• Saturday-What'sUP September 11 - 03:35 am

I spent some time looking through the myriad of Guest Gallery albums and kept being drawn to these three photos by Joyce Tormala, Lori Houle-Vial and Paul Trautman, respectively. After a bit of contemplation, I figured out why - because it's that time of year when folks are getting their winter supply of wood cut, chopped, stacked and ready for the onslaught of the winter to come. Check out the 100 mile an hour tape on the splitting maul in that top photo. I've always been partial to duct tape myself! Sure would like to have a woodpile like the one in that second shot, those birch logs look so nice in the fireplace. Yes, fall is all around us, as evidenced in the double fungus latched on to the remaining life in the fallen log picture too. Instead of sitting here talking about wood, I better get busy on my own supply or I'll have to go on another 50 state tour to stay warm this winter!

Swing Jared swing, that block isn't gonna split just sitting there!

Love the pictures today. Oh how I wish I still had a fireplace or woodstove!

Hey Lori: howdy neighbor!

With what the price of oil and gas are doing this year, maybe we all should consider alternative heating sources this winter...and ways in which to conserve our energy!

Wow... what an honor to have my photo posted between two fine photographers... great mushroom shot Paul! I am so excited to be featured with one of Joyce's. I have followed her album for quite some time and always feel hugely homesick after viewing her pics! Or refreshed by the taste of home...I can never decide which! Many of her works have given me inspiration! As for the woodchopper, I hope that piece of ducktape on that handle is a preventative measure (some wrap their handles with wire and tape to reinforce the handle for when they 'miss') rather than a repair. I would hate to have to 'duck' from the flying maul!
And HeiHei Maija! I was hooted at by an owl on the trails the other day...
Thanks Pasty People... I love this site!

Maija,
Yep, I miss my fireplace too...and I don't even want to think about opening my gas/electric bill this winter. I keep our thermastat at 65 day/62 night and we were getting $300- $400 gas/electric bills, last year. Me thinks I need to get hubby over to Mennards before the snow blows, to take a look see at a fireplace or wood stove.

The first thing I said to myself when I saw the axe: oh, oh, somebody's got himself started on winter.

Native American forcast....Big winter come...white man gather much firewood

I saw a sign of winter, yesterday, as I was driving down one of the main roads in town. The county is putting up its "Do not park within ten feet of road" signs, on the shoulder of the roads...to make room for the snow plows and the piles of snow to come. ;)

I'm so glad we have a wood stove. Sure will help this winter. Burn wood during the day and set my furnace at 62 at night. My husband David always say's WOOD IS GOOD!!!!!!!

Though my thermometer shows 86° in the partial shade right now,we know what's around the corner. The duct tape is used to ease the vibration when the maul hits a knot in the wood.
This young guy has been swinging that hammer like John Henry,to relieve college stress.
I know he has had a hard day when I hear the patriotic tunes on his boom-box,with the THUD of the hammer keeping time with the beat.
Lori,I'm sure you take the time to smell the wood pile before loading the barrow to be stacked,once again,before it is burned.
What looks to be just a rotted log is very much alive-a host to a variety of creatures and plants.In the end the soil is replenished.
There are so many chores tend to today,but I think I will follow my gut instinct and head to the beach. This may be the last of the hot,sticky days,so we may as well enjoy while we can. We WILL pay! Have a great weekend,everyone!

I thought we were done burning wood a couple of years ago when we got our gas furnace. But guess we'll be using what wood we have left from before. Hey, it's well dried out! Guess we won't be the only ones doing that this year. Our house isn't real big & is well insulated. Feel sorry for people who own older& big homes, they'll be really feeling the bite.

Hey there..yeah, I usually go out and start splitting if I am frustrated with Tech..gets to be tiring, but the stress disappears..the duct tape is on the handle is indeed a repair..from missing and splitting the handle..but it gets the job done..sauna will be warm all winter

Fall chores began in earnest today when the in town rain clouds lifted and the 6000 ft level on the benches had sugar topping. The sun scutted in and out with biting breeze. That "sugar" melted into the dry soil. Hopefully it stopped the 18,000 acre sage and cheat grass fire that started last Sunday and tried to peek over the bench into town. Dog chewed up my 10 yr old well broken in leather yard gloves. Had to break in a new pair today....I hate that part. Enjoy!

Check out the guys arms in the pictures. Nice pipes there Mr.

We've had our woodstove in the corner of the dining room for 20+ years now. Can't be without it! They get addicting! So nice to stand by the warm radiant heat on a cold evening. So nice to have one when there is a power outage! Like CindyLee we burn it all day and set the thermostat on the gas furnace for 62!
Since we've retired we've backed off a little on the wood but not this winter again since as Jefflarae states gas/oil way up (plus everything else!)
Keep in mind folks, Tree services, Landscapers, Excavators, utility companys etc. down here in SE troll land anyhow, where we usually get a lot of wood are now mostly all using hi-powered 6 cyl. chipper machines which take everything up to about 40" +/- circumference. This leaves only the huge logs which are are too large, heavy, tough to handle and too hard on my body & equiptment! We do cut and split some of them anyway. You got to catch those guys before they run the nice size stuff thru the chipper!
We've got some good wood the past 2 years the hard way from our own trees and limbs knocked down by storms.
A wood stove is also a good way to utilize, recycle, and dispose of all that junk advertising mail one gets!