Know the feeling?
You’ve been out in the cold for hours, someone starts talking to you and you will agree to just about anything if it means getting warm.
Ten minutes in a warm car and a cup of hot cocoa?? Sure, take my house! Yes, my family says I'm losing it (and they're not talking about the house.)
Of course, that’s if you can get the words out of your mouth.
When I get cold, I can't form words correctly. If I was takking to a powiice officer, I'm shuwah he would wan' to gib me a breaffalyzer tess.
If I wuz takking to a powiice officer, I’m shuwah he would wan’ to gib me a breaffalyzer tess
And if I could sit in his warm cruiser, I’d be happy to oblige.
Seriously, it
is challenging to make rational decisions and complete reasonable tasks when you fear your teeth will crack on the next inhale.
And you know when your hands and feet get really frozen and then they start to burn? It is a delectable sensation. Of course, it’s painful and kind of nauseating, but after the stinging sensation comes the warm flow of blood back to your fingers and toes. Oooh, hurts so good!
If you wrap your arms around your horse, he or she can keep you warm for a bit. Afterall, they do regulate themselves a few degrees higher than us. I was riding bareback the other day and didn’t want to get off.
We all have our winter strategies.
Mine is decidedly low-tech: coveralls, down vest, mittens, silk scarf (wild rag in cowboy speak).
The scarf and hat are key. If I have my neck and head warm, I can trick the rest of the body into thinking it’s warm, too.
I look like the Michelin baby. But I’m a warm Michelin baby.
My layers:
Insulated Carhartt jacket (unlike ski jackets, this jacket doesn’t rip when you look at it sideways. Plus, you can throw it in the washer when the barn smell starts to turn heads.), hat, wool mittens (these are my warmest options BUT they can be a pain because when handling water, they’ll stick to metal handles)
On top of:
Downvest, wildrag (silk scarf) around neck, insulated coveralls – I prefer coveralls to long underwear because when I finally come inside, they are easier to take off.
On top of:
NickerNews Sweatshirt, thermal undershirt, jeans, Smartwool socks (way better than cotton and ragg wool is too itchy for me).
I have a stash of handwarmers that I hoard for the coldest of days.
Misery loves company!
Send us your cold weather strategies and anecdotes.
And remember, summer's just around the corner!
Barbara:
Don't save those hand warmers until summer! Haven't you heard of Global Warming? We aren't going to need them after a while... Besides, they are very inexpensive in bulk, about 30 cents a pair.
I often indulge with an extra pair in the back pockets of my jeans. Keeping your lower back warm tends to warm your whole core. When all else fails when outside with the horses, there is no place warmer for my hands than under the manes of my Icelandics. Even when they are covered with snow and ice, this area is always toasty warm.
Michelle:
Ok, you asked for it… my primary cold weather strategy is…
HOT FLASHES!!! Cold weather defense is about the only use I’ve found for them. But, the sudden power surges and temperature spikes aren’t quite long or efficient enough to warm the toes and fingers, so I use LOTS of the Hot Hands warmers to stave off frostbite to those areas.