Let There Be Light

As we ease our way to the end of November, we are getting cooler temps and cloudier skies. Our forecast for tomorrow is possible storms. Fortunately, it is not going to be terribly cold tonight or tomorrow.

Something to think about, is with every storm comes the possibility of a power outage. Some areas are more prone to this than others, obviously. I have lived in a couple of different towns since I moved to Tennessee over five years ago, and apparently I have found the places that the power goes out the most! Since it is not that cold out yet, heating will not be the main concern. However, lights will. Now that we are off DST, it gets dark early. By the time my husband gets home from work, it's dark. I would like to do what I can to make sure that when he gets home from work, he is greeted in an inviting manner. So, I ask - Does a dark house do that? Not so much. If the power goes out, I can flip that wall switch as often as I want to and it will not work (We have all done that? Right? I am surely not the only one!).

What I can do, is light the oil lamps. Also known as kerosene lamps, hurricane lamps, etc. They all will do the same thing. Give light.

Candles will also do that. I have a love of candles. I would buy candles every time I left my house if I could. Individually, they don't put out a lot of light, though.

Both oil lamps and candles will put out some heat. It won't, of course, heat your house, but it will add a little bit of heat to a room. If I had to choose between an eternal source for one or the other, it would  be oil lamps. The amount of light they put out is much greater than candles. They also have the flame enclosed in the globe. The flame isn't as affected by any passing air. Since we purchase lamp oil, there is not much in the way of soot and there is no odor.

To increase the amount of light you are getting from your lamps or candles, try placing them in front of a mirror. I have a "barn" lamp that has a plate attached to the side of the lamp. It is supposed to be reflective but due to age, it no longer is. I can simply glue a mirror to this and increase the brightness.  Most of my oil lamps sit on the mantle just waiting for use. We plan to hit some salvage stores and see if we can find a length of mirror to run behind the lamps and candles placed there. If not, then I will buy a cheap back of the door mirror from the big box store, take the frame off and mount that over the mantle. No need to spend a lot of money on a mirror "cut to size".

Flashlights are another source of light and they definitely have a purpose. I for one do not want to hold a flashlight while trying to cook dinner. Or take a shower. or a myriad of other tasks. Would I like one to walk around in the yard or outside anywhere for any reason? Heck ya! I would prefer a flashlight over a candle or lamp in that scenario any day, and for many other uses. In fact, I carry one on my belt everyday as part of my everyday carry. Just not so much for the daily tasks I would be doing inside.

Today, I topped off all the oil lamps and made sure that all our candle holders were full, just in case. Have you dusted off those oil lamps and filled those candle holders to Let There Be Light when times are tough?