Day 3 Cracking Ice

Not only am I going to encourage and warn about the joys and hazards of homesteading, I'm going to keep a running total this year of cracking ice in the Ozarks . . . So far, this was the third morning I cracked ice on the water tubs. It hasn't taken any serious effort at this point, and truth be known, the critters could all break the ice with their hooves, but . . . it's my job and they know it and I know it.
A brisk morning for chores really is a pretty nice experience. I haven't broken out the boots yet, but I am wearing socks with my sandals, and my lady long-handles. Do you have that image firmly implanted in your brain? I'm sure I'm a sight to behold, but my critters love me for my personality, and G-d looks at my heart, so . . .
With the crisp autumn weather comes a couple of what I call comforts. I love to sleep in a cold room with a big warm fluffy comforter or three. I'm not so much into the heavy blankets and quilts, but I like the comforters and a cold room is just luxurious, as a far as I'm concerned. I've already blogged about liking a cold pillow and I wake up in the night just to flip it and enjoy it all over again. I know the autumn crispness is official, when there is still a chip or two of ice left in my glass by morning. I get up before dawn, so the sun hasn't come through the window and warmed the room yet. It's truly glorious for me, but there is a health benefit to cooler rooms. Everyone doesn't have to like the temperature I prefer, but . . . a lower thermostat setting usually means fewer illnesses. Let me tell you why that is. Apparently cold and flu viruses, now I'm not talking bacteria right now, but viruses live optimally near body temperature, of course. Studies have shown, viruses actually do not live well below 80 degrees and most die between 68 and 70 degrees. I used to keep my thermostat set at 67. I can honestly say, my kids were as healthy as the Christian Science kids at school, and that was before I was living the life of faith. I keep it lower now . . . Keeping the thermostat set lower than 70 also helps with utility bills in the winter and it's easier to adapt to cooler climate than hot, in my opinion. When it's hot, it's just stinkin' hot and if the air condition can't cut it, I just want to lay down on a cool tile floor until the heat spell is over, but there's gardening and canning and cheese making, and all the things that have to happen in the season . . . When the temperature is cool though, you can layer a sweatshirt or sweater and still keep the air at "cootie fighting" optimum while making yourself warm and comfortable. I don't get any flu shots or anything and I'm sure I've mentioned there are no pharmaceuticals on the place, so staying healthy is important to me. I don't really have time to be sick nor do I want to spend a great deal of strength recuperating. Staying healthy is the best option, I know of.
This autumn, don't turn the heat up, put a sweater on, and visit a farm store. This homesteading is catching on well enough, there's an entire aisle of traditional winter apparel for men; long handles and union suits, but they also make flowered long-handles now, for us girls!