mid October

RCE_3988-PanosmKiller frost playing hell with the vibrance.

The leaves are thinning, starting at the top. I can’t say I’m sad to see them go. Green has always tricked my eye. I can’t see depth or discern between it’s different shades. The bush is turned deep again. The bears are revealed, along with elk, a mile away, scratching on slides, and dead trees, way back, begging to be cut and split, and I’d agree with them if only they were closer to the road.

The Tamaracks are turning, the snow is lowering and it’s getting damn cold in the morning. The long underwear is on till April, even if we do get a warm spell. Willow is taking no time growing her winter coat. She gives it a scratch now and again.

_LME3622Willow hanging in the skuff.

The wood is in. Next year’s still has to be piled. And I’m the shits at piling. Crooked rows, uneven spacing between blocks, shaky disbursement, all in an effort to mix up the types of wood.

IMG_2372Many brag, but few can deliver both length and girth.

An armful of split wood for the fireplace should contain at a least two, if not three species, cedar to get it going, pine to create a good hot base and larch to burn hot and slow, crackling once and awhile just to keep you hypnotized while the snow builds up.

It won’t be long now and we will start work in the dark and get home in it as well.

RCE_3979

8 thoughts on “mid October”

  1. mountaincoward

    LOL to the ‘width and girth’ joke/photo!

    I’m a bit the same with my firewood – I sort it into various types – some to put on early when the fire isn’t very hot, some to bung on when it’s roaring away. I don’t really do it via type of wood though as I don’t have that many different types – mostly ash. But I keep medium width logs to put on at the start and only put the big stuff on when it’s really hot. My stove doesn’t have a big fire box unfortunately so you have to stoke it up very often!

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  2. Jim R

    We’ve had a couple of light frosts. Not enough to do harm to things still growing. A few trees are turning color. My fireplace is all set to go. I lit the pilot light. No wood stacking for me.

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    1. underswansea

      It sounds like you have a longer growing season. I plan on planting garlic tomorrow while the ground is still soft. You are missing out on firewood stacking. I bet your firewood would be stacked scientifically, perhaps the middle of the woodpile would align with the winter equinox. 🙂 All the best to you and Melanie, Bob

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