Cool end to May

The morning low was 39! A great time for some more work. We took down and started processing a large red maple. 

Before/After Satisfaction

We completed the birch processing project this morning! A before/after duo of pics provides much satisfaction. Rain expected this weekend, so we wanted to get the job done.

Birch processing

We accomplished much in two hours today. The low was 45, with a freeze warning in place for tonight. The cool weather makes for glorious times processing firewood. A lovely birch about 200 feet north of the house didn't bloom out this year. It appeared to suffer much last summer in the heat, with leaves turning from green to tan well before color season. Even the most beautiful things can't live forever in the forest.

Lots of cutting on lovely morning

We completed the cutting and stacking of the birch project this morning. Most of what went into the sawbuck can be seen in the first photo. The small shed went from empty to full in just over two hours! The space filled amounted to nearly 40 cubic feet!

Birch processing project

Paper birch sure looks great. Sometimes the state tree grows in places that guarantee a short life, like on the hill south of the house. Several of them also were growing diagonally toward the house, another reason to do some thinning. We'll get about a cord of wood out of the thinning, which will help several small oaks find more sun. The first two pics are a before/after. As the third pic shows, we've been processing a good deal of the excellent firewood.

Eating local

Tonight's great meal: Hill-grown beef meatloaf, hill-grown parsnips (over-wintered at neighbor's), town-grown maple syrup on parsnips, Vermont-made roll. Wow, this was spectacular!

Nice initial round of cutting

The first tank from a chainsaw this year allowed us to catch up on some wood originally dropped last October. Part of the work filled the eight-foot rack by the house. Temps were below freezing to start the day, but we'll be warming into the 70s on Tuesday.