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Katrina MacAllan's avatar

Your house looks like a fairy tale!!!!! I LOVE a good power outage. Same as you - I can fully RELAX because there's nothing you CAN do. Candles, books, snow, cosy wood stove? What else do you really need in life???

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Ash Ambirge's avatar

I might have to turn the power off every weekend! It's like the people who turn off their phones, except we are taking it to the NEXT LEVEL, BABY. 🤣 🤣 🤣 I'll raise you the whole house!

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Jorunn Hernes 🇳🇴's avatar

😂 I thought I was cool having a no-screen corner. But NOOOOOO you had to go quit the whole electricity thing.......

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Kristi Keller 🇨🇦's avatar

This post has me feeling all kinds of cozy. The only thing missing is a big dog curled up by the fire 😊 And a generator. Clearly you didn't pay attention to the Generac commercials.

I live in a Canadian city where it's winter 7 months a year so...yup. I LOVE snow days. In fact, we've got about a foot of the white stuff right now and yes, it IS peaceful. Winter is my favorite. Perfect excuse to stay in sweatpants and pretend I live in a cheesy Hallmark movie.

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Ash Ambirge's avatar

I am 100% in a Hallmark movie right now! Went today and charged up all the devices, including backup batteries, so I'm able to connect via phone right now, and am weirdly happy to be back by the fire all cozied up. And, yes! Everyone around here has generators. 🤣 They look at me like I'm a caveman when I say I don't have one, hahahahahahaha. #lessonlearned

Wait, what part of Canada are you in, Kristi?!

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Kristi Keller 🇨🇦's avatar

I'm in Calgary, Alberta. Right at the foot of the Canadian Rockies ❤️ If I could attach photos to comments I'd show you the snowpocalypse we got overnight 😁

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Ash Ambirge's avatar

Substack definitely needs to allow photo comments! I'm surprised they don't actually - they're so good about features!

REMIND ME TO FLY THERE TO YOU SOMEDAY. Can you believe I've never done Canada???????????? Like, what?

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Kristi Keller 🇨🇦's avatar

Stop it, really?? Google the Banff Springs hotel (the royal family has stayed there) and you'll be booking a ticket asap 😁 Fly in here and I'll drive...it's only 45 minutes away!

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Carolee Biddle's avatar

Losing power is not cozy! What about flushing the toilet? Running water? Using a flashlight or candles is one thing, not flushing the toilet for four days is another. But the snow is awfully pretty. And the picture of your home was like a postcard. (If you remember what a postcard is!)

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Ash Ambirge's avatar

I always keep water reserved into big 3-liter mason jars just for this kind of thing! (Learned it in Costa Rica, lol.) You just dump one down and it force-flushes the toilet. 😀 Weird, right?!

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Kristi Keller 🇨🇦's avatar

Lol this was a quick life skill learned in the Caribbean for me as well 🤣

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Carolee Biddle's avatar

Yes that surely works but it would require a LOT of mason jars being stored! I want to see that when we do our Farmhouse Session. I expected to see a cellar full of wine bottles...not mason jars!😂

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Ash Ambirge's avatar

Baahahaha! Yes, I've got 6 going at this moment! But don't worry, for every mason jar, there is also a wine bottle. I've been getting wine delivered by subscription through Naked Wines for something different to try, since access here is tough!

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Nicole Larson's avatar

1. You looked very romantic in the candlelight. 2. My instinctual thing is making pasta. and 3. For the love of all that is good and holy, do you have POWER BACK YET?!

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Melanie E's avatar

Power outages are a funny thing in Alaska. You would think Winter would be the most likely time, and often it is, but generally when it's been out the longest (2 weeks long!) it's been in the summer when you can't depend on the outside cold to keep your stuff in the freezer frozen. Thankfully I did buy a generator when I first moved here after hearing the power went out one time for 3 weeks. Usually it's a few hours but there have been rare events where it's not, so generator is great, and we keep gas on hand for it always. I don't mind the slow down either. It's nice sometimes to unplug and just be. I really love how the red door on your farmhouse pops in the snow. Beautiful.

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Ché Maria's avatar

Living in South Africa will prepare one very well for power outages! 💪🏻 we’re pros, got it down pat. Mini camping gas stove for the tea, fireplace outside for the BBQ, converter for wifi and you’re sorted! Cold showers are simply a reality.

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Ash Ambirge's avatar

I'm dying to get to South Africa! Though I haven't taken a shower in days, LOL, because the well pump works with electricity, and taking a bucket of water to yourself in the winter is freeeeezing! 🥶

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Ché Maria's avatar

I can imagine! A cold shower is also not my first choice 😂

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Helena Denley's avatar

The photos are so beautiful.

I wish for a snow storm so I could slow down and not have to worry about the every day things. Alas, there are no snowstorms in Melbourne Australia.

Instead, I twisted my knee in the surf in Byron Bay last week while on holidays, enough so that I have to rest now, a lot, which I like, but not keen on having to have other people do stuff for me.

But it certainly is giving me time to think about what I’d like to be doing with my life.

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Ash Ambirge's avatar

The knee doesn't sound good, but may you enjoy the downtime it brings! Candles + book + cozy blanket = heaven no matter where you are!

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Helena Denley's avatar

Thank you Ash 🙏🏻

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Jorunn Hernes 🇳🇴's avatar

We're having a rare snowfall here on the western coast of Norway too, and I'm enjoying the squeak my boots make when walking in it. Brings back childhood memories from another part of Norway where snow was a given in winter, and the squeak, squeak of boots in snow was everyday winter stuff. Now, it's a rare joy, and I'm making a fool of myself walking circles just to listen to the sound. I'm glad we have power, though, but I light candles inside regardless. I'm glad you have the power back Ash (otherwise you wouldn't have been able to write this lovely piece). Stay warm and do share a list of those interior design books you're snacking on!

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Ash Ambirge's avatar

Oh no, power's still out! I'm hotspotting from my phone, which I charged in the car. 🤣 Once a diehard millennial blogger, always a diehard millennial blogger!

The snow as you describe in Norway sounds absolutely MAGICAL. I'm really looking forward to getting up to Scandinavia this year to explore! (And, as discussed, maybe do a color consult with you while I'm there!!!!! WOULD LOVE.)

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Jorunn Hernes 🇳🇴's avatar

Love that right back! And I'll include a private tour of whatever place is closest to the colour consult, because I would love to show you Norway my way. And we. have. to meet. one day. and TALK face to face. Possibly over a G&T but I'll take coffee or anything.

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Barbara Murphy-Shannon's avatar

I'm in Santa Barbara and it's been raining all day. Such a nice change from the desert and sun shining all the time.

I did grow up in the northeast so I feel you. As Kristi mentioned, if you don't already, get yourself a generator.

We use to get pans of snow and melt it to wash our hair during power outage days. But you need a generator so you can dry your hair or it will turn to icicles...Lol.

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Ash Ambirge's avatar

I can SO picture you with a pan of snow, B! Baahahahahahah!!! That's what I was doing earlier; filling buckets with snow and then melting them on the stove for extra water like I actually know what I'm doing or something. 🤣 Maybe we need to get Roof King to start making valves you can just open and fill up buckets with from indoors loooolllll

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Barbara Murphy-Shannon's avatar

Just seeing this. Brillant idea...Roof King will be sending you royalties...LOL!

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