Tuesday, 9:00 am: Phew! It’s cold again. I just finished bringing in armloads of firewood and the wind chill was [is] –20° (F.). The sky is clear as a bell and is very brisk with the wind. It’s the kind of day that turns my cheeks pink and a pleasant smile into a scowl. My wife says give me the appearance of wizened rural folk; I say I look like Gabby Hayes, except I have my teeth.

Not being the run of the mill outdoors type, I’ve abandoned my outside chores for the comfort of a toasty wood stove, a mug of tea and National Public Radio. I haven’t quite braced myself for today’s cold. Of course that goes for most days. Hopefully my lackluster enthusiasm isn’t that apparent.

All grumbling aside, we have a full day ahead regardless of the weather. We have a lot to do before the much-predicted snowstorm arrives tomorrow. Life in this corner of Maine goes on.

Current values from our wireless Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: -6° (F.)

Wind chill: -20° (F.)

Barometer: 30.154 & rising rapidly

Humidity: 51%

Wind: NW at 12 mph variable

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: Clear

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temperature: -9.4° (F.) at 6:41 am

Low wind chill: -22.7° (F.) at 7:23 am

High wind: 20 mph at 3:25 am