Despite having a wonderful Dinner Party For Two, Sunday began a series of days with high winds and plunging temperatures.

For 3 days and nights, the wind just howled through the trees, sending them swaying not only sideways, but in sometimes in circles caught in violent blasts that must have been around the weather channel's predicted maximum gusts of 55mph. It was a thing to behold.

The wind was so strong, you could feel it through the house as it rammed all sides trying to blow in the walls — not very likely in a massive 1775 post and beam antique cape. But impressive, none-the-less.

And, of course, with the wind came plunging temperatures. We woke up quite a few mornings with 8 below, and one evening it got down to almost 20 below. That's brutal, even for New England.

We had the wood stove going all the time, and that brought such a nice warmth throughout the inside. For Sunday's Dinner Party For Two, I fixed Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo over a bed of whole grain millet gently pre roasted, and then cooked with parsley, and thyme. And with the inexpensive, but robust 14 Hands Hot To Trot Red Blend to add additional kick to the meal, it was just wonderful!

Monday morning, Sue was out in the snow making a 'Snow Mia' snow sculpture colored with vegetable dyes, lollipop arms, and a surgical mask for a sled. Too cute, but she didn't stay out in the wind too long. It was blowing really hard, and tough to keep the sculpture from toppling over. She took a picture of it to make as a card for Mia.

I got a really nice note from my nephew Dean who lives out in Idaho. Awhile back, Sue had discovered that there was a preservation group that had developed a series of trails that stretched across the width of the Northern part of New Hampshire. He loved it, and was telling us that he had got a group of his friends together, and they were planning on biking it in late summer or early fall. He was hoping that Sue and I would be able to meet them up there (about 2 hours away from us) for dinner. So, we'll have to see if we can work that out.

Tuesday, Colin called me telling me he was in the area delivering oil from his winter job, and wanted to let me know he'd be driving past the house. I told him to pull in for a 'Drive by hug', and we had a nice, short chat before he was on his way to the next stop.

Sue braving the wind and cold getting to work on her 'Snow Mia' sculpture.

Sue's completed 'Snow Mia' project is way, way too cute for words!

And from the Midwest, Chuck sent us this picture of him, Denise, and Graham out for lunch, I guess celebrating that their weather had cleared from the freezing winds while we were getting blasted.

Dean sent this picture he took of himself the day before skiing up in the Tetons.

Colin pulling out of the driveway in his oil delivery truck after our 'drive by hug'.