To be warm...

Does not happen by the flick of a switch here at Panther Creek Cottage. But by lengthy preparation that occurs during summer. With thoughts that usually hit us when were trying to enjoy a bar-b-que or some other summertime festivity (bummer).

" Oh! We got to get the wood in" HH says, between bites of his charcoal grilled burger.

"Oh yeah" I say, acting surprised over a bite of potato salad.

We always act surprised at the thought, like we haven't been doing this same old rig-a-ma-roll year in and year out!


What's up with that?

This is the picture that pops up like a floating bubble above my head.
(double bummer.)

And if it weren't for the beauty of it's symmetry, I would cuss it out for popping into my thoughts and ruining a perfectly lovely bar-b-que.

This pile won't be touched until the winter of 2011. Once split, stacked and stored the firewood will season nicely. The term season really refers to wood that is thoroughly dried. Any dampness in your wood, when tossed into the stove will sizzle and won't burn properly until it's moisture content evaporates in the flames
(triple bummer)

Another problem of unseasoned wood is that it causes creosote build up in the stove pipe too and that can be dangerous if you are prone to ignore the annual fall chore of sweeping your chimney or stove pipe.

The standard measurement of a cord of wood is
4 feet high, 4 feet wide and 8 feet long tightly stacked.
And it's the only fuel that burns 3 times before it is reduced to a pile of ash.

1. when you cut it.
2. When you split it.
3. When you burn it.
   

All in all, the warmth and comfort of a wood burning stove in the cold of winter is heavenly. It helps me cope with the bubble over the head bit when I'm about to reach for that second piece of watermelon.

The ax

I used to lose sleep over images of flying ax heads.
The head hillbilly assuaged my fears when he showed me how an ax head is secured to it's handle.

You can read about that here.