The first of December did not bode well for Jed and Lizzie. The fall had been mild, which Jed appreciated very much since it allowed him time to gather nuts, do more hunting and fishing, and cut firewood for the ravenous fireplace, cookstove, and pot-bellied stove. The mild weather had ended two days before as a powerful nor’easter pummeled them with freezing rain. Over six inches of snow followed, blown and drifted by high winds howling through the trees and around the eaves of the lodge. The temperature hovered around ten degrees Fahrenheit, but with the wind chill factor it was about minus-forty. There was no way he wanted to go outside! He had carried in several days’ worth of wood, but it was disappearing quickly, for no warmer than the lodge felt.
When Jed had come in with the last armload of wood, Lizzie had met him with a cup of acorn “coffee” and a warm smile.
“It’s brutal out there! That wind will freeze your face off if you aren’t careful, and the snow on the ice is slick.” Jed shrugged off his parka and peeled off his fleece face mask. Ice had formed where his breath froze on the mask, leaving icicles hanging from his chin.
“Thanks for getting the wood, Jed.”
He shrugged. “No problem.” A shiver wracked his body. “Sure is a difference from last week, though. We had an easy fall, but it’s going to be like this now for several months. Better get used to it.”
Lizzie went back to grinding acorns to make a sort of flour. Jed had soaked the acorns thoroughly several times to blanch out the tannic acid, making them safe to eat. The water he saved to tan hides, which was much simpler than trying to keep water in a leaky, hollow oak stump.
Tommy, curled up at Lizzie’s feet next to the cookstove, was warm and content.
Jed sipped on the acorn coffee, which was not the same as real coffee but wasn’t bad. He had a pile of hickory nuts in front of him and a pail half full of empty shells on the floor. Hickory nuts were not easy to shell, but he thought they were quite good; plus they had a lot of nutritive value.
Overall, Jed was pleased with the amount of food stocked up for the winter. The mild fall had been very helpful; plus the bear added almost two hundred pounds to their larder. Getting some fresh meat now and then would be good for variety. The lake should be frozen sufficiently to start ice fishing within a few days. The cold weather also would now allow them to freeze their food, so drying and smoking would not be needed until the spring thaws. He knew they were very fortunate in having enough laid by.
“Once this nor’easter lets up I’ll go out and see if I can scare up another deer. It’d be nice to get some fresh meat for a bit instead of just the dried stuff or that bear.” Enforced idleness inside chafed at Jed, but Lizzie hoped it stayed cold for a few days. She enjoyed his presence in the lodge.