100 degrees

Minus 19 outside this a.m.  On the coldest night of year so far, there was a 100-degree difference between the inside (75 degrees) and outside (minus 25) temps last night, thanks to our wood.  Future seasons of firewood are seen in this picture, along with some early Friday sunlight.

White Christmas streak continues

100% of the Christmas days on Hardwood Hermitage have been white.  This one will be no exception, with five more inches yesterday.  Another half foot or so expected on the 25th.

Here are a few pics taken this morning.

Happy Winter!

Sunlight from the first afternoon of winter illuminated some pretty sights today, without bringing much in the temperature department.  But that's winter in northern New Hampshire!

A young yellow birch, with several seed clusters clinging to branches.

And here are some paper birches this afternoon, always looking grand, whatever their size, whatever the season.

Ready for winter

We have surpassed the 12 inch mark on our snowfall so far this season.  The latest storm dropped about 10 of those inches this week.  The forest looks alive with the spirit of winter, even though the season still doesn't start for nearly a week.

Season now alive with snow and decorations

A few inches of snow yesterday, a bit more today, then more tomorrow makes it look like winter around here.  Then there's the decorated house!

Here's the Abominable Snow Monster, hanging out with some elves and a bear.

Herman, a friendly polar bear, has donned a Santa hat!

The ornament trees are filled with a variety seasonal items.  Some are non-traditional, including a hippo and moose angel.

More progress from neighbor project

A bunch of new future firewood is on Hardwood Hermitage as a result of the neighbor helping neighbor project.  Here's a big stack of lovely wood that will be cut in the spring.  It's a beautiful day for such work:  Sunny and cool.

Some of the wood in the above picture was paper birch cut and split in the field yesterday.

The big red maple logs pictured in the previous post are now cut and split, as well.  Here is a picture from yesterday when that work was in progress.  The Jut is on the opposite side of the rock wall on the right of the picture.