Jut, field, and mountains

The south line of trees in the Jut can be seen on the left of this picture, with the neighbor's field in front, and the Kilkenny Range in the distance.  What a beautiful (but cold) day!!!!!

Burning beech

American beech, a cousin of oaks, makes for wonderful burning and lots of heat.  Here's a picture of this morning's fire with a big beech piece roaring.

Lots of heat will be necessary over the next few days.  We're in a typical pattern for the 2nd half of January:  snow and cold.  Lows projected to be below zero for a few days.  But with burning beech, it's impossible to lament winter.

Pumpernickel Pumpkin Pancakes

Fuel prior to another round of snow removal:  Pumpernickel Pumpkin Pancakes.  The bacon came from a neighbor's pig, the berries from our forest, the syrup from our town, and the pumpkin and pumpernickel from Vermont.

1st walk on 2nd day

Ten inches of snow fell around New Year's.  The storm started on the 30th, with off and on snow (and even a little rain).  The first walk of 2020 had to occur on the 2nd day due to the storm and the necessary snow moving work.

The property's biggest red oak has probably seen 200 New Years.

The largest paper birch on Hardwood Hermitage is about 600 feet east of the oak. The base of the huge tree can be seen on the eastern side of the Jut, with the spring in the background.

Far older than any tree, the numerous gigantic rocks here take the snow in stride, just like the big old trees.