by John Deming

For years I’ve tried to avoid using the furnace before October 1st.

This game with the furnace began in the early 70’s out of necessity.  Heat cost money, and we didn’t have much. Our home, a cottage, was poorly insulated and had only single pane windows.  The fireplace sucked any heat out of the second story bedrooms.  All these factors started this game of how long I could delay using the furnace in the fall.

Fast forward nearly 50 years and I still play the same game.  Will I turn the furnace on today?  This morning as I made our morning coffee, I saw it was 67 inside and 50 outside. This game with the furnace has a new player—also an indicator of the changing seasons. He leaves when I turn the furnace on, signalling the season’s end. Today, we are down to a single summer visitor, an immature male hummingbird.  Tomorrow, I will make the coffee and look at the feeders.  He will be gone until next May. I hope both of us will be here for his return. 


Photo: Diane Deming

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