Between working, preparing for another winter, sleeping, eating and cleaning (ahem, yes, I do clean. Sometimes.) there are very few hours left in the day.
So when I do have free time, I make sure that I’m doing something productive or that brings me joy.
Lately, our spare time has been spent cutting, hauling, splitting and stacking firewood for yet another winter. It seems to me that it wasn’t very long ago that I was showing off last year’s wood piles. But, sadly, most of last year’s wood is gone and we had to start all over again for another winter’s worth of heat.
Hauling firewood is obviously productive, but it also brings me a smidgen of joy, too.
Hauling firewood means we get to spend time together out in our woods, a place I don’t go as often as I’d like.
Hauling firewood means tangible results one piece of wood at a time: one-piece-of-wood = a-warmer-winter-day.
At the end of a long day in the woods, we’re tired, muddy and damp from the misting rain.
But such a day makes it feel so good to come home to a warm house, a welcome meal, and a cozy evening inside having known that you’ve put in a good day’s worth of tangible work.
That’s not to say that sometimes I’m grumpy and sometimes Cameron goes out to the woods on his own while I stay inside and write blog entries.
But the principle of the thing still stands.
This year we anticipate that we’ve got two years worth of firewood ready to go. That means that next year all of our wood should be seasoned, which, of course, is wise.
So that was this past weekend: hauling and splitting firewood.
Meanwhile, we were in the paper! I am overwhelmed by the kind and interesting comments in the previous post. Welcome to all new readers and I hope you continue to follow our progress and share your perspective and stories. I do my best to respond to comments and email, but I can be slow as I am often splitting wood, running a business and trying to answer life’s big questions! Until next time…
Your friend,
Laura-Jane
I want your firewood! Good for you for helping Cameron with it – I tend to steer clear of that particular job.
We bought our wood last year, and swore we’d cut our own this year …
Hubby never got around to cutting down any trees – between working in town and building our house – even though I ‘gently’ reminded him from time to time that winter was closing in.
And here I am again, making endless phonecalls, trying to find someone to deliver 4 cords of wood.
So, LJ, if you find your pile missing some early morning, don’t look at me!
Hi there:
Read some of your blog last winter and was amazed at your determination, hard work and how much you have accomplished to date. That was a great write up in the Guardian on the weekend. Keep up the great work and be careful in the woods, it is better to go together in case of accident, but that’s just my viewpoint. Hopefully this winter in your newly renovated home will be much more comfortable then last. God Bless
OK, Laura-Jane
Who looks as pretty as you in a lovely WHITE blouse gleefully stacking firewood and not a speck of mud/dirt smudges to be seen. I can’t wear light colours for more than 5 minutes without getting dirty but my blind dog might have something to do with that…. maybe.
But still!
Hi L-J
Thanks for more great blogging posts.
Nice job with the wood and two seasons worth should make it easier for years to come.
Have you started splitting yet with the splitter. (I happened to find your videos)
Don’t you find the fall to be just the greatest time of year to work outside. The air is a bit cooler and no bugs. The leaves are turning more every day and putting on a beautiful display of color.
Smiles :o)
Gary
After taking to the woods again this Saturday past I can speak to all the themes in your account of getting in the wood. I have been a woodburner for close to 35 years. I have started to think of the task of harvesting a years wood as a basic mesasure of ability to continue rural living. As a senior citizen I have had to learn to work smarter. Small doses takes you to the woods more oftern – a joy in itself. This past glorious Saturday my sons and I cut old dead and damaged red maple to augment their supply left over from last year. In addition to growing a healthy forest I could see I had passed on a healthy respect for the woods in my sons – another joy for you to look forward to.
I remember my childhood helping Dad cut and haul wood. Did not enjoy it then but of course in later years came to be a lot of fun.
Don’t forget to take the thermos of hot chocolate or maybe marshmellows, graham crackers and chocolate bars to go with an imprompto bonfire and make S’Mores. Yum!!
Enjoy your time in the timber and remember to replenish the trees when ground is cleared enough for future growth.
So good to see your stuff in “The Guardian”! You deserve it & more.. :-)
Hi my name is Karon from Toronto and I enjoyed the pictures of your farm house that were sent to me from a niece of one of the Macdonald daughters that lived there many years ago. My companion here in Toronto is John or Jackie Macdonald both of you seem so happy looking regardless of the woodcutting and all the other chores you do It brought tears to my Johns eyes to see the place he lived in 60 years ago. Wishing you lots of happiness there. Yours truly Karon Ricci
Oh, Laura -Jane, do not ever be discouraging again about your blog. You bring such joy and happiness to a lot of people.
Wow!
Congrats on hitting the big time!
Your photos always make me sigh.
And feel just a tiny bit jealous.
Your life looks like such a beautiful one.
Wow, I’m impressed. That’s a lot of work and makes me really glad I have a pellet stove and don’t have to worry about splitting wood. :)
I’m getting ready for winter too. I posted pics of my stockpile of wood pellets on my blog: http://veganedge.com/2009/10/fired-up-pellet-stove.html
WOW a smile – nice one!
Thanks Karen for sharing yours and John’s story…….. I am so glad to be able to help reconnect some of you with the old days. Hopefully you think we’re doing OK…..!
I have the same splitting maul!
Hopefully you don’t have to use it too often, lol. This year we bought an inexpensive wood splitter, which is fabulous.