Back to Firewood

I'm back at my firewood chore, getting the supply built up for winter.  I work on this a couple hours a day, when the weather is pleasant and I feel in the mood.  It's hard to judge my progress day-by-day, so the photos below give me a sense of what I've done.

The firewood supply on August 14...

...and on September 4.

As noted a few days ago, I'm taking as much wood as possible from the side of the woodpile nearest the house.  Wood should be kept about 25 feet from a structure, in case a wildfire breaks out.  By the time I finish this year's stock of firewood, I will have pushed the main pile back to at least that distance.

The main woodpile on August 14...

...and yesterday, September 4.

I worked on wood for about three hours this morning, and I expect I'll feel it this evening.  Some of the wood I pulled from the pile was rotted beyond use.  This wood was cleared from the property in early summer 2010, as we began construction of the house.  Some trees on the property were already down and deteriorating; other trees had to be cut.  All of it was pushed to the lot line where it would be out of the way.

Some of the wood ended up buried in the dirt.  That just accelerates rot, especially with birch — which I think rots away before your eyes!  In any case, wood too far gone to bother with goes to the brush pile, for hauling or chipping.

Today is lovely: clear, sunny, rather cool (I went swimming, but only briefly!).  We will have cool temperatures into the weekend, and then Tuesday and Wednesday the forecast is for near 80 degrees.  This is how Presque Isle gets ready for autumn. •••