One of the very first purchases we made in this house was a wood burning insert. There's a fantastic woodshed attached to the house, but when we first arrived, there was nothing that took wood. Plus, a very old house without a secondary source made me nervous. Wise investment was the woodburning option, given we were without a furnace from October until January. Plus, there's no other heat like wood heat.
Using wood as pretty much the exclusive source for the majority of the house (we have a small useless propane decorative stove in the kitchen that costs a bundle to run), we found out exactly how much wood we'd go through. It was about one 'row' in the woodshed. You can fit 6 rows in the woodshed. We need heat for about 6 months of the year. Coincidence? I doubt it. I suspect the folks who lived here added the woodshed as an addition. I suspect they tallied how much wood they would need and built a shed to accommodate a winter's worth. Pretty neat, huh?
Most folks are winding down their heating season, but this is when it winds up for us! Since we're boring adults, a tax return means next year's firewood. I'm thankful last year I ordered double what we would need on purpose. Now, it's April and all of our wood for the winter of 2015/16 is dry and entering the woodshed. In fact, with my dad's help (first by fixing the wheelbarrow and then by throwing wood...thanks BOG!), we have 3 1/2 months worth already in there, most already stacked. It's so comforting to know that we have what we need for the next winter and it's going to be put away before the garden is at it's peak and my attention is needed for preserving. It's comforting to be planned ahead and ready.
Now that we have empty pallets, the first round of the 2016-2017 has arrived. You can guess what we will be up to in the near future!
(Bonus points if you can find the littles in this bottom pic.)
We're getting into the seasonal rhythm in this house, given this our 3rd spring here. I am thankful we are learning what we need and the rhythm now is starting to feel comforting and habitual. I must say I love love love love love living here. So thankful.
Such hard work but many memories splitting, piling in the pickup, then throwing in the basement, then stacking again loads and loads and cords and cords of wood with my parents. There IS nothing like wood heat, but I don't miss all the work that goes with it!!
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