I was so worn out yesterday when I woke up, and did not feel much up to going to get firewood. I was up late the night before talking to our oldest as he was down to pick up the two vehicles he had left in our field over winter when he thought he was going to have to move house. It was good to see him, and to catch up! He towed the first one off first thing in the morning, and while he was away, I gathered up the girls and went on down to get the wood anyway!
There are scales on the way in and on the way out at the city landfill, so I was able to weigh the truck and trailer both times, and we had an increase of 3,200 pounds between entry and exit. So I figured that that was my exercise for the day, lifting that into the trailer! Well, almost. I got more than half out again when I got home.
Firewood can be a lot of hard work. But at fifty, I need some kind of exercise, and let’s face it, most forms people participate in bore me with their constant repetitions and gym views. My hips will not allow me to go running, and cycling is bad for me because that one; that one is hard to turn around and go home in time from before the sun sets. I do love me a good bike ride with lots of sun, air, and scenery! Failing that, I will lift firewood, and move it around, which I do enjoy!
The price down at the landfill is still a pretty good one. Free! I will hate the day they decide not to do that anymore. I am remiss telling about it just because who wants the demand for the wood go to up?
I pick up whatever wood I can find there. If it is too fresh, I will just put it on the pile to season for next year. If it is dry, I will put that in the pile to start burning this year. I have the space and set-up to do it. When I cut from the mountains, I loved getting maple wood, because it burned longer and hotter than the other species up there. The heat from the stove could be described as being of a higher quality from maple wood. It felt like it radiated from it better, and more intensely than the other species. I see people down at the landfill fretting over what kind of wood is best to burn, and if they should get this or that, laying about down there. I have been asked what burns the best. My answer is that any of it will burn better than my furniture will! I’ll take what I can get to fill the quota. This is the main heat source in my house all winter long, and I sometimes cook with it, and I can do so many other things with nothing more than a radiant box of fire, that having the wood to burn for the whole of winter is far more important than what kind it is. Yes, I would love it it someone would drop a whole maple grove down there for me to pick up. It is extra work, usually, but it is worth it! The branches and trunks are usually smaller, and require a bit more sawing and splitting, but that heat quality is really that much better. But I will gladly take any heat over none at all. I have been there, done that.
I moved the feeder in the pasture yesterday to get it away from the gate. It was right next to the gate, and the horse would come along and stand there and block the gate, even when there was nothing in it. That got to be too much to deal with, as I want access to the pasture without having to fight her off. She is not of the same disposition she was when she was younger, and even then, it was pretty spirited. But now, her go to response to any interaction is to threaten to kick. I brought with the new lunging whip yesterday, and that made a huge difference! She remembers the sound if that!
If you are not familiar with the tool, don’t panic, when I first moved into the country, I was not either. While it is called a whip, it is never used to strike the horse. It makes a sound that the horse can hear, and it can be directed. I bought a bright yellow one, so it could also be easily seen, and it allows me further reach than trying to run around after the animal. This lets me get control over her better than just standing there openly exposed. She will keep a distance, and the kicking behavior is much less of a threat. It is true she could use a lot of time in a round pen establishing a relationship, but we just don’t have one, so I have to just use the whip for keeping control and maintaining safety. I am no horseman, admittedly, but I have this one old mare that needs me to keep a sound human/horse relationship with her.
So the pasture is clear of the two old vehicles that were being stored in it, just as promised, and right on time, too. I have got to give out kid credit for being a man of his word on that. I doubt he will ever understand just how important that is to me. Folks live and die in my estimation of trust based on their word, and if they will keep it. He said he would have them out by spring, and he did. I am so proud of him for that.
So that is a basic roundup of what has gone on here this week, and what we have been up to. We are going to be sorting out some of the herb garden during the next few days. There is a little shopping to do, and a lot of work! Frankly, I think I would prefer the shopping! But this is the life we lead!