Toasted Hot Dog Buns.....

In keeping with my post last night about hooking up and using the wood cook stove in the kitchen:

Last night was the coldest night of this winter, so far (considering that it was the first night of winter, that would make sense....). It was actually the coldest night in a long while. The actual low temperature was -9°. We only had light winds, so the wind chills were only in the -15° range.

The only one around here that likes - and even ENJOYS - the cold is Yani, or LGD. The goats will be in the barn, all piled up with the cats, and Yani will be out back, in the wind, just enjoying herself.

This morning was a BIT nippy, so I started the fire in the stove before the sun was up. I decided that, since it was going, I would make breakfast on it.

Deb had boiled water for spaghetti on it last night, and we used it for tea, but it was time for some REAL cooking!

I guess eggs, and beans count for "real" cooking......



I even fried an egg for the dogs. All-in-all, we used a little bit of electricity for the toaster (and I softened some butter in the microwave.....), but it was still cheaper then using the propane for the range.

While all this was going on, I let our two Dachshunds outside the back door. Autumn has always had a problem with her feet "icing up". It doesn't take long in really cold weather for ice to collect between her toes, making it hard - and painful - to walk. We watch her carefully when they go outside in this weather. If she shows signs of icing up, we go get her. It only takes a few minutes for her to get into this situation but, thankfully, it only takes a few minutes for her to "thaw".

This morning, I brought her back inside and set her on the carpet in my office. She IMMEDIATELY went to the heat vent and started "toasting" her buns. She seemed a little embarrassed, but I caught her on film.



In the early mornings, I'll wrap my feet in a blanket and toss the edge over the vent. I really don't NEED to do this but, when she hears me, Autumn will come running and burrow in between my feet. She'd lay there all day, if I'd let her.

With the air temp so cold, and the ice we have covering most everything, I decided to take a couple photos out our back door toward the sun. It was hard to actually SEE what I was taking (due to glare), so I just did the "point and shoot" thing.