Hibernation STATION

Folks say spring is right around the corner in March in my neck of the northeastern United States, but you’d be hard-pressed to prove it to me. Around here, winter can last well into April. You just have to go with it.

The pellet stove will keep our home at a comfortable 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but in late winter, the pellet stores can get pretty low. Heat isn’t my only concern, though. My food supply gets low around this time of year as well. I know my family won’t starve and we’ll have enough to last another month or so, but we’ll be cutting it pretty close. The once-stocked freezer often looks a tad bare as I pull a couple of trout out for dinner in March.

There’s good news in all of this. Despite long and cold winters, my family survives. The days get longer and