Falling Leaves, Falling Temperatures

I have only just last evening turned on the heat in the cabin, but I still only keep it between 61-63 degrees inside during the heating season. My reason for the low temperature is a combination of trying to pay less for energy, trying to reduce my overall energy use and not minding at all if I need to wear a sweater inside. That’s what sweaters are for, anyway.

After the first day or two, I don’t even notice, let alone mind, that my cabin is cooler than most places. My body adjusts and is happy at the cooler temperature. By not turning the heat on as soon as the temperature dips below 65, my body has a few days to adjust slowly, which is what it takes to not notice that the temperature is lower than "normal." If the outside temperature suddenly shoots back up to 75 or so, I will be hot. In the summer, a temperature of 75 will seem cold after a run of 90 degree days. Once you realize that a healthy body can easily adjust to a wider range of temperatures than just 68-72 degrees, both heating and air conditioning become a lot less important, though I’m sure the power companies don’t want you to know that.

Often I don’t even wear a sweater inside, I’ll just put on a hat if I get a little chilly. People lose 40% of their body heat through their head, I first learned back when I was a novice backpacker. The fastest way to warm yourself up is to simply put a hat on. Most of the time I forget I have one on my head and it stays on until I go to bed. I favor a beret, as they are soft and loose over the top, so there’s no hat hair when I take it off.

My photo today just shows the road leading off Roundtop mountain and the current state of the leaf drop, which is later than normal. Inside the cabin, the bright moon and the more open forest canopy make even the night seem bright.