Quality childrens' literature is not only entertaining, but it can impart survival skills. Case in point: living in a house run entirely on electric power. Enter second blizzard of the week. Four feet of snow on the ground. Roads closed. Snow-laden trees and limbs breaking, taking down power lines. Result: complete power outage at 10:15am. Calls to electric company - restoration expected by 12:15. Then 2:15. Then 6:15. Then 9am tomorrow. Then noon the day after that...hmmmm. Time to get creative.
Well, Mr. Tumnus never showed up to invite us for tea. I know - let's play Little House on the Prairie instead.
Pa Ingalls is smiling because he likes to shovel snow...
It didn't take him long to realize that "resistance is futile".
Contemplating: what would Ma Ingalls do?
She'd use the fireplace to cook her family a hot meal. She'd be grateful that she has plenty of functional candles (see last post). She'd be gleeful that she collects antique kerosene lamps. She'd try not to be smug...
All kidding aside, your fireplace can be used as an impromptu stove. You need iron pots and the wood must be burnt down to glowing coals. Using direct flame will only result in burnt food.
To quote youngest daughter, my partner in crafty crime, "oh, this is fun!"
Partner in crafty crime, um, I mean Laura Ingalls
A couple rounds of Scrabble before bed. I know the picture is dark, but it lost its romantic charm when I tried to use flash. Since we weren't meant to have our power restored for two days, we talked of baking bread and making homemade butter the next day. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it), the power came back after midnight. So that put an end to this hoedown, as my daughter-in-law Niamh would say. Next snowstorm due Monday, four days from now.
Quality childrens' literature is not only entertaining, but it can impart survival skills. Case in point: living in a house run entirely on electric power. Enter second blizzard of the week. Four feet of snow on the ground. Roads closed. Snow-laden trees and limbs breaking, taking down power lines. Result: complete power outage at 10:15am. Calls to electric company - restoration expected by 12:15. Then 2:15. Then 6:15. Then 9am tomorrow. Then noon the day after that...hmmmm. Time to get creative.
Well, Mr. Tumnus never showed up to invite us for tea. I know - let's play Little House on the Prairie instead.
Pa Ingalls is smiling because he likes to shovel snow...
It didn't take him long to realize that "resistance is futile".
Contemplating: what would Ma Ingalls do?
She'd use the fireplace to cook her family a hot meal. She'd be grateful that she has plenty of functional candles (see last post). She'd be gleeful that she collects antique kerosene lamps. She'd try not to be smug...
All kidding aside, your fireplace can be used as an impromptu stove. You need iron pots and the wood must be burnt down to glowing coals. Using direct flame will only result in burnt food.
To quote youngest daughter, my partner in crafty crime, "oh, this is fun!"
Partner in crafty crime, um, I mean Laura Ingalls
A couple rounds of Scrabble before bed. I know the picture is dark, but it lost its romantic charm when I tried to use flash. Since we weren't meant to have our power restored for two days, we talked of baking bread and making homemade butter the next day. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it), the power came back after midnight. So that put an end to this hoedown, as my daughter-in-law Niamh would say. Next snowstorm due Monday, four days from now.
8 comments:
Your home and living history museum combined to great effect. It must make you smile when we in England complain of a few inches of snow. Do you get these snowstorms every winter?
Maureen, we get some snow in February but nothing like this. The amount of snow we've had this winter has been the most since records have been kept back in the 1800's. Everything shuts down. People here aren't used to it, so it can be quite trying. Lots of road accidents and power outages. All in all our weather isn't usually much different from yours, though our summers can be much hotter.
Sorry for lack of commenting on my part, Curious Acorn. It's not that I'm too lazy to do it, it's just...well never mind ;-) I just wanted to say it was fun being Laura Ingalls for a day! Hope sometime soon we get to do it again. <3
Love this post!
Getting snowed in can be an imposed luxury, but we didn't have the extra challenge of a black out.
What an impressive way to use your resources, and all done with an eye for beauty!!
Cool! I like that idea. It dose sond fun.I know its fun because it hapened to me. It was christmas eve and Fiona,Rachel, and I where baking cookies and it turned out to be realy fun, and sudenly...BOOM! the lighs go out.and thats why I imagen it to be fun!
Love,
Audrey:)
Dear Miss Audrey,
I imagine that would be great fun.
Love,
Lenz
Don't be silly; Ma Ingalls would have blamed her misfortune on Pa Ingalls' wander lust. She would have been grouchy and wet blanketish about it. All these things can be noted if you read between the lines of the quaint stories. You are much more resourceful and happy. The photos are wonderful. I love the one of you in the snow, the candel light ones, and Dad's big grin over shoveling snow.
<3
this is so great, i came here jod - from your blog award post. which was so funny! love the jewelery post too. what a colourful american you are !!!! :)
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