January 24, 2014

Aren’t furnaces wonderful? I just realized last night, as I was trying to fall asleep, that I am, at present, quite infatuated with ours. Well, after all, it keeps chugging away, night and day, no matter what the rest of us are doing—working, sleeping, eating or playing the piano, there it is, alone in a dark corner of the basement, doing it’s job, keeping the house toasty warm—well, maybe not toasty since the thermostat is at the lowest bearable setting to save on oil, but compared to outdoors? Deliciously warm!

Oh there’ve been times when it was ailing, and let us down—typically on a weekend when it costs a week’s groceries just to have the service man step inside the door! But thankfully, those occasions are rare. Mostly, it chugs along faithfully, warming pipes and registers, toes and noses too.

It was minus-two out on Back Porch this morning, and that was after the sun came up! Our birds were fluffed up twice-their-usual, taking turns at the feeders with little of the usual morning bickering. Funny how that works. Birds that are seemingly arch-enemies in the warmer months, sit side-by-side on the porch railing now, peacefully dining at the same table, some even hopping aside in deference as if to say, ‘Oh! Here… you take this one, I’ll just move over here a bit.’ Funny how dire circumstances can bring out the best in us. What wonderful lessons we could take from nature, huh?

Sammie Squirrel sits in prayer-pose, huddled under a fluffy tail-blanket laid snuggly atop his back, right up to his ears! You know its cold when he does that! He’s breaking open sunflower seeds as fast as his little paws can manage and in this weather, that kind of dexterity can only be admirable!

A thin white spiral of smoke winds its way out of MouseHouse chimney. They, like all their Village friends, are in huddle-mode with temps like this. These are the days they planned so carefully for back in August when they worked on preparing their winter homes, carefully stocking them with warm quilts and cushy bedding, and pantries with ample supplies of winter goodies. And now they are enjoying the fruit of their labors, snuggling together, making the most of family time while the cold winds blow.

So in keeping with those lessons we can learn from nature, I too need to do less moaning about the cold and snow, snuggle into a cushy recliner, wrapped in a cozy quilt, and nurse a steaming bowl of chowder. Yum. Good idea. I'll get right on that.

Now did I mention how in love I am with our furnace? Oh, and the woodstove too.