Wednesday, November 7, 2007

New Sensations

November the 6th could have been a beautiful day. The rain had cleared. The sun was out. The sky was blue.














But the wind was blowing so hard I couldn't stand to be outside for very long.




There oughta be a law against wind below a certain temperature. What are ya tryin to do, make me sick?

I felt for the trees and all the creatures that live outside. How do they survive this? I thought I was gonna die. The rain from the night before was turning to ice in spots, after the sun came up. It was getting colder and I physically shivered for the first time since I can remember. I am not prepared with the right clothes for this.

Out in the garden the mystery Blue Aster was unfazed. I needed long underwear.














The Picea abies, Bird's Nest Spruce was covering up for the winter with clothes shed from the trees and my thoughts were turning to long underwear, thick long sleeved shirts, woolen socks and layers.

This is only the first blast of winter and I thought I was gonna die.














I had to go get a new drill to screw in the boards for the deck. I was going to find me some long underwear too.

In the setting sun the ever thinning trees remain beautiful to the bitter end.

I came home and put on my new long underwear. Aaahhh! That feels so good. I think I'm gonna make it.














This morning the wind had stopped and it was colder. The two competing thermometers usually have a five degree difference between them so it was some where around 25 degrees. I stepped outside in my new layers and I felt fine.

















Off to my cozy little cabin construction site I went to finish putting the boards on the front porch and back stoop. Unfortunately I was two boards short which is OK since I need to put some flashing between the house and the deck. Unfortunately the stacked wall frames overhang the house floor and are in the way of putting on the flashing unless I move those heavy things and all the lumber now stacked on them by myself. Finishing the last two boards on the deck may have to wait until spring.

It just goes to show you, it's always something.

7 comments:

Carol Michel said...

Long underwear already? I usually wait until temps are in the teens, but then I'm not usually outside working in the cold weather. The wind can be brutal. One piece of advice... dress in layers and then as you warm up and the day warms up, you can peel off one layer at a time... t-shirt, long-sleeve t-shirt, flannel shirt, coat...you get the idea.

And wear a hat. It does make a difference!

Carol at May Dreams Gardens

LostRoses said...

Sheesh, this post made me shiver to read it (and watch it). Definitely long underwear and flannel shirt weather. Glad you got some.

Annie in Austin said...

No kidding, Christopher - it's worth risking hat-hair to keep in some warmth, especially since you've lost weight.

The photos still look beautiful, but your words are making me shiver like lostroses. Living in Austin has turned me into a sissy about cold weather.

Annie

chuck b. said...

Oh, I am all about long underwear as soon as it gets below 55 windy or sitting still. Besides hats, I also advocate thick socks. California boy does not do cold.

Anonymous said...

Okay, maybe I'm having second thoughts about moving to that area of the country. Too funny! (but seriously, I do hope you get warm soon)

Anonymous said...

Funny post. I agree with Carol's advice; I am skinny too. Just to make you feel better, my husband (a native Floridian), calls Northern Va. the "G__ D__ Cold Frozen North" - despite having lived here for 30 yrs now.
Global warming may help. (:

Christopher C. NC said...

I'll be warm very soon. Tomorrow I am headed to Florida for a few days for my Mom's 80th birthday suprise party.

In the meantime long underwear, a t-shirt, longsleeved t-shirt, thick jacket and yes a knit hat which has some how followed me around for the last thirty years gets put on my head. The hat even improves my morning bed head hair.

I do need to find me some better socks and house shoes for the cold tile floors. Using two pair of socks at a time works for now.

Bev that tid bit about your native Floridian husband does not bode well for this native Floridian Hawaiian transplant.

I must adjust.