Woodcutting

Today was a perfect wood cutting day, with conditions that we would normally experience in later winter which make it perfect for wood cutting; frozen snow crust, just below zero and no wind.  The hard snow crust makes it very easy to get around in the woods and so that's what my son and I did today, got about half a year's supply of firewood cut.  We were in 'salvage' firewood mode, as I had several birch and alder trees fall during the heavy rains, wind and snows we have had during the fall, so they make ideal candidates to recycle into the wood pile. It's hard work, but the 'boy' is stronger than me now, so I put him to good use hefting the big Stihl chainsaw and throwing the blocks of wood closer to where we can haul them home.  Tomorrow we'll build a little appetite for that big Christmas turkey when we start splitting it - actually I'll do the piling for hauling in the spring as once my son attacks the wood with the big splitting maul it's quite a sight to see.  It's kind of a like a Whirling Dervish with a splitting maul in his hands gone mad.  I just duck and dodge while standing up blocks to keep ahead of him.  He doesn't seem to be able to stop until every last round of wood has been quartered and fallen under the mighty blows from the maul. It's gratifying to watch. I'm sure I once could have done the same.

Not much to say about the weather though, more of the same - 3 or -4 C in the morning, warming up to just below 0, cooling back down tonight and high non threatening clouds.  A fine Christmas eve.  Grizzly