Sunday 29 August 2010

Shouldn't think about it, but can't help it

Actually, that's not quite correct. In these parts, it's never too early to think about it because we never know when it will be upon us. The winter snows have been known to fall on the area at the end of September and autumnal temperatures can soon necessitate firing up the woodburner. So today, we ventured down the road to where a couple of uprooted beech trees have been resting since the catastrophic snow fall of early May. Beech is great wood for the woodburner so Andy set about chainsawing the 50cm dia trunk into manageable sections that we could transport back to the house. The tree had fallen down a slope to the side of the road, so we had to carry the wood back up to the road which was tricky, tiring and sweaty work. We also sectioned a couple of other smaller diameter trunks that were an ideal size for the woodburner. Four car loads later (goddam, we MUST get a trailer!), we had a respectable pile of wood which is now awaiting logging, splitting and stacking and, in the case of the larger logs, some drying in anticipation of colder temperatures
While we were in 'wood' mode, we also brought down much of the cherry wood that we had stacked up the little chemin following the May snow storm. Much of it is wonderfully dry and ready to use once we have logged it.
I guess we have been holding off doing any wood collecting due to uncertainty over where we will be this winter. But we are more likely than not to be somewhere where wood is the primary fuel source, so best work on that basis. I reckon we have collected enough so far to tide us over for a couple of months of cold temperatures.

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