I often laugh when I read blog posts, emails, or Facebook comments from people who think it’s cold where they are. Cold really is relative though isn’t it? Last month we had a real cold spell where the temperatures, without taking into account ANY windchill factor, was in the minus 40s. We’ve just been through a week of minus 30 and colder weather (that’s minus 20 and colder for the Americans). Again, that is before any windchill factor is taken into account. My poor dogs don’t like this weather either. I have to take them outside numerous times during the day, bundling up like a Goodyear blimp, each time. They can’t take the cold on their feet more than anything. I take them to do their business and to have a short run but then they too want to rush right back inside. I have to take my glasses off because otherwise the metal sears the cold deep into my forehead. Unless you’ve lived this life, people have no idea how bitter the cold really can be.

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The one positive thing about this bitterly cold weather is that I’m compelled to hunker down and do a lot of cooking of comfort foods. Things like homemade stew, homemade soup, hearty ribs, home baked beans, you know the sort of thing I’m talking about. Another reason some of us cold weather folks gain weight — lots of hearty winter food and very little chance to move around much. Well, I guess I’d better quit writing about the cold and get busy working on my next environment column. I hope you’re all keeping warm if you live in an area where it’s cold.

What’s your favourite cold weather food or ritual?

12 thoughts on “When it’s Cold — I mean really cold”

  1. Brrr, Diane! I can’t imagine temps that cold. You’re right about it being relative, as when we lived in Florida anything below 50F is considered cold. We’ve been in the 20s for the past month, but I’m looking forward to a couple of mid-30s days this week. 🙂 Stay warm!

  2. If real cold is that cold we haven’t had those temperatures yet this year. -22C is the lowest so far. But that’s cold too 🙂 brrrr….. Beautiful images, cold & hot.

  3. I’ve heard it has been really cold your way. We missed our coldest couple of days which happened while we were at the coast before Christmas. Since then, all has been tolerable … -20 and up.

  4. OK, that IS really cold!! We get some cold weather here too (in the -30 range), but that’s not really the norm. And we tend to get it in cold snaps. Usually some time in January… which means it’s probably coming soon…. EEEK!!!

    I’m not really into comfort foods — I just eat what I’m in the mood for regardless of what time of the year it is 🙂 I don’t like stew, and I rarely make homemade soup. The one soup I do make is borscht. YUM!! It’s a mess to make, but so good to eat 🙂

    Kelly

  5. Wow, you are truly experiencing some bitter cold. I cannot complain about our weather here in Tucson, but reading your post and seeing your pictures make me shiver. Stay warm and enjoy the delicious things being concocted on your stove. My favorite things to make in cold weather (yes, we do get some here) is chili or a big pot of homemade vegetable soup and a loaf of homemade bread.

  6. I hear ya! The colder it gets outside, the more I want to cook soups, stews etc. too!! Although I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced weather as cold as yours Diane!!

    That image on the left is fantastic!! The light is just beautiful!

  7. I can’t imagine that kind of cold! Definitely weather for making stews and maybe some cookies! Love those images together. Try to stay warm and keep those pups warm, too!

  8. I guess I’ll never complain about the cold again!! You’ve given it a whole new meaning. And – I’ve always known how hardy you northern Canadians are..and as beautiful as it is in the white snow and clear skies – it’s gotta be hard to be THAT cold!!
    Keep warm!!!

  9. I know what you mean. Right now it’s 16 degrees fahrenheit which is cold for Arkansas and in all honesty it’s cold for anywhere. The thing is that most houses aren’t insulated and farm animals don’t have barns. A dog is a rich dog if it has a house. Zoli has a dogloo, but he won’t use it because he’s not cold…lol…I was going somewhere with this. (Perhaps I should go to bed. This is not email:-)

    Love the captures and especially put together. Definitely soup weather and 40 below zero is not cold, it’s ungodly:-) It’s not fit for man nor beast. You’re just trying to survive. Bless your heart.

  10. Diane – Smith Kaich Jones here from you know where. 🙂 And dear me, but I wrote a post today on my blog complaining & whining about the cold here, and have since visited other blogs and now feel quite the sissy. Which, when it comes to cold, I admit I am. Here in NE Texas we will hit record lows tonight of 15 or 16 degrees F, with a couple of more nights just like this one, the days only into the 20s, and we are freezing! LOL! I cannot get my old house warm and walk about the house wrapped in a blanket. (However, it stays cool in the heat of the summer, so in truth is a good old house.) Next week we will back in the 50s and it will still feel cold to me. You are right, cold is relative, as is heat, but truly, I don’t know how you do it. I even bring my plastic sunglasses in from the Jeep at night so they won’t be too cold on my face in the morning! That should make you laugh! 🙂 My hat is off to you!

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