We have been busy 'nesting' these past couple of weeks and getting ready for cold weather by cutting up firewood for the long season ahead. A long process of getting the truck & trailer ready, our new chainsaw (Zach's favorite gift from the wedding), the dog, gloves, boots, snacks, glasses, and then we are off to search for the perfect trees to cut for winter. The forest service allows people in our area to cut their own firewood with minimal requirements. The tree needs to be visibly dead but otherwise it's fair game. It turns out to be a win-win situation for the forest and the standard home-owner because the process keeps the forest clear of dead wood debris that can fuel forest fires when they happen, and we get to keep our house warm this winter at a low-cost. Usually it is Zach, Lucy, and I fending for ourselves trying to agree on which tree to cut, which way it will fall, how far away the truck should be, and if it will get caught up in any surrounding trees. I tend to think I find the perfect tree every one we see but Zach is clearly more selective and we end up driving around for a few hours until we find the perfect spot. Lucy, manages to help by retrieving what ever limbs we toss aside.
This past weekend we joined friends at Petit Lake to gather wood together and also help a great family out with some fallen wood that is surrounding their cabin. With 10 of us the process went fairly quick and we worked together like a well oiled machine. It reminded me of the time Zach and I were in Bolivia watching this small community of people repair a damaged dock on Lake Titicaca. They lined up side by side, old, young, man, and woman and lifted these heavy rocks to get the job down. But with all of them working together the job didn't seem so daunting. Well we managed to fill the back of a pick-up truck, and a trailer full of wood within two hours! A lot of our speed was due to the previously fallen trees that littered the ground but still a majority of the work is in cutting, carrying, and stacking the wood. Afterwards, we were treated to a nice boat ride around the lake to watch the sunset before we built a warm fire outside to eat dinner around. Winter here we come!
Zach, Willie, and Ryan afterwards on the boat.
Jenna & Lacie gathering
Willie stacking.
Thanks to Jenna for the pictures!
Kathryn & Zach
Willie & Matt
