Minding the Cold Frame

The thermometer says 46 degrees but it feels more like 40. Overcast and gray, the skies have been looking like November lately. We've enjoyed a mild fall but the wind out there today means business. I think we've run the course of our luck on warm weather.

I've been training myself to mind the cold frame over the past 10 days. Outside in slippers and pjs at dawn or dusk more than once to prop open or close the lid depending on conditions. Last night it got down to the mid 30s. I covered the cold frame with a blanket yesterday evening and found things comfortable inside this morning with a little condensation collected on the top and sides. Tonight it's heading down into the 20s so we'll see how things fare in the morning. I'm curious how the cluster of 10-day old calendula seedlings will do. They're hardy right now and growing like weeds.

We have indoor/outdoor thermometers all over the house but do you think there'd be an intact working one in the bunch? The outdoor sensors seem to spring legs and walk. Pursuit of one to put in the cold frame has reduced itself to the quest of the Holy Grail at this point.