We are in for some nasty, frigid weather starting Sunday. Coldest its been in quite a few years around here. Windchills to reach 40 below. 

I always feel so sorry for Kylie having to run outside and do her thing morning and night. Gidget, on the other hand, having IVDD, has an advantage with me expressing her little bladder right over the toilet.  See?  IVDD does have its advantages.

The woodstove John installed on November 21st is going to get a full blown workout these next few days.  Miss G is right on top of things as you can see.

Each time John has left the house today and returns, he brings in a few more logs we have stacked in half our garage so that we can keep a good stock pile inside to combat the cold.

So, I’m sure some wonder, why we wouldn’t just turn on the furnace? Well there is a wonderful ritual that John and I are enjoying with our woodstove.

As I set my 2014 heart intentions for the year (I don’t like the word goals– too formal and stiff), one of my heart intentions is to keep living as simply as we can. We see the woodstove as part of that equation.

We hope it will help lower our heat bill by not running our furnace. A way in which we can live more self-sufficiently is how we have approached this.

There is also something of the experience of picking up and loading 4 cords of wood, which our friend, Cassy, helped John with earlier this fall. Both hard workers, it was also a fun outing of bonding and talking time for them both.

Also, not to mention the ambiance of the winds howling outside, nestled in front of the warm woodstove, reading a good book, Lil’ G nestled in my lap, and Kylie snoring on the sofa….and great conversation with the love of my life.

It’s in the experience of all of this that evokes feelings of a simple, happy life.  Sure, we could get up and move the lever over a few notches on the thermostat.  But what fun would that be?

So, ok, maybe not for everyone. But our woodstove has become an important part of our family and we love her dearly.