Difficult Circumstances

Snow bombs bursting out of the trees. When the wind picks up it turns into a blizzard. I'm wrapped up and reading Basho:

Black Forest:
so now what are you called?
a morning of snow

They're lifting the warnings this evening, then the forecast is for partial clearing with intermittent snow for several days, and very cold temps. I'd saved some good twisted night logs, so I brought those in. Then split some kindling to dry on the warming shelf, then brought in a couple of armloads of wood. Beans and cornbread. Out of my work boots, finally, after the last load of wood, and I was exhausted. Cleaned out ashes, stoked the fire. The handle for the oven door had started jamming and I looked at that. It needs to be disassembled, the parts cleaned (I use a citrus cleaner) and put back together, which I can do, have done, but I decide to put it off for a day because I don't need to use the oven tonight. I have beans with cracklings, and crackling bread, I'm riding the crest of the Crackling Revolution, and I don't want to get my hands dirty again today. I did get a pot of melted snow, an all day affair, quite hot, and washed some dishes. It seemed like a major accomplishment. Everything is slick, a thin coating of ice under snow, so I'm very careful moving around outside. I actually sometimes crawl up the back stairs on all fours, if I'm sure no one is watching. Bottom line is sanctuary, get back inside, make a cup of tea, wrap up in my bath-robe and a lap-blanket, I feel privileged to have a hut in the woods.