When you walk outside at 10 below your nose hairs freeze up.
When you walk outside at 20 below, it is difficult to breathe. You might think breathing Alaska air would feel fresh and crisp. Not in the winter. In the winter, taking deep breaths (or any breaths at all) makes you feel like you are chocking on gas fumes. Apparently it isn't natural for our bodies to take in such frigid air.
At 30 below, frost forms INSIDE the windows and doors. Our windows are double pane. We really need to put up some plastic, which is common practice around here, but I've heard the frost still forms over the plastic.
My Friend lives in the house these days. We let him out to tee tee and he gets it done quick. He doesn't wear booties since he is only out 60-120 seconds at a time. When he is finished, he comes to the door and waits on his rescue while lifting a paw in the air. His little feet don't like the cold. Sometimes I think he's got cabin fever. Like on the day when he chewed off the strap of my favorite bra.
On Thursday, the public schools were closed. At the bus barn (where the buses park each night) the temperature read 50 below zero. You know if the schools are closed, the temperature is serious. I didn't have to go to work at the preschool that day, since there were less than 10 kids that showed up. Chuck had a lot to do, so he went on to work.
We don't have a thermometer out here at our place, but we live 6-7 miles from the bus barn. While the weatherchannel.com registered the area in our zip code to be 30 below, some areas around Delta Junction were reported to have been 60 below.
Vehicles don't like to start at 50 below. Doesn't matter whether they are plugged or in a garage. They don't like it. When I crank Chuck's truck at 30 below, it just whines and whines...for the first couple of minutes...in a real high pitch voice.
We don't leave the house these days without snow pants or bibs, a coat, hat, gloves, extra socks, and good boots. We carry all of it in and out each night. Frozen snow pants don't do a body good; not any good at all. That being said, we do keep extra blankets in the tool box. We can't carry it ALL in and out EACH day. We also keep a propane heater in the truck for emergencies. The Georgia-in-laws gave it to Chuck for his trip up. We really need to spring for an extra one now that we are in Alaska together. Women and children catch all the breaks, don't they?
I am learning that winter here is relentless. Winter doesn't care who you are. If you are stuck out in it, you will suffer. And if you are stuck out in it for long, you will die. Now, that sounds dramatic, but hey, it's totally true. I don't know how long it would take, but I do know the suffering would be incomprehensible.
It is difficult to be an outdoorsy type in temps beyond 20 below. That is, unless you are REAL serious about it. Folks who trap, people who have farm animals to tend for...they spend more time outside than most. But as I understand it, the goal is always to get out there, get it done, and get back inside.
Now there are even some folks who cross country ski or ice fish during this time of year. I don't know what the cut off temperatures are for leisure activities like those, but I recently talked with someone who is an avid cross country skier, and she and a group of others got together last week for some skiing. They went out with their skis and returned to a toasty pot of vegetables and other belly warming foods in a fire lit cabin.
I've seen a handful of people out ice fishing. There were about three brave souls rigidly, hovering around an ice hole. The rest were sitting in their heated vehicle and poking their little rod out of a cracked door. Most ice fisherman rent an ice shanty, equipped with a wood stove. Chuck got into ice fishing last year and really loved it, but that was in April. He wants to get us involved, but The Berry Princess and I might wait for a good, warm day to try it. Say something above -10. That's how crazy we are these days.
P.S. Technically it's still fall until December 21st.
12 Comments
J is one of those guys that ice fishes in these temps.
ReplyDeleteA couple years ago, 38 below. Last year, 30 below. With nothing but a fire on the ice to keep him warm. His insane friends went with him.
He came home after a few short hours on the 38 below trip. NOT because he was "too cold" (though he was), but because the ice auger wasn't working well at that temp.
Go figure.
He wants me, Beans, and Nugget to join him. THIS lady ain't going until he has a solid construction icehouse complete with heaters, like his pops had in ND. (They even had a camp stove for making pizzas for the kids! And a couch for naps. That's MY kind of ice fishing!)
Love the last picture :)
ReplyDeleteRained this morning, but was able to shop this afternoon in just a long sleeve shirt and jeans...no jacket, but it was mighty cold last week for FLorida standards.
Stay warm!! and Merry Christmas!!
I just could not do that. Not. Ever. I have worked in plenty of big freezers at -30 but I think I survived because I knew I could just walk out.
ReplyDeleteYou are much braver than me.
THose are great pics. AAaaaawwww My Friend. He's so confused, he's chewing off bra straps. Sounds like something Jessie would do. Her and I are wimps for the cold. That's one of the reasons I'm here in LA, see. The weather can't really be beat. It's raining right now and has been for the past three days or so, but it's nice because it cleans the air really well and makes all the smog go away. I know your standards for weather have probably lowered themselves at this point, and perfect LA weather would just be TOO perfect for ya. You'd maybe settle for hot summers and really cold winters.... Whatever, as long as you didn't fear for your life, right?
ReplyDeleteWe got a Christmas tree in the rain yesterday. I really don't know what kind of tree it is, but the needles smell very citrusy. So far, we've got the lights and the angel on. Think I'm gonna have enough ornaments, too. Did ya'll acquire enough ornaments to complete your tree?
Oh yeah.. Also, I cannot BELIEVE that frost on the INSIDE of your windows. WHAT?? That's crazy talk. The pics are so weird.. Looks like the inside of your house is the inside of a refrigerator. And that person who went cross-country skiing last week with some friends? No offense, but COO-COOOOOO.... The only part about that adventure that sounds good is the tasty pot of warm vegetables. That actually sounds delicious.
Oh man...that IS truly cold. A cold that I've certainlly never felt before. It sure takes a lot of work to stay warm, safe and sound up near the artic circle. Something that I knew in the back of my mind, but I didn't know exactly how much work it entails.
ReplyDeleteA tip for your pup for cabin fever: I'm not sure if My Friend loves treats, but this is what I used to do for my dog on rainy days. I took a dog puzzle toy (ususally a Kong) put a couple of dog treats inside, then spread the top with peanut butter or spread on cheese. Uusally cheese, since PB doesn't entirely freeze. Then, I stuck it in a baggy and put it in the freezer for the next day. Next day: took it out of the bag, and put it in the kitchen (usually near his water and food dish) and...ta da! OBSESSED. It took a while to get to the bottom and get to the treats inside. Dogs usually love it. I save it for desprate days. I don't know if your corner store has them. Maybe you could make a puzzle toy for My Friend. Look online for doggy puzzle toys for ideas. (And if you go for a Kong, make sure My Friend has a Kone Extreme, since he's a labrodoodle. ;) )
Good luck!
oh and I forgot to add, maybe you could make a dog toy? I'm only suggesting what I buy since I don't have a crafty bone in my body.
ReplyDeleteHey Moose Nugget. Yeah, Chuck is crazy like that too. He is trying to convince his friends (that have lived here MUCH longer)to go fishing with him and they all say, no way! But hey, did you know that you can rent an ice shanty for $15.00 a day through the MWR program at Fort Greely? You can also rent them through the Alaska Department of Fish and Game but I don't know the price.
ReplyDeleteOh Miz Liz, I do miss the simple days of one layer and no coat! Cherish it!
ReplyDeleteWhat edifice rex??? If anyone could do it, YOU could! Don't you know all your readers know how tough you are??
ReplyDeleteSister, You know I miss the rain. I miss thunderstorms too.
ReplyDeleteWhere'd you get your tree? From that place you were talking about?
OH Katie! I've never, ever thought of that! Seriously. Sometimes the simplest things don't come to me. He's never really liked stuffed animals (only crayons, my bra, and pin cushions) so I didn't think of a toy. I have never heard of a Kong. I am going to look for it next month in Fairbanks. THANKS!
We have triple pane windows (no plastic) and we have ice build up inside too. It's not so much the cold - although that's a big part of it - but the humidity inside your house, which causes the frost buildup. Just think... we're heating our homes to more than 100 degrees warmer than the outside! That's pretty impressive. :)
ReplyDeleteRaven has to wear her booties. Her poor paw pads are so chapped, she can't go out 'barefoot' any longer.
Stay warm, and Merry Christmas,
Susan
We got our tree from a Christmas tree farm down the road from here. It still very pretty and very green. I hate to throw it out, but I guess that would be a quality a hoarder might possess, so I will probably be takin' her down here real soon.
ReplyDelete