When it is as cold as it has been the last few days here in the north country, in the teens and below zero, these sturdy creatures looking so at home in the elements reminded me that my own toes were cold with how many layers of man made, gore-tex, thermo teck, poly fleeced, engineered boots and socks? How can you not feel warm just looking at them! Got me to thinking about all the natural products that insulate the best…goose down, wool socks, silk camisoles, leather boots and yes…fur! I’m all for technology and mans ingenuity at creating warm fabrics from a test tube and good thing we have these concoctions to make the elements a bit more friendly. But there is a part of me that appreciates the romanticism of scenes right out of Dr. Zhivago…the sleigh rolling across the frozen landscape with it’s occupants snuggled under layers of fur and heads wrapped in fox or sable. Wonder what that was like, truly living off the land and having to be more concerned about surviving the elements rather than being politically correct.
That notion got me to thinking about fur when it was used as a clothing and bodily decoration and then as a 
commodity. Fur, up until less expensive clothing alternatives came on the scene, was the most popular due to its warmth and longevity. I’m glad that there are still indigenous people and some developed societies that rely on fur as necessity and tradition. The Inuit of the Arctic, Russian, and Scandinavian cultures come to mind.
The closest that most of us will come to fur now, is the wonderful feel of sinking fingers into the coats of our 4 legged friends as they snuggle up with us while we pile on the poly spun fleece blanket, unless you’re lucky enough to have a Hudson Bay wool blanket. Thank heavens for sheep and dogs! Stay warm…Babbling Brook (photos taken way out Harrisburg Rd in Stony Creek)
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