When it all comes together...

[drhiii]

I have access to land with pinon, cedar and scrub oak. Today was a pristine day. Upper 40s. Everything worked. Chains sharpened (myself). Fuel. Oil. Tools. Traffic cooperated until I was offroad and alone. Located a perfect cedar, standing but aged just right. It was waiting for me. The weather was beautiful. SP 45 so I didn't burn. Hawks circling around, shopping for food. Cuts were pristine and efficient. Quickly harvested the cedar and had my splits prepped and in the trailer in no time. Located another collection of cedar and pinon. Able to drive right up into the clearing which doesn't always happen. Tore through more standing but cured wood. Saws ran flawlessly. Drive back, took my time. Even stopped and got an milk shake and gained 10 lbs.

The whole operation was clockwork. Placed one of the cedar splits along with some other mediocre wood in the stove and fired the puppy up. Was a fairly balmy 32 outside but hey, why not. Things flamed up beautifully, and closed the damper all the way down. The cedar split is so dense and is cured just right, it heated the whole place in a few minutes and lasted 3 hours with the damper remaining for all intents all the way down, but throwing out an amazing amount of BTUs.

There is usually a small battle somewhere, with traffic or a chain issue, forgetting goggles or something. Nada today. I have several cords of various kinds of mediocre pine and elm (yawn) which are fine for creating a little heat, but the cedar and pinon are optimal, and will harvest about 3 more cords in the next month. So when things get down to 0 to -20, the wood and stove will be humming along, throwing out satisfying and sustaining heat. It's nice when it all comes together, like today.

 

[Pagey]

I believe if you'll check carefully, you'll find you left your wallet in the woods. :lol: J/K

 

[drhiii]

Heh, I checked. Is right here. It was a great day.

Which leads me to... surprised more didn't at least post some kind of satisfaction type message. Some good cheer for their firestarting or fire gathering experience. Seems like most folks I talk to or most posts I see are in the doldrums, down, gloomy. Was trying to bring a little cheer. Oh well. I'll be more gloom and doom and am sure that will promote more reaction. Sign of the times.

 

[LLigetfa]

The next time you're out, you will wonder where that wrench is you usually keep in your back pocket, only to find it embedded in your trailer tire.

I tried that "positive thinking" stuff once but I just knew it wouldn't work. It's like speaking of the Devil... the moment I think to myself how well it all comes together, bang... in threes!

 

[drhiii]

Now you're talking. That wrench, with the flat head on the other end. Carried in my back pocket. *That* could have been the dark cloud on my great day. Finished the last cuts, loaded up, packed everything, plopped down in the front seat of the car, and knew instantly I'd left it in my back pocket. "There it is" I thought. The black eye in the so far great day. Went into instant denial and drove 40 miles to get my milkshake... I didn't want to see the tear in the seat I probably created.

More joy. No tear. The screwdriver end was enough in my pocket that it didn't mar the seat. Living large I'm tellin ya. It was a great day.

But let's find some dark and stormy night things to say. Mebbe more folks will respond.

The next time you're out, you will wonder where that wrench is you usually keep in your back pocket, only to find it embedded in your trailer tire.

I tried that "positive thinking" stuff once but I just knew it wouldn't work. It's like speaking of the Devil... the moment I think to myself how well it all comes together, bang... in threes!

 

[LLigetfa]

WOW! God really was on your side that day! Good for you.

 

[drhiii]

I know. It was. A good day. Gots ta celebrates them when they come along.

 

[BrotherBart]

We are all just jealous. ;-)

 

[pen]

and, for there to be complete balance in the world.............

Some poor bugger left to cut wood and ran over his own dog in the driveway. Went to the vet to get him looked at. While inside a tree fell on the truck. Went to start the chainsaw up to remove tree and the cord pulled out. Got a ride home, went inside to find spoiled milk and warm beer in the fridge that apparently stopped working last night. Switched to brandy, went to bed early.

pen

 

[LLigetfa]

and, for there to be complete balance in the world.............

Hmmm.... for me, bad luck usually runs in threes.

 

[BrotherBart]

and, for there to be complete balance in the world.............

Hmmm.... for me, bad luck usually runs in threes.

No such thing as luck. You either do it to yourself or you aren't paying attention and some SOB does it to ya. :coolsmirk:

 

[pen]

While you each may be right, I have had days where it certainly seems like there is someone on the other team playing against me.

Call it what you like. But, I still enjoy being lucky, even if there is no such thing.

pen

 

[drhiii]

True. True. Yesterday was due to a lot of prep. Not rushed. But methodical, measured, prep. When the weather cooperated, just made it that much better, tho harvesting in -5 is also thoroughly enjoyable to me too. Being outside and alive is a big reward.

and, for there to be complete balance in the world.............

Hmmm.... for me, bad luck usually runs in threes.

No such thing as luck. You either do it to yourself or you aren't paying attention and some SOB does it to ya. :coolsmirk:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I have access to land with pinon, cedar and scrub oak. Today was a pristine day. Upper 40s. Everything worked. Chains sharpened (myself). Fuel. Oil. Tools. Traffic cooperated until I was offroad and alone. Located a perfect cedar, standing but aged just right. It was waiting for me. The weather was beautiful. SP 45 so I didn't burn. Hawks circling around, shopping for food. Cuts were pristine and efficient. Quickly harvested the cedar and had my splits prepped and in the trailer in no time. Located another collection of cedar and pinon. Able to drive right up into the clearing which doesn't always happen. Tore through more standing but cured wood. Saws ran flawlessly. Drive back, took my time. Even stopped and got an milk shake and gained 10 lbs.

The whole operation was clockwork. Placed one of the cedar splits along with some other mediocre wood in the stove and fired the puppy up. Was a fairly balmy 32 outside but hey, why not. Things flamed up beautifully, and closed the damper all the way down. The cedar split is so dense and is cured just right, it heated the whole place in a few minutes and lasted 3 hours with the damper remaining for all intents all the way down, but throwing out an amazing amount of BTUs.

There is usually a small battle somewhere, with traffic or a chain issue, forgetting goggles or something. Nada today. I have several cords of various kinds of mediocre pine and elm (yawn) which are fine for creating a little heat, but the cedar and pinon are optimal, and will harvest about 3 more cords in the next month. So when things get down to 0 to -20, the wood and stove will be humming along, throwing out satisfying and sustaining heat. It's nice when it all comes together, like today.

drhiii, I understand completely what you are talking about. Although we don't have to haul wood with the truck or car, some days when it is wood cutting time things just seem to be nothing but pure joy.

It used to be even better for me when my wife could help but now most times I just head back into the woods alone on the atv. I work slow and am not afraid to take plenty of breaks. I enjoy all parts of wood heating including the cutting and everything else with it. But it is during those breaks when I just sit back and take a rest. I can look at what I've already cut and have much satisfaction from it.

Probably loading the wood onto the trailer is my least enjoyable but that too can be enjoyable. Satisfaction knowing that you were able to wrestle those big logs into the trailer, even if you have to make (steps) with other logs in order to get it high enough to get into the trailer.

Sometimes, actually, most times during winter when we cut wood the weather turns out a bit damp or very cold. Before heading to the woods I have some of those little soapstone blocks that we keep on the stove. I take along an extra pair of gloves and one stone in each glove then wrap them with an old towel or rag of some sort. When my gloves get wet or my hands get really cold, I'll stop and put on that pair of gloves and what a joy to slip my cold wet hands into that warm pair of gloves. At that time I also know it is about time to head up with another load. I'll then get another pair of gloves ready with the stones (we have several pair).

When Spring is getting close it is nice to enjoy the weather because it now is not so cold and we seem to get more sunshine. It seems those breaks get longer and more numerous. When the snow melts, then it is splitting time. That only takes a few days and then we stack. After it is all done, I then get great enjoyment time after time whenever I look at our wood piles. There is just something about looking at what you have done and after all the work there is great satisfaction.

Finally, there are those days when the weather is not fit for man nor beast and you stay indoors to catch up on a few things and that is when that heat from the wood really blesses you.

We also will not forget all that great exercise you've got while out in the fresh air provided by Mother Nature. It is so much better than just sitting around. Both the wife and I are getting up in years but we plan on heating with wood for many, many more and I also intend on continuing to cut. I certainly could go a few years without cutting wood as we have about a 7 year supply on hand....but I won't stop just yet.

Happy burning to everyone!

 

[drhiii]

Hello Dennis,

Great recounting of the pleasures of harvesting wood.

One of the big advantages here, Colorado, is it is dry, even during a snowstorm, so we don't have to compete with the 'everything is soaked' scenarios. Makes it so going out and cutting, if one knows how to dress, in sub zero weather... still a joy.

I did not have custody of a son for his formative years, so around the age of 19, took him out for the first time to harvest wood. It was a balmy 5 degrees. I wondered how he would do. Answer is not well. I found the weather to be perfect. Light snow which forced air pressure down and made it feel a little warmer. Once one gets moving around, shoot, there is no place one would want to be. Well, almost everyone. From the start, he was out of breath (smoker), could not nearly keep up with the old man, was intimidated by the saw and handed it back to me within 10 minutes, ended up standing around while I tore through a couple of cords, wanted to go sit in the car with the engine running, actually asked when lunch was 30 minutes after we got there, and I ended up doing almost all the work.

Reason for recounting that little story is, a year later he wanted to go into the Marines. Oh boy. I thought of how to answer this quest. Easy once it popped into my head. I said 'good idea, except you lack the grit to sustain things which is basically what the Marines will require. When you can go out and sustain an all day wood cutting day, snow or shine, then you might have a little of that grit that you will need." I felt this was a reasonably, repeatable baseline. He never took me up on it. Ended up in basecamp, and failed.

There is a lot of meaning in this wood harvesting stuff, well beyond the personal satisfaction that we all obtain from it. Mini life lessons. I put myself through college cutting and selling firewood. And not a state school, but a private college. Today when I see many of my schoolmates, many from broken marriages, broken homes, broken jobs, broken lives, it is not lost on me that the simple act of setting out before first light to get 4 cords of wood in sometimes less than ideal conditions, but these being the only times to collect wood... it meant doing what it took to get goods and services from A to B, and everything inbetween, else rents would not get paid, tuitions wouldn't wait, etc. Those tasks resonate today. Before my son and I set out, he'd been up all night playing video games. He then told his buddy as we drove away they ought to go into the wood cutting business because of how much money they could make. After he couldn't handle the saw for more then 10 minutes, and had to sit in the car because of the cold and light snow, I thought of how lucky I was that back then, no one had to tell me to get up and get outside and do what it took get the job done.

I feel very lucky to have learned how to lift a saw and get through 4 or 5 cords in a day. What makes the whole scenario more freaky is that I became a professional ballet dancer in the early years, which also happens to involve hard work. Makes for strange vitaes.

I have a couple of splits, cedar/juniper and pinion, heating the house right now. I can almost recount where I cut each one by looking at it.

Be nice to hear from other folks as yourself, about what they derive from all this.

drh

 

[Backwoods Savage]

drh, it sounds so typical and brings back memories of my own two sons. The elder one for sure was somewhat a go-getter in his youth but I knew he had more. As he was getting up in high school and we would be out getting firewood as a family, there were some big stuff that I told him to load onto the hay wagon but he complained that it was too big and too heavy. I simply told him that it was okay because his mother would do it. Yes, it did embarrass him but even on other things when he would baulk, I'd just tell him it was okay because his mother would do it. Needless to say, this eventually really got to him, especially one day when he happened to have his girlfriend here and I asked him to do something. You could see the fire in his eyes but from that day on, he became a man. Since then he has made me very proud to say the least. btw, he too entered the military and served over 10 years.

Today it is people asking me why I do some of these things because of my age. I continue to put up wood every winter along with other things. So far this year I've rode my bicycle over 3,000 miles. I've even been asked to start acting my age. I thought I was! Otherwise I'd have 10,000 miles on that bike this year.

 

[savageactor7]

this has been a fun read...thanks.

 

[drhiii]

Great post. And great tactics too, with your son. Very glad for us that they worked.

My son has not done well. Not taken responsibility for many actions that have soured. The extended family lowered the boom on him after years of letting things slide. This over Thanksgiving. I had not been permissive by any means. But finally, FINALLY received help from the supporting cast over the last week. Created a shock wave in him, thankfully.

So, guess what our first mission is going to be in the next week or two after this circling of the wagons? Harvesting wood. Am going to try and select the coldest day... I have a stand of seasoned pinon and cedar already selected. Will have saws, chains, everything, prepared to a T. Then it gets simple. Rise before light, get there hopefully in a small snow storm, or at least cold, point to the wood, point to the trailer, and say "when the trailer is full, we drive home and unload. Questions?" The last thing he will want is a repeat of me cutting, carrying, loading, driving and unloads 3 cords of wood mostly myself. That is a reasonable day for me. Alone.

Which reminds me, "act our age"? I would say Backwoods Savage, we are. What the hell is everyone else doing?

I will have to retool that "your mother will do it" line. Excellent tactic. Me like.

drh, it sounds so typical and brings back memories of my own two sons. The elder one for sure was somewhat a go-getter in his youth but I knew he had more. As he was getting up in high school and we would be out getting firewood as a family, there were some big stuff that I told him to load onto the hay wagon but he complained that it was too big and too heavy. I simply told him that it was okay because his mother would do it. Yes, it did embarrass him but even on other things when he would baulk, I'd just tell him it was okay because his mother would do it. Needless to say, this eventually really got to him, especially one day when he happened to have his girlfriend here and I asked him to do something. You could see the fire in his eyes but from that day on, he became a man. Since then he has made me very proud to say the least. btw, he too entered the military and served over 10 years.

Today it is people asking me why I do some of these things because of my age. I continue to put up wood every winter along with other things. So far this year I've rode my bicycle over 3,000 miles. I've even been asked to start acting my age. I thought I was! Otherwise I'd have 10,000 miles on that bike this year.

 

[gerry100]

Not to bum you but...

It all evens out in the end.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

drhiii, I sure hope this works out well with your son. We also had one son who I could not seem to shame. For instance, if it were his turn to bring wood in, he'd not do it unless you got on him. The other, I would start doing his job and he'd be shamed and get right on it then. Total difference in the two. They both turned out well in the end though. Hard to believe, but that youngest turns 45 in 2 weeks.... Where has the time gone?

 

[firefighterjake]

and, for there to be complete balance in the world.............

Some poor bugger left to cut wood and ran over his own dog in the driveway. Went to the vet to get him looked at. While inside a tree fell on the truck. Went to start the chainsaw up to remove tree and the cord pulled out. Got a ride home, went inside to find spoiled milk and warm beer in the fridge that apparently stopped working last night. Switched to brandy, went to bed early.

pen

HehHeh . . . now I know who to blame when I plan to get up early and head out for a day of cutting . . . but then realize my battery in my 4Runner has died and needs charging . . . and then an hour or so later I head out only to realize that I need to stop for gas . . . and then I get halfway to the woodlot before I realize that I left my ATV key back at the house and have to turn around . . . and then when I finally get the key and end up at the woodlot I find that all the rain we've had in the last few days means I cannot get very close to the wood line with the trailer and will have to haul out the wood a lot further with the ATV . . . but undaunted I start sawing . . . only to hang up the first tree . . . and the second . . . and then I pinch the saw in the third and have to go get a buddy to help saw it out . . . and when I finally do get the tree to the ground I end up running the saw right into a rock dulling the chain after only cutting up half of the tree OR the saw malfunctions and is now only works if I'm giving it the full throttle which is impractical for cutting so I load up what wood I have and head home . . . only to end up with a flat tire on the trailer and my jack doesn't raise up the trailer enough to change the tire which now has the lug nuts so rusty that I can barely get them off . . . but I persevere and head home to quickly unload the trailer, but in the process get a nasty splinter embedded under my fingernail since I wasn't using gloves . . .

OK, maybe all of this stuff didn't happen to me all in one day . . . but it has all happened at one time or another . . . and it seems like when I'm in the woods I'm either in the "zone" and everything works well with trees falling right where I want them, the equipment running fine and I'm productive . . . or I end up with a day of frustration as I hang up the trees, pinch the saw and end up breaking stuff . . . Yin and Yang I guess.

 

[IanDad]

First post after lurking for a month or so. Learning. Lots!

Just to add my $.02: I have a young son and I can't think of a better way to teach a work ethic to him than with the processing of wood. Although a suburban burner who will probably never touch a big-ass chainsaw, I will have him splitting and hauling. Lots for him to learn also... Unlike the abstract feedback a student gets from good grades, you can feel the fruits of labor with wood.

Good stuff!

 

[drhiii]

LMAO. Great analysis. Who hasn't had these things happen. And who hasn't had these happen in a 'rains, it pours' thing. But this had me rolling on the floor...

and, for there to be complete balance in the world.............

Some poor bugger left to cut wood and ran over his own dog in the driveway. Went to the vet to get him looked at. While inside a tree fell on the truck. Went to start the chainsaw up to remove tree and the cord pulled out. Got a ride home, went inside to find spoiled milk and warm beer in the fridge that apparently stopped working last night. Switched to brandy, went to bed early.

pen

HehHeh . . . now I know who to blame when I plan to get up early and head out for a day of cutting . . . but then realize my battery in my 4Runner has died and needs charging . . . and then an hour or so later I head out only to realize that I need to stop for gas . . . and then I get halfway to the woodlot before I realize that I left my ATV key back at the house and have to turn around . . . and then when I finally get the key and end up at the woodlot I find that all the rain we've had in the last few days means I cannot get very close to the wood line with the trailer and will have to haul out the wood a lot further with the ATV . . . but undaunted I start sawing . . . only to hang up the first tree . . . and the second . . . and then I pinch the saw in the third and have to go get a buddy to help saw it out . . . and when I finally do get the tree to the ground I end up running the saw right into a rock dulling the chain after only cutting up half of the tree OR the saw malfunctions and is now only works if I'm giving it the full throttle which is impractical for cutting so I load up what wood I have and head home . . . only to end up with a flat tire on the trailer and my jack doesn't raise up the trailer enough to change the tire which now has the lug nuts so rusty that I can barely get them off . . . but I persevere and head home to quickly unload the trailer, but in the process get a nasty splinter embedded under my fingernail since I wasn't using gloves . . .

OK, maybe all of this stuff didn't happen to me all in one day . . . but it has all happened at one time or another . . . and it seems like when I'm in the woods I'm either in the "zone" and everything works well with trees falling right where I want them, the equipment running fine and I'm productive . . . or I end up with a day of frustration as I hang up the trees, pinch the saw and end up breaking stuff . . . Yin and Yang I guess.

 

[drhiii]

Tx. I want it to work out for him too. He had a poor childhood, but he does known enough to know right from wrong, and lazy.

When I was 15, my father said we were going on a hiking and camping trip. Having made varsity lacrosse as a freshman, I was all that and more with myself. I'd show him a thing or two.

Weeeeeelll, let's just say, it didn't quite go as planned. We were let off a train onto the famous San Juans and the Chicago Basin route, in Colorado. When the train pulled away, leaving us about 45 miles to our destination, his only instructions were "you mother is expecting us in 3 days. Questions?" And that was it. A WHOLE bunch of teenage attitude got wiped off my face in about 5 minutes. The rest over three days. It didn't dawn on me that he'd fought in Korea, led a company of men across the Yalu River, only to be forced back to the 38th, almost all on foot. While getting shot at much of the time... And when he pulled out his army boots and began walking every day after he returned home, well, I didn't know then but I do now, why. It is called preparation. He flat out performed the smart assed kid (me). He was not belligerent about it. But talk about life lesson drink from a firehouse issued via very few words. We're at A, your mother is 45 miles away at B. That's all I had to know. I missed that opportunity with my kid due to circumstances. But I still think about trying to resurrect that trip. There is nothing like walking very long distances, especially when you add moutain type miles, or getting 3-4 cords in a day, ending up as stacked and ready.

These responses get me to thinking... sigh.

drhiii, I sure hope this works out well with your son. We also had one son who I could not seem to shame. For instance, if it were his turn to bring wood in, he'd not do it unless you got on him. The other, I would start doing his job and he'd be shamed and get right on it then. Total difference in the two. They both turned out well in the end though. Hard to believe, but that youngest turns 45 in 2 weeks.... Where has the time gone?

 

[ROYJ24]

and, for there to be complete balance in the world.............

Hmmm.... for me, bad luck usually runs in threes.

No such thing as luck. You either do it to yourself or you aren't paying attention and some SOB does it to ya. :coolsmirk:

Everyone has luck sometimes good, sometimes bad.