Panic. That's what the first snowfall of the year did for me, and a lot of other people out here in the woods. The first thing we all think about is the stuff we haven't gotten done before winter. Now the calendar says winter doesn't start until December. Out here, sometimes winter starts in October. There are years when October snow is with us until May.
Then there are years when we get a warming period. The snow all melts. We have a nice string of sunny days. Some years winter doesn't really get going until December, just like it's supposed to.
Problem is, you can't count on it.
My buddy got a good two inches of snow at his place. Moonlight on the newly fallen snow was so bright it woke him up. He felt real panic and never could get back to sleep. That was the day a rental excavator was being delivered. He had sewer and power lines to bury. Two inches of snow didn't hinder him any, but it could just as easily have been two feet of snow.
We always hope we have more time before "real" winter gets here.
As for me, very little of my firewood is under cover. In fact, there's more yet to be split. My son-in-law will be helping me with the wood splitter, and maybe we'll pile some under cover. What I should do is throw a few tarps over the huge woodpile in my driveway. I tell myself that won't be necessary because I'll get it all under cover in time. Sure. That kind of thinking is why one year I was breaking firewood free from ice with a 16 pound sledge hammer. That was one of those winter in October years.
My friends and neighbors are hustling to get the last projects done. They are putting gardens to bed for the winter, pulling boats from the lake, doing the last of the yard work, getting repair jobs finished -it's a hectic time.
No wonder so many people around here retire to Florida.
-Sixbears
Because It's Friday
41 minutes ago
Your comment about a wood splitter raises questions for me. I am looking for a deal for my own splitter but have no experiance with owning one. I have used retals before but now if I find a deal on one I plan on buying it. Since you have far more experiance up there with wood splitting could you write about which splitter features work the best so I can know what to look for and avoid making a mistake?
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Mike
Yukon. Not much to say. I'm using the one I was able to borrow for free. It's a monster. Can split 4 foot logs and has a 10 hp motor. The only thing I do know is that the hydrolic kind work better than the ones with flywheels. Have used both.
ReplyDeleteI remember cutting and splitting tons of wood with my dad.You name it we used it ax,hammer an wedges,mauls,tractor mounted splitting cone was kinda like a giant screw that one was a bit dangerous,loved it when he finally got hydraulic splitter.My granddad could split stuff with an ax most of us couldn't split with hammer and wedges.Experience I guess.Sounds like ya better get to covering it up Bro.
ReplyDeleteChina
III
Wow - snow sounds like such hard work. We didn't even get a frost here this year through winter. The cooler nights have lasted nearly two months longer this year than last year. We didn't even get a spring last year. It went from cold to hot and that was it. Cheers, Wendy
ReplyDelete