Our Other Best Friend

I didn't write last night due to extenuating circumstances. When I arrived at our house yesterday afternoon the temperature inside was just plain frigid. We are a small barn style construction without central heat or air. That translates to "light a fire in the stove or light the kerosene heater if warmth is desired". Thank the Lord we had enough kerosene in our heater to lend some warmth to the house until I managed to get the fire going.

This is a staunch piece of heaven.


Yesterday's temperatures surprised me, and the other half of Arkansas. A north wind barreled down on us preventing any warming beyond a paltry34 degrees. Even the puddles of water from the day before remained frozen completely-all the water in the puddle was ice. The chickens cowered on the front porch, its southern exposure protecting them from the northern on slaught, and the cats poofed themselves into fur balls to maintain body heat. The horses of course turned their rears to the frigid blast and remained in place (they are my weather vanes).

So you can imagine what the inside of a house, albeit insulated, might feel like with all that cold blowing around it.

Thank the Lord for kerosene heaters because they lend instant heat as a remedy and they don't falter in their endeavor. The heater we now have in service has the same original wick in it, going on three cold seasons. For us, that is incredible. I have three other heaters in the shed, all operational, but stored as stand-bys.(Some where in their history they failed me and a new purchase was required to fill the gap.)The heater in use now, though, is outstanding in its performance.

We warmed sufficiently to get a roaring fire burning in the wood stove. It burned warm, warm all night long.

I hope you all stay warm and well the remainder of the winter (and it just seems to be soooo longggg).

Love, Jeannene