Tag: walking in cold weather

One-eyed Walking

It was 18 F (-7.8 C) when we went walking this morning. I knew to wear a sweater and my winter coat, since that was comfortable yesterday when the temperature was 22 F (-5.6 C). I was still in sneakers, while John switched to his work boots. I suppose I was generating heat, and that’s why the left lens of my glasses fogged up. On a normal day I have a hard enough time seeing the ground with trifocals, so navigating today was a little harder. The lens cleared up when I stood at the creek.

There was a bit of excitement in the pasture today. As we sat down to eat, John noticed horse DW lift his head and stand in an alert pose. DW watched something intently, then trotted to the fence. Soon a horse approached the fence on the other side. Vixen joined them as a second horse arrived. All four have stayed close to the fence, watching each other as they graze. We tend to look for the animals as we sit down to eat, and they often keep us entertained.

After lunch I went outside to take a photo for neighbor Joyce, who gets as much pleasure from watching the horses as we do. She interrupted her work day to look at it and text me back. I was surprised at how warm it felt outside in the sun. I had gone out without a sweater and looked at the thermometer when I came in. It was 39 F (-3.9 C). Joyce said we are the toughest older people she knows. I was glad she didn’t say foolhardy.

Lining my Nest!

I should have been more aware of Marla’s toes when I stopped to chat with her this morning. I knew the temperature was 26F when I left the house, yet I stood there talking as if it were a warm summer’s day. My sneakers have fabric uppers with mesh for air circulation, so when my feet started feeling the cold, I looked at hers. She was wearing sandals with blue socks. I’ll bet her toes matched that color! She didn’t argue when I said we’d better get going our separate ways.

I didn’t really suffer until I got down in the valley where the breeze was frigid. John would have been proud of my pace as I let my right ear take the brunt of the breeze on the way to the creek and the left on the way back. There was no dawdling today. A food service truck was parked in its usual place near the creek. On warm days we hear the refrigerator motor run. I wondered if they had a heater in the trailer to keep the food from freezing solid. When I was at the creek, John was probably driving through Pennsylvania on his way to pick up David in NY.

Right now a future guest is saying to herself, “There is no way I’m going to get dragooned into walking with Anne on a cold day, even if I have to feign death to get out of it.’

Not to worry, Karen. Any and all excuses are accepted. I checked the thermometer when I got home, and it had gone down to 23F. Note to self: wear your winter coat tomorrow if it’s close to zero. Son John $ phoned to suggest I let water drip from the faucets tonight so that the pipes don’t freeze.

I lined my nest when I sat down to read email. That area was cold, being on the north side of the house adjacent to sliding glass doors. First I braved the deck to fill the bird feeder, which they have showed appreciation for ever since. A light bulb idea popped in my head – put the cushion for the deck chair in front of the glass to keep that frigid air from attacking my toes. It was thick, colorful, and low enough so that I could see the happy birds helping themselves. It worked well! The photo shows a winter throw thrown on the chair, and that was soon over my knees.

121516 My nest on a cold day.JPG

For birders, a list of feathered friends flocking to the feeder: cardinal, blue jay, titmouse, chickadee, junco, dove, Carolina wren, song sparrow, goldfinch, house finch, Downy woodpecker, and nuthatch.