Temperatures for the period averaged colder than normal. There was a wide range of 52 degrees, from the unexpected minus fourteen on the 9th, to the high of thirty eight on the 4th. Most of the approaching week should be milder, especially near the end.

Light snow the morning of the 4th was followed by rain, starting near 6 p.m. and ending early on the 5th, depositing 0.70 of an inch of water in the gauge. A nine hour snowstorm on the 7th deposited ten inches of snow, more on higher elevations, with a water content of 0.81 of an inch. Snow fell early on the 10th, measuring about one inch, with a water content reading 0.05 of an inch.

Threatening conditions prevailed most of the day on the 10th, but little if any precipitation was observed. Thus far, this area has had 57.45 inches of snow and no large snowstorm in the forecast.

It has been quoted by many over a period of several years that the burning of wood warms the body three times, when it is cut and split, piling and then hauling to the wood box or stove and lastly the comfort received from the controlled combustion; I add one more, the removal of the ashes and placing them in a metal container. Sometimes that can be dusty and messy.

Being a longtime wood user, I have now found a new interest each time I pick up a stick from the wood box to put into the stove. I try to identify each stick by its weight, then by its grain and lastly, the most helpful, the bark. Thus far I have burned red maple, rock or sugar maple, white birch, yellow birch, oak, beech, ash and bass wood.

My living room stove seems to release the most heat from yellow birch. I split white pine for kindling; I find pine ignites quickly when starting a cold stove and most readily if there are any live or hot coals.

This period of time last year had temperatures that averaged colder, with five days with high readings well below freezing. There were two morning readings at zero or colder. There was a range of fifty degrees from the low of minus five on the 10th, to the high of forty-five on the 9th.

There were three different storms during the period and those deposited a total of twelve inches, bringing the snow depth to twenty-two inches. The water content was 1.52 inches.

Day High Low Precip.

Sun. 38 18 0.70 ½ of snow

Mon. 37 20 0

Tues. 27 10 T

Wed. 23 2 0.81 10” of snow

Thurs. 23 4 0

Fri. 26 -14 T

Sat. 36 9 10 p.m. 0.05 1” of snow