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.

Windy end of winter, snowy start to spring

As winter approached its end, we received a wicked batch of wind, with several conifer casualties, an unsurprising result for the weak, shallow-rooted trees like white pine and balsam fir.

On the first day of spring, we received 2 new inches of snow. We might get four or more tonight through early Monday. Snow makes the forest really look pretty, but we've had more than seven feet this season. Time for a prolonged thaw!

Freeze, thaw, repeat

March can be the big rollercoaster month. On Tuesday, the most beautiful day of the year so far, we had full sun and a high of 67. Then we had two new inches of snow yesterday, including a major afternoon squall. Today's low:  21 degrees. Monday's forecast: Windy, rainy, 50+ degrees, followed by another round of cold air. 

During Tuesday's warm spell, both saws came out for a test start. They passed with flying colors. Soon, they'll be working hard.

A nearby paper birch grove also seems ready for spring.

A bit warmer

We'll get some highs above freezing early next week, perhaps even 40 on Tuesday. The raised garden bed, however, has quite a few weeks before it's ready for planting.

Here are other recent pics near the house to illustrate the white nature of life for a while.

The Big One

Wow! We had a storm that brought 16 inches of snow. That's the most for one storm in the history of Hardwood Hermitage! The challenge would have been great even with the tractor, but the very cold temps gummed up our diesel fuel. We cleared the driveway with the small red walk-behind blower, a piece of equipment that has really earned its keep over the years! A neighbor helped bring the tractor back to life.

Here are some pics after the big blast of snow. But first, remember: when life hands you lemons, make pineapple upside down cake:

Recent activities

Winter, the time to consider the looming work of spring through fall. That might include some outside time in the snow, or indoor pursuits. Recent examples of work on Hardwood Hermitage include:

Making a chicken pin cushion:

Moving wood from the shed to garage:

Axing and gathering some spring-poled birch for future processing: