Cider Press Hill

The world is whacked

I made the observation, today, that most of our trees still have leaves on them. Lots of green leaves. There are a few trees, here and there, sticking out like winter skeletons, but not very many. It’s my recollection that the landscape is usually pretty barren by Halloween and peak leaf season usually occurs by mid-October. Aside from the maple trees turning brilliant colors and dropping their leaves, that’s about it so far. At the rate things are moving along, the last leaves won’t fall until mid-to-late November. That’s pretty late.

I also noticed today that my roses are blooming like crazy. There’s a whole new generation of buds popping open. It looks strange to see bright blooms bursting out next to the mature rose hips that are ready for harvest. The grass needs to be mowed, too. Stupid grass. It should be asleep by now. It seems to me that the natural world is in a state of confusion.

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I read an article in the Worcester paper, a couple of days ago, about the high cost of heating oil. Many people in the northeast heat their homes with heating oil. There are a number of small towns and also rural areas where gas lines have never been extended, leaving homeowners a choice of heating oil, electric, or propane. Not one is a particularly appealing choice these days. Those using heating oil are looking at some really high heating bills this year. At around $2.90-$3.19 per gallon, filling a 500-750 gallon tank costs some serious bucks. Of course, the larger or less well-insulated a house is, the more often its tank has to be refilled.

Over the years, I’ve lived in two houses that were heated with heating oil. Even then, we didn’t keep the thermostat set much higher than 68° during the day and much lower at night, but still had to fill the heating oil tank a couple of times during the heating season. Price then were around $.60 a gallon. Now...I can’t imagine plunking down $1500+ for the first installment, with the possibility of heating oil climbing well beyond $3 a gallon by the time the next fill-up is needed. As the above article indicates, people on fixed incomes face some dangerous options this year. They can be really cold and eat and get medication or they can be sort of warm and not afford medications or much food. People tend to die in those circumstances.

And even if the consumer isn’t on a fixed income, that’s a big chunk out of the average income. Cheap fossil fuels are a thing of the past. Our relationship with heat is going to change in the coming years.

Although I have 3 cords of wood sitting out back, which should assure me of a comfortable winter, I have burned very little so far. My wood guy won’t have any more on offer until next year, so what I have out back is all I’m going to have this winter. I need to make it last through March. I do have a gas furnace to fall back on, if needed, but I really don’t want to use it. So, I’ve been curious to find out just how warm I really need to keep my house. Gradually, I’ve been able to adjust to much lower temperatures and still feel comfortable.

Yesterday, for example, the downstairs stayed a pretty constant 58.5° which seems rather cold. (The upstairs was around 54°.) But, I put on a cotton turtleneck shirt, thick cotton mock-turtleneck sweatshirt over that, with a thin polyester-filled vest over the top of everything. That’s a lot more clothing than many people are willing to wear in the house, but I was very warm and comfortable. The vest gives me additional warmth without inhibiting arm movement—just the turtleneck’s and sweatshirt’s long sleeves to deal with. There were several points during the day when I had to remove the vest for a while because I was too warm. When I got cold, I put it back on.

It’s a different way of looking at warmth. Speaking as one who’d much prefer to keep my house at 72°, this does represent quite a change in my relationship with home heating.

If I had to heat with heating oil, I’d not only be bundling up and closing off rooms, but also looking for other heating alternatives at this point. And that is happening already. My wood guy said his wood orders skyrocketed this year. In the coming years, I have a feeling that wood for the wood stove is going to be a lot less plentiful and a lot more expensive as more people turn to it for heat. I may need to find another alternative, too.

Posted on 11/06/07 at 06:05 PM
 




Joann

We heat our house by propane.  Gas lines don’t run to our community although I wouldn’t say we live in the sticks either.

Last year we used wood that we had cut from a friends lot the year before.  We found that the fireplace (with a little fan blower that uses minimal electricity) heated the house MUCH better than the whole house heater. We haven’t had the chance to order any wood for this year, but the propane guy did come and fill the tank automatically (I’ve used a lot less this year) The bill is $298.  If I plan carefully and use wood most of the time this will get me through till March or April. 

The water heater and dryer are set up for propane and so far I’ve only had the tank filled twice this year.  Last time they came the tank was still %60 full, so the bill was just over $100 to top it off.  They come on their own schedule which I absolutely HATE because it is always a somewhat unexpected bill.

United States   Posted by Joann on 11/07/07  at  05:16 PM





Kate

I have never had occasion to use propane so I don’t really know how it compares to gas or heating oil. I gather the price has jumped quite a lot in recent years, though.

I recall that our heating oil deliveries were somewhat irregular, too, but there was always one about the week before Christmas. Drove me nuts!

I’ve been thoroughly convinced for some time now that wood heat is the coziest heat available. It’s a nice even heat. And despite all the little charts that compare various heating fuel BTUs, no one can convince me that I don’t get more heat out of my wood stove than I do from my gas furnace. I stay much warmer for much less cost. I would really miss not having it.

United States   Posted by Kate on 11/07/07  at  11:12 PM





Capt. Fogg

It’s fun to be reminded of the world I left behind. Even in midwinter, one has to work to keep the jungle at bay and fewer than a dozen nights in winter suggest using a little bit of heat.

Never fear, they’ll be growing bananas in Boston all too soon.

United States   Posted by Capt. Fogg on 11/09/07  at  12:56 PM





cyn

I’m moving to Hawaii.  LOL Well, I hope to be spending my winters there in about two more years....at least that is the current plan.  January to May is MY idea, January to April is someone else’s/ My goal is to break him in slowly and little by little add more and more time there.  But for the here and now, we are faced with skyrocketing heating bills.  We have natural gas and pay as everyone else does, a lot!  But still way less than oil.  My mom has a prepaid oil program and was beside herself this fall when she had to write out a check for over 3,000 at (I think) something like 2.60 a gallon.  BUT she is awfully glad she did cause it is way up from there.  Sadly, even with her spending the winter here - Dec. - April sometime, she will still end up spending more.  Crazy.

United States   Posted by cyn on 11/09/07  at  07:04 PM





Kate

Well, Capt, by the time we get around to growing bananas here, there won’t be a here here anymore. Being only about 38 feet above sea level, I anticipate a brief period of owning beach front property. I suppose I should enjoy it while it lasts, before one of those wretched nor’easters washes me out to sea.

I really feel for your mother, Cyn. I just read that heating oil went up to $3.20 per gallon. As for Hawaii...considering that just about everything has to be shipped there...the cost of living is going to get pretty pricey in the near future, if it hasn’t already. The way diesel fuel is skyrocketing, grocery bills (and everything else) must be going through the roof. But at least you’d be warm! smile

United States   Posted by Kate on 11/09/07  at  08:38 PM





cyn

prior to this our friends who have lived in Hawaii for 20+ years said it seemed to be pretty much a wash or even possibly, somewhat less expensive--real estate taxes are wicked low, food is high, but you have no heating costs, they live two streets from the ocean (imagine their view!!) so have a constant breeze and never use their AC--or least the 4 times I have been there - in June, July and August--it has never been on.  They live out on their lanai when they are home so electricity costs are lower--one light over the table outside for much of the time and of course one wardrobe with a couple of sweatshirts and pairs of jeans does it.And of course, you are on an island so unless you are into driving all the way around it day in and day out, you are spending less for gas!! Oh and most important, I think my husband checked and his pension is not taxable there--it is some places, so that would have been a real stumbling block.  WhooHOOO!!

As I write this, I am wondering what in hell I am doing putting it off!!  LOL

United States   Posted by cyn on 11/10/07  at  02:25 PM





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