The Beef Barley soup is really good - hits the spot after being out in the cold. I didn’t have stew meat so I used ground beef, which works just fine. I also made my own ‘brown gravy’ package instead of buying one.
As much as I want chickens, taking care of animals in this weather is not something I want to do ... I tip my hat to you taking care of all the dogs, cats, chickens, mule, steer, etc. in this weather!
We went to a bday early evening get-together yesterday for our friend. The temps were about 7 degrees with a wind chill somewhere in the negative digits.
I was pretty bundled up. Long Johns underneath my blue jeans. Turtleneck with another top over it. Thick partly woolen socks. Followed by coats, scarves, hats, gloves.
When we got inside the winery, we found our friends were not dressed like we were. Bday friend was in short sleeves and blue jeans. His wife had on a lightweight long sleeved blouse. I was very confused. How can it be that I dress in multiple layers, and this guy had on short sleeves? Is something wrong with him…or with me?
I’ll say him, because I think that’s crazy. I see people up here with multiple layers on. I’m warm enough when I do that. Shorts sleeves in this weather? You must have a screw loose. I love my friend, but I will always remember this weird birthday of his.
Blizzard of '78 we got 3 feet in two days. Made some money shoveling but we got more and at 13 years old, it was hard throwing that snow up over shoulder height.
My sister slid off the road coming home from work and was at the end of a driveway for a retirement home. Plows came along and completely buried her car. My dad went and put a sign in the snow pile saying Buried Car because he was worried the plows or front end loaders would do some further cleaning up and hit it. Once the storm was over, we went and shoveled it out. It started right up. Would have made a good commercial for the battery company.
I used to walk to school in the snow. They had little sidewalk plows but then the street plows would sling more snow back on the sidewalk. I think it was probably a mile to school but it beat sitting on that bouncy cold bus for 45 minutes.
When we visited my aunt/uncle's place after some sticky snow, we went down a 2 mile long road that was lined with large white birch trees. They would hang over the road nearly touching each other. With the road still covered in snow, it made it a white tunnel. I was hooked.
I'm sure if I drove somewhere right now, I'd be the first set of tire tracks for the 6 miles to the state hwy. I usually am after some snow because I do still love the scenic drive and it only happens once or twice a year here. Might have to go sweep off the truck and warm it up. You know, just in case of emergency. Maybe pull it forward a little too see if it will. Wonder how the neighbors are getting along?
My son goes to his mom's most weekends including this one so with no one too keep the home fire burning, it was chilly in here when I got home yesterday. Had plenty of coals and as I built up the fire, I opened the blinds so I'd have a nice view of all the white snow. Made it feel warmer in here. High tunnel is covered with a few inches but I'm not worried about it.
Had another load of firewood delivered a couple of days ago. It was dark when they showed up as usual. Loaded a bunch in the back of the truck the next day and saw that they brought me nothing but red oak. Nice. Little greener than I like but it burns and lasts a while. I still have plenty of the last load of drier stuff to keep this greener stuff going good and to make it rip roar to burn off the creosote BEFORE it gets built up and can turn into a burn your house down stove pipe fire. I pretty much do that every morning with these low temps.
Oh boy, the wood stove is running at cooking temperature. Time to break out the cast iron and do some cooking and re-seasoning. Just measured the bacon. I finally got a square cast iron skillet. I was hoping to find a 12" square and they did make them once upon a time but it's a rare find. Ended up with a new Lodge 10-1/2" square but haven't used it yet. Bacon is 10-1/2" long. Cool. Will have to break out the Dutch Oven that I've also yet to use. It's a steel plate stove and has a 16" x 20" flat area up front. Been a while since I've cooked on it. We're on the grid now. Have to go out and find the 16" round smoker lid that I use to turn it into an oven. I use the round smoker grates to keep things up off the steel plate surface in oven mode. That thing's had homemade pizza and a lot of corn bread made on it.
No-Knead Crusty Bread? 
Noticed 4-5 pickup trucks hanging out at the volunteer fire house in town last night. Yeah I made a beer run after dark in the snow. Just me and a bunch of other crazies who drive in it because we can. Prayers for all the people running wood stoves.
Seems like there's always 1-2 per year that burn their house down because they didn't check their stove pipes to make sure they're solid and/or don't know to get that fire hot every day or three to keep the creosote burned off. I always have to rake a spot where leaves collect right below the edge of the roof that has the stove pipe straight up from it. Couple of embers come down and I'll have a leaf pile burning up against the 100% wood house, aside from the metal roof.
I've got two little pieces of wood in here. Time to get dressed and go play in the snow.