I thought about titling this “The Winds of November”, but it sounded like some epic novel. Besides; it’s not really about the wind – although I’ll admit, the wind has been substantial last night and today.
The gusting winds woke me up just past dawn this morning, literally shaking the house. For you non-Alaskans, that was between 8:00-8:15 am, I think.
The temperature reading outside was a [relatively] balmy 15F, but the wind-chill factor from the high winds brought the actual temps down closer to zero (Fahrenheit). Brrr!
I have a large, north-facing picture window in the bedroom, offering a view from my bed of the trees, the valley below and the Talkeetna Mountains in the distance. I love watching the sun come up through the trees, and this time of year, the sun rises late enough for me to fully appreciate it. 😉
What caught my drowsy attention this morning were the birch trees nearest the deck. They were shivering.
As I lay in bed, all warm and toasty between fleece blankets and a warm dachshund, the whimsical thought flitted through my mind that maybe I should knit them “trunk warmers” or something. Maybe little “branch blankets”?
Seriously, if you think about it … all summer long, the trees are fully gowned in a plethora of sun-drenched green leaves. In the fall, they change into even more glorious finery, showing off the warm yellows and golds of the season.
But about the time the temperature really starts to fall, it gets frigidly cold and snow covers the ground, what happens? All the beautiful leaves skitter off into the wind or drop to the ground (where, admittedly, they do serve as a blanket for the tree’s roots), leaving the poor trees … naked and shivering! It really doesn’t seem quite fair.
Speaking of keeping warm in these frigid climes, check out Rhonda’s new winter coat! It’s a double-layer of red, blue & green felt on top, with a warm, dark-blue fleece under-side and comes with a separate (matching) neck-warmer for those super chilly, mid-winter cold snaps.
One of the best parts of this custom designed little coat is the extra warm, full chest and belly protection – measured and sewn especially to fit this deep-chested, low to the ground dachshund, without interfering with her busy little feet. The chest/belly section extends into straps that snug the coat up to the body and Velcro across the back. A perfect fit. ❤️
Baxter’s coat 💙
Rhonda’s coat, the same general design as the winter coat [also] custom-designed for Baxter several years ago, was a gift from good friend and wonderful seamstress, Ruth Hirsiger. ❤️ Thank you, Ruth! Ronni loves it (and Mom especially loves the cute, decorative little red buttons sewn onto the front – such a girlie touch! ❤️❤️), and Baxter’s coat, as you can see, is still nearly good as new!
Well, the wind is still blowing and the trees are still shivering, so I’d better get to work on my knitting.
Oh, all right. Although I am going to take advantage of this chilly November day to get some knitting done – the results are not likely to end up draped around a birch tree. 😉
De & the Dachsies - Our Rambles 