The Long Winter

It strikes me as ironic that the week after I resolve to post more frequently, my computer died a sudden and unexpected death. Life, ladies and gentlemen.

Behold, the icy windows.

The title of this post is "The Long Winter." Aptly so. The picture to the right might give you an idea of why it's been feeling eternal. The temperatures around here have been ridiculously cold (even down to -29 degrees F), and the condensation created by the gas heater trickles down and freezes all the windows and doors shut with a layer of, yes, that is ice. It's an adventure for sure, but it's one that gets old after a couple days of coming home after a long day of work and not being able to even get inside my own house.

Another reason is the fortune I've spent on propane. Every three weeks I needed another tank while we were using the trailer heater, but fortunately about a month ago my dad installed a gas fireplace... it's 99.9% efficient instead of the 60% efficient, 20 year old trailer heater. He's tried to console me by reasoning that when The Costs of Winter are spread out over a year, they won't be as overwhelming, which of course is true... and costs aside, this winter certainly hasn't been all that rough. The Long Winter has had some beautiful, snowy days, and when those beautiful snowy days are accompanied by a cozy blanket and a steaming cup of tea, it tends to put into perspective the frozen-door days.

Winter is not forever, so lately I've begun planning ahead for spring. I'm hoping to include two projects I've never attempted before: container gardening and chicken-keeping. The container garden seems like a productive way to maximize my small, rocky, uneven plot of land... I have high hopes of raising various vegetables, herbs, and flowers. It's been so long since I've had a real garden and I'm so excited to see what happens. By the end of the month, I'll be ordering my six little chicks! Three Black Australorps and three Buff Orpingtons are the breeds I'm planning to try first... from my research, I've gathered that they are good, reliable brown-egg layers, friendly family birds, and hardy enough to keep laying even into the winter. We have friends that have raised them together and found that they got along well. I'm still unsure as to what the coop situation will look like, exactly, but we shall see! My parents are excited for both the garden and the chickens because they plan to contribute things like bags of chickenfeed or potting soil in exchange for eggs and produce. Best. Trade. Ever.