Dexter Iowa Community Site

Consider this quote from Abe Lincoln

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

It's been a fairly quiet week here on the farm. That first and probably last blast of Indian Summer hit and went as quickly as the hours a night I get to spend sleeping. Opening day of hunting season was pretty uneventful and warm which I don't know if it is a good sign or not.

Soon we'll be full on with cold and snow and it made me think of all the reasons I dislike the cold weather. Not so much the cold per say, but the heating bills that comes with it. So in order to make life easier on all of us I though I'd throw out a few useful tips to help you keep your winter heating bill from eating a giant hole in your Christmas cash.

1. Turn your home into a deep freeze. By keeping the thermostat below 40 degrees you will save money on the electricity used to run the refrigerator and also keep anyone who tends to forget to put the gallon of milk away from getting into trouble. 2. You need a secondary heat source. Try to be resourceful here. I was thinking perhaps a large pile of cow manure on the living room floor might work. If not it will certainly keep the in-laws away, which may not raise the heat, but will keep the house from getting any colder.
2. Pretend that you are an explorer and living in the Artic circle for a few months.
3. Your winter coat doesn't get it's fair share of wear. Don't take it off and wear it all the time. Show everyone how fashionable you are.
4. Shut off all rooms but the bathroom in your home and live in it. Maybe you could make soup in the wash machine?
5. Eat more cheese. Don't ask me why, but never underestimate the power of cheese.
6. Invite your neighborhood sheep to spend the winter in your house. Sheep are fun..and warm.
7. Exercise more. The more heat you generate the better off you will be.
8. Finally, if all else fails. Take the winter off and travel the south Pacific. Not only will you get to have a tan that will make your neighbors jealous, you'll come home with a handy collection of those little umbrellas you can use when spring comes.

See you next week..Remember, we're all in this together.