One is located in our formal living room and the other in our family room. The family room fireplace is primary. When cool weather hits our area its usually in late October. I have standing orders, from Sweet Wife and Little Bit, when she is in residence, to have a fire laid and ready to light when she arrives home from work. I always follow orders. We burn a lot of wood. Firewood here in North Florida isn't cheap. A good truck load (less the a standard cord) can cost me a couple hundred dollars. Ouch. I'm cheap, well, perhaps frugal is a better description of my spending habits.
So this weekend when I spotted a nicely stacked pile of freshly cut Live Oak on the side of the road, I jumped. I had beat the city yard waste truck, and it was free for the taking.
The wood was the result of a trim job, probably as a safety measure for hurricane Irene. Live Oaks are big. The limb had been cut in rounds, and trust me, they were heavy. Each piece weighed between 60 and 90 pounds, a rough estimate for sure, but close enough. I tried to limit my selections to pieces measuring less the 21 inches, the limit for my Troy Built.
Free firewood is money in my pocket. Times are 'tuff all over, this is evident from my daily blog reads. Seems everyday I read where more and more people are losing their homes and jobs, or know of a neighbor in the same predicament. It's depressing. Many of these bloggers have become my friends. I read their posts and feel helpless. One jumps to mind and I shall not mention his name, he's a proud man, and to ask for help is beyond him. I've veered of course....sorry.
Anyway, back to the firewood. I loaded six or seven rounds (doctor's visit imminent) took it home and prepped for splitting the wood down to usable sections. Guess what...darn things were so heavy and green my log splitter wasn't up to the task. It'll season and I'll try again. Did get one to pop, Little Bit cheered.
Take what you can folks. There are terrible times ahead. Swallow your pride, too. Friends help friends.
Do you hear me, my friend.
Stephen
That's a good find. I see trees down by the road up here, but I have enough trouble cutting them up on my own place, so I have to pass them by.
ReplyDeleteArsenius, yes it was, and thanks. BTW, email to follow.
ReplyDelete"Take what you can folks. There are terrible times ahead. Swallow your pride, too. Friends help friends."
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed; there is wisdom in what you wrote. Well done.
Last winter we got so desperate for wood we drove around and pulled snowed covered dead trees out of the ditch and drug them home.
ReplyDeleteThis year we plan to make at least three wood trips to the old farm so that does not happen again.
Rev. Paul, thank you.
ReplyDeleteMDR, grasshopper and the ant come to mind.
After multiple ice storms my wife and I have determined that our next house will have the ability to burn wood. Cooler still would be one of those cast iron potbellied stoves that can also burn coal just so I can tell enviropychos that I heat my house with coal and watch them froth at the mouth.
ReplyDeleteStephen - there's nothing like a great find like you found. here where we are, there are ancient, virgin forests filled with wood for the taking. lots of great hardwood. i wish i could get you some.
ReplyDeleteas for your friend who needs help - i hope that he/she reaches out. we are people who strongly believe that friends always help friends...and finally we have left the cold city and moved to a place where everyone helps everyone.
i hope that your friend is ok. please tell your friend that internet friends count as real "friends" and should be called on when needed. and that there are many "strangers" out there who would try to help too.
your friend,
stassja
Like Arsenius I have so many trees around that need cutting down or cutting up I don't even look at trees by the road. The power company just came through this Summer and left me a bunch to cut up as it is. I have an inside wood stove I rarely use and an outside wood furnace that can eat wood like an ol steam engine if I let it.
ReplyDeleteTypically you can buy a truck load which measures in to about a rick and a half for about 35.00 to 50.00 bucks. Sometimes delivered.
That's about more than wood. Great post. We actually have piles of huge logs stacked but need to split it. I'm going to have to rent a splitter. I've done it the old-fashioned way all my life and trust me when I say there is no splitting these with a maul or axe. There again, here in Texas there is few times when we can even build fires. However, I'm bound and determined to have one on Christmas even if it's almost 90 outside.
ReplyDeleteOdysseus, great idea. Get one that is air tight. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteStassja, I envy you your woods.
PioneerPreppy, you are very lucky. Living in the city, even though covered in trees, I must either purchase or 'find' my firewood.
45er, very astute of you. Yes, it was. Thank you.
Stephen...our woods are wonderful. and ancient. and most of them nobody has ever walked on. except vikings and mi'kmaq. over a thousand years ago. oh the stories my land can tell. stories that i hope to compile during my life as no one has ever done so.
ReplyDeletethank you so much for all of your beautiful entries here. i sooo enjoy visiting.
your friend,
stassja
Dad has had a wood stove for 30 years at least. A couple of years ago I was out helping him finish off a tree and we were down to the nitty gritty on the main trunk. We took a piece to bust down even smaller with a hydraulic buster.
ReplyDeleteIt was a viciously tough piece of Oak and for some reason I leaned over it as it was building pressure and then I leaned back.
Just as I leaned back, a piece of that wood exploded off and flew up and went through the space where my head was just less than a second before.
I learned something that day.....
Matt, wood splitters are dangerous for sure...I give mine all the respect and care I can. Thank you for the comment.
ReplyDelete