Sunday, December 16, 2007

 

Troot n' Byooty, Nor'Easter Style

As our little state sits here like a burnt wienie between two big buns of snowstorm,* I find myself thinking about what a nice woodpile my spouse has built this year.

We've had round one of this Nor'Easter (I feel like such an old salt when I use that term), and now we're waiting for the two of the ol' one-two. In the meantime we have a cozy fire in the stove, the dog asleep on her little bed, homemade soup on the stove--all those touches that enhance the four seasons approach to living.

If you look at this little satellite snapshot, we are right on the tip of the white in the Vermont shape, perched on the confluence of the White and Connecticut Rivers.

This year my baby's woodpile has turned out to be particularly lovely. She built it pretty much
without me, my absence permitting her a greater care, even fussiness as to the placement of the logs. I take a more slapdash approach, and I think that I literally cramp her style. So the little sneak worked on it when I was at the library, and voila! It's nice enough to move into! Maybe a very small rec room, anyway.

At the moment she is indisposed, laid up with bursitis on the knee. For those of you who have never experienced bursitis, it is very much like having a little sack of electrified nails slipped into what should otherwise be a shock absorber.

Today after I blew the snow out of the driveway, I was left with this lovely view of the woodpile.

Zap! It's immortal!

* OK, I know that Vermont doesn't look like a burnt wienie in the sandwich of the Nor'Easter... I was in the mood, okay?

Comments:
i rather liked the wienie analogy :) we have a winter weather advisory here in the bottom of new york. these folks around here complain but i say- hey- you live in the northeast and it's seasonal. you don't like it move- and stop contributing to global warming! happy snow!
 
Those logs look a little too damp to light. Am I missing something?
 
In Vermont (and in other cold places, I suspect) firewood is one of three kinds: dry, seasoned, and green. Dry is literally dry; it's been drying out for some time and can even get wet and still burn. Seasoned has been out for less time but has mostly dried out, and green is the "wettest," although it will still burn if following a fire started with dry wood (which burns a little too fast by itself to yield a lot of heat.) So our dry wood is in the basement and on the back porch (where it's covered with snow.) This pile is the greenest wood, and we won't be using it for a couple of months. By then it will, for all winter's bluster, have evolved into seasoned wood.

Aren't you glad you asked?
 
You can't get dry wood in Texas. No way. It is all green and won't burn and that is why we converted to gas. Looks like you have the system down.
 
You can too get dry wood in Texas!
We cook over perfectly dried mesquite all the time!
 
I hope your spouse feels better soon. ouch. Out here there is a style of wood piling that ends up in a rounded cone shape, with all the logs facing into the center in consequtive circles, A truly talented wood piler (in this style) compiles one that has no long logs jutting out and is rounded off and narrows in circumference at the top. like a hive shape - quite a thing to behold really natural works of art - glad you are snuggly and warm Lulu Maude ya ol salt you ! (all the best to you and yours from here in NM)
 
Jeebus it was 33 degrees this morning in Sauna Antonio. I had to actually turn on my 6'x6" portable heater under my desk. And wear socks!
 
Post a Comment

<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?

The Blog-O-Cuss Meter - Do you cuss a lot in your blog or website?