Chores

Dan here ~

The fireplace I mentioned in last Friday's post requires a rather constant supply of wood to keep it crackling. Most of what I normally have been burning is all softwood. Not a problem, no real chimney to foul and while it is snapping and popping, it smells good. Unfortunately, it doesn’t burn a long time before another arm load is destined to be thrown in. A good evening will consume a large wheelbarrow full of the wood. 

 A few years ago several rather large trees were blown down across the driveway during a violent wind storm. The crew that got the massive trees out of the way, thankfully got the driveway clear but the wood left behind would take the next several generations to be digested into the ground. 

The eyesore, coupled with the fire hazard of the amount of wood lying around did not seem like a great idea. I figured the only reason it had been left that way was because to do something about it would require a fair degree of effort. As the wood was on the neighbor’s property, I approached them for permission to cut it up and split it so I could burn it in the fireplace. Permission was granted ~ the large trees were the source of many fires and several hours cutting, splitting and stacking down by the fireplace. 

This fall we purchased two cord of hardwood that was stacked in one of the round wood piles I was known for when we lived in Rangeley. 

Another round pile was constructed from the softwood that did not fit in the wood box by the fireplace.

New wood box built and filled

The other fall chore that is never ending, is beach cleanup. Living on the end of the pond we are on the receiving end of all the leaves and debris that lands in the pond. 

See all the leaves being washed ashore?

The pond is surrounded by ancient white pines and oaks. The lovely pines drop wheelbarrow loads of needles that wash up onto the shore and get mashed into the beach. About the time they are through dropping, the maples drop their leaves to wash down to the beach. Then it is the oak trees turn, I swear some of them are almost big enough to be used as quilt backs. 

 You guessed it they all end up on the beach to be removed by yours truly. While it may be true that during the summer the chore list is shorter leaving time to sit and read, the fall makes up for it.