Six Below and Clear Skies, Sort Of (Dobbins Woods)

7:30

8:05

It's about 6:35 and when I checked the temperature, it was six below, much colder than expected and the sky off to the East is just beginning to lighten but you can tell it's clear, a hint of pink and blue.  We have a foot to a foot and a half of snow at least, as we had flurries on and off most of yesterday.  It should be a good day to either cross country ski or snow shoe.  I cannot wait.

My Snow Clearer

Dobbins Woods

Dobbins Woods

Yesterday, we did go off to Dobbins Woods, a nature preserve just above where the Artist's Tree used to be.  It was like skiing in a landscape made up of thick white frosting, as the trees, bushes, everything were weighed down by the snow, creating an amazing scene, though the pictures don't capture it as well as I would have liked.  Unfortunately, it was also wet beneath the snow, so my skiis kept icing up, so I ended up taking them off about half way through our hike and walking with them, rathe than wearing them.  The warm weather on Thursday, the rain, then the snow, most have insulated the ground somewhat, especially at Dobbins where it tends to be wet.  Still, it was a great way to spend an hour in the morning, just getting out and enjoying the cold and the beauty.

It's about 7:40 and the sun is just about to rise above the tree line, over Bemus and Wells Bay.  And it's no longer clear, completely cloud over to the north, though a large ribbon of clear sky runs just above the horizon, from Long Point to Wells Bay, an opening in the vast grayness as it were.  A bit of a wind, I cannot wait to walk outside and feel what it's like to be in six below weather, to hear the crunch of the snow.  Weather alert...amazingly, it is supposed to rain tomorrow.  Enjoy the day.

I just walked outside for a moment, to feel the cold, no wind, invigorating.  At first, it didn't feel much different from yesterday but almost immediately, I began to feel the cold take over my face, and I felt it begin to invade my limbs, as I walked back to the house, through the crunch of snow.

Last night I made my fried rice, with left over rice from our dinner on Wednesday.  Evie was my sous chef, cutting up the chicken, cabbage, mushrooms, scallions, and broccoli, and I put it together, with hot bean sauce, soy, and sesame oil.  It was good but could have used a bit more bite as I tend to not want to overdue the hot sauces.  I find this is the hardest part of cooking, making the final sauce or flavoring just right, not too hot, not too salty or salty enough.

Nothing on the agenda for today, perhaps cross country skiing at Long Point, once it warms up a bit.  And we have to decide what we want for dinner, no ideas as of yet, perhaps chicken and biscuits at the Rod and Gun?  I don't think we'll want to leave our home twice in one day, so I assume Evie will come up with something tasty.  It's amazing how much of the day eating takes up, planning meals, prepping and cooking them, cleaning up afterwards, and of course talking about them, making a shopping list, and going to the store, coming home and putting everything away.  It's no wonder so many people just eat out or buy ready made meals from Weggies for six bucks.  But what to do do then in place of all he planning, buying, cooking, and cleaning up?  Watch the tube?  Exercise?  Read a book? I suppose it depends on who you are.