Real Winter Weather

Living in the southeastern U.S., our winters can cover a range of mild to frigid. But we didn't escape the recent winter storm that swept the eastern part of the country. Fortunately for us, it wasn't as bad as they predicted! Here's my photo record of what we got.

We didn't get snow, we got freezing rain.

The ground was covered with ice crystals, while everything else was coated with a layer of ice.

The danger of winter storms here is when trees and power lines are covered in a thick coating of ice. If it gets too heavy, branches come down, knock out power lines, and we lose electricity. Fortunately, it wasn't that bad.

Walking in it was crunchy and slippery, especially on our sloping land.

The wind was bitterly cold. Between that and the strange white stuff on the ground, none of our critters would go outside. Feed and warm water were served in their respective quarters.

Our coldest night was 10°F (-12°C). The greenhouse went down to 18°F (-8°C). My winter veggies are hanging in there, but I'm doubtful my green peppers will make it, even after covering and insulating them for the night.

exterior greenhouse door

solar panels

kale and garlic in the garden

poor daffodils

Things began to melt the day after the storm. Current temps run from above freezing during the day to below freezing at night. Sunny areas are muddy during the day and icy at night. White patches of ice crystals persist where there's shade. The wind is still cold, so we go out for chores and animal checks, but it's mostly indoor time. I'm spending mine painting the ceiling of the front room and planning a weaving project.

Parting shot

Sam

How is everybody else faring in this unwelcome weather? We've got snow in the forecast for Saturday. Looks like winter isn't going to be over anytime soon.

Real Winter Weather © 2026 by Leigh

at https://www.5acresandadream.com

Front Room Side Windows: Before & After

Apparently I don't have a good photo of the original side windows in the front room. This one is the best I could find for a before photo.

Photo from 2009

The windows behind the blinds were identical to the ones in the front of the room. Actually, they were identical to all the original windows in this house. Even though we replaced them all, those old windows were used for the walls of the greenhouse.

I have pictures from 2020 of Dan replacing them (here), and a picture of how it's looked since then. 

Here's what it looks like now.

The loom is in the way, but you can see what a nice job Dan did. It's a huge improvement.

I've already started painting the ceiling. It needed a fresh coat of paint. The walls will be next and after that I can put the window coverings back. I have an idea for the two quilt-look bedspreads, which will hopefully work. 

Front Room Side Windows: Before & After © 2026

 by Leigh at https://www.5acresandadream.com

Front Room Front Window: Before & After

The front room is a corner room so it features windows on both external walls. The ones pictured below were on the front wall, overlooking the front porch. 

The original front windows when we moved in, May 2009.

The windows were upgraded when we remodeled the front porch in 2016. We replaced the original single glazed windows with an energy efficient window.

How it's looked since Dan replaced the old windows, Dec. 2016

We got to add much needed extra insulation in the wall. 

After Dan finished the wall that incorporates the back of the masonry stove, he turned his attention to that window. But how to finish it? Do we try to match it to the original wall? I think it's nearly impossible to recreate an original look to match, so it might as well become a design feature. We decided to continue with the rustic barn look to coordinate with the new closet.  

After I paint the wall, I'll put up the curtain rod and my quilt window covering again.

Dan's challenge with all the repairs and improvements he's done to our house, is partly because it's 100 years old. That means they used true 2-inch by 4-inch 2x4s when they built it, which we can no longer get! So the reconstructed parts of the walls are never exactly flush with the original. 

One more window to go, and then it's on to repainting the ceiling and walls.

Front Room Front Window: Before & After © 2026

 by Leigh at https://www.5acresandadream.com

Front Room Remodel: Back of the Masonry Stove

To the left of the closet, a coal burning fireplace once stood.

Front bedroom fireplace when we moved in, May 2009.

It stood back-to-back with the living room fireplace. We tore them both out when we built the woodstove alcove for our soapstone woodstove.

 

The brick wall is the back of the woodstove alcove.

When we built the masonry stove, the back of the alcove became part of the heater's thermal mass.

The back of the masonry stove with the wall torn out.

But how were we going to finish that wall? For months, that was the subject of much brainstorming. As part of the stove's thermal mass, the bricks radiate a lot of lovely heat, so we wanted to leave that part exposed. The biggest question was what to do about the arch. Treat it as a design feature? But how? We wanted to use something noncombustible, which added to the challenge. Dan used cement board above the bricks for the alcove, but he wasn't sure he wanted to do the same on this side. What were our other options?

Without going through our boring drawn-out thought process, I'll jump right to the finale and then follow up with a few details. 

Here it is now. The corrugated metal panel adds to the room's barn
motif yet isn't an insulator; it doesn't impede heat from the stove.

One of the design details I mentioned above was that we didn't want to block the heat on the sides of the stove. 

The principle of a masonry stove is that heat is produced in the firebox and held in an empty brick box (the thermal mass) which radiates warmth for at least half a day (and stays warm to touch for much longer). With a standard cast iron stove or fireplace, on the other hand, most of the heat goes up and out the chimney, and the room starts to cool off as soon as the fire goes out.

The exposed front and back of the stove do a fine job of radiating that warmth. On the sides, however, we have walls. In keeping with building code, there is an air space between the stove and the existing brick alcove wall, and there is another air space between the brick wall and room wall. Further, the room walls have a layer of heat-rated insulation. The challenge was to allow the warm air in those spaces to escape into the room rather than getting boxed in. 

The mantle post pretty much hides the gap, but doesn't fit snuggly against the bricks.

The other part of the challenge was that the bricks are uneven in the stove corners, because we never dreamed the back of the alcove would ever be exposed. Our solution was to cover the opening between the brick and the mantle post with screen, to allow the warmth to circulate out into the room

The screen is curved to make a column-like look.

Except I didn't like seeing the brick through the screen. So I painted the bricks black.

After painting the bricks.

I'm much happier with that. 

Here's a closeup of my decorative mantle bit.

Two of the wind chimes I made myself.

The one on the left is made from pirns. Pirns are what they call the bobbins for end-feed weaving shuttles. I don't use that kind of shuttle, so I thought this was a better use of them than storing them in a drawer. The one on the right is made with bells I originally bought for the goats' collars. Except the product description led me to believe they were bronze, which they aren't, these are just cheap metal with a bronze color coating. They've been sitting in a drawer too, and were perfect for an indoor wind chime.

Another section of the front room is done! Next I'll show you how Dan finished the front window wall. 

Front Room Remodel: Back of the Masonry Stove

© 2026 by Leigh at https://www.5acresandadream.com

Front Room Closet Done: Before & After

My holiday cooking series was a long one, so I'm starting off the new year with some remodeling updates. First up is the front room closet. Dan got it finished! I'll start with what the closet looked like when we first moved into the house.

Before. These first 2 photos were taken in 2009.

Before

Here it is now. 

Now I can easily access all that closet space, including the 32 cubic feet above the old closet shelf that was impossible to get to before.

Between the standard height sliding closet doors and the shelf above, I've got lots of storage space!

The track (from Amazon) is for glass cabinet doors, but works really well
 for the plywood doors Dan made. They slide easily on the plastic track.

The interior of the closet, I left open for now. I don't need a clothing rod or rack, but I need shelving for storage because I'm using the room as my weaving studio. Dan offered to make shelves, but I opted for stand-alone wire shelving units to allow for future closet refittings. The problem is that the ones I ordered from Amazon don't work, because the actual size of the shelves is one inch smaller in length and depth than the stated size. So my yarn and fiber totes (which would have fit the advertised size) didn't fit these. 

So what I'm showing you is Plan B, which is temporary until I can get two longer shelf units. 

 As you can see, I've already put the space to good use!

I put one of the shelving units in the center of the closet for now, for storing smaller items. On either side I've stacked the totes. As soon as I can I'm going to get two wider sets of shelves for them because it would be nicer to have each on it's own shelf. 

Even with the shelving set back, I'm really happy with the new closet. I do kinda wish the door stain was a lighter shade, but it's what we already had so it's what got used.

Next I'll show you how Dan finished off the wall to the left of the closet, which is the back of the masonry stove.

Front Room Closet Done: Before & After © 2026

 by Leigh at https://www.5acresandadream.com