lost on a Mountain in Maine. I have not read it, but have heard good things about it.

Sarah

kat said...

We went and heard Mr. Felton talk about his experience lost in the northern woods and had him sign our copy of Lost on a Mountain in Maine. Good book, thank you for reminding me of that one. I will have to look for Sign of the Beaver at the library.