We go to bed on a nice cold winter night and what do we do? We throw on an extra blanket, pull the covers up to our chins, then we’re nice and warm. I saw a guy on television stepping out of a helicopter onto the frozen Arctic Sea. It was 50 degrees below zero. He was wearing many layers of clothing, boots, mittens, and a hood. Totally covered from head to toe. But he was still talking. His face was uncovered. When we’re sleeping on that cold winter night, every part of our bodies are covered except our faces. Of course our faces are open; it would be inconvenient for them not to be; it would be hard to talk or breathe. But what is it about faces that they can be exposed to the coldest temperatures, but if everything else is covered we’re toasty warm? The skin on my face is not particularly tough; it’s not that. Do we have different nerve endings in our faces so that part of our bodies responds differently to cold than every other part of our bodies? Do faces perceive cold differently? I need to know these things…
Meanwhile. Back at the ranch. We’re still moving back into the house (there is a lot to do), working, and reminiscing about our Alaska Trip.