When you're holding a chainsaw, all trees look like firewood.

[randomness]

Various folks have remarked that I seem to have an obsession with firewood lately. I don't.

Here's what happened:

A large tree next to bedfull_o_books apartment was felled back in the fall. (bedfull_o_books tells me it was a sycamore.) This tree was more than three feet wide at the base. But it was eaten hollow, and a danger to the buildings around it. So some tree disposal experts came over, dismantled the tree, and took most of it away, leaving a largish pile of debris and branches.

Months passed. The snow covered the pile, and everyone forgot about it. Then spring came, and the debris once again became visible, an unsightly tangle of branches cut to unwieldy sizes.

I decided to haul away all the pieces that would fit in my car down to my parents'. I figured I'd cut them up with their chainsaw. There was enough wood that my car was riding low on its suspension when I was finished loading.

Back at their place, a couple of trees--a pine and a crabapple--lost branches in recent storms. Dad and I had planted the pine after we'd used it as a Christmas tree one year. Now it towers over the property. A fallen branch pulled down a telephone wire, and we had to have the phone company come by to restore service.

The crabapple tree narrowly missed falling into the neighbor's yard, but it still needed to be cut up and taken away. I mentioned I could find a place for the branches, and he said that I could do whatever I liked with it as long as I got it off his property.

The chapter house of my old co-ed frat has a working fireplace. The more firewood's available, the more the fireplace gets used. We like fire.

I cut a large amount of wood into fireplace-sized chunks with the chainsaw, then split the larger pieces with an axe. Then I loaded all the pieces back into the car, which was now truly a low-rider, drove it to the house, and got some help unloading it from the larger and more buff guys. Thanks!

Chainsaws work so much better after you've resharpened them. :)

It's a win-win-win-win situation. bedfull_o_books gets a pile of crap moved out from in front of her place, Dad gets branches hauled away, and the house gets a carful of firewood. I get some useful exercise, which I clearly need, and makes me feel much better.

And that's why eeyorecol, R, and kidsnide saw me emerge from the woodpile under the big tree in the back forty Friday night. :)

Comments

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

The chapter house of my old co-ed frat has a working fireplace.

[nostalgia]

[bloodstones.livejournal.com]

mhhh. fire.

[muffyjo]

This has the lovely ring of a tall tale to me. I realize that it might be entirely true...but with one more twist at the start of the story, something misleading and in a copmletely different direction, and you could have just a minute bit more fun with this..

Meanwhile, I'm always a fan of powertools used properly for fun, exercise and amusement.

[pumpkin-pi.livejournal.com]

Various folks have remarked that I seem to have an obsession with firewood lately

Sounds more like you're obessed with chainsaws - I feeling to which I can totally relate!

mmmMMMMmmmm....chainsaws

[nathanjw]

Does the house have a place to season the wood, or are they going to burn it (relatively) green?

[dpolicar]

So, if you're still in the market, there's a bunch of deadwood in my back yard. Feel free to do what you will with it (including nothing at all). (I am content to let it disintegrate in the natural course of things.)

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

The sycamore, at least, should pretty well seasoned, having been cut last fall. If the weather stays nice the wood will probably be a year old once it is finally used.

How long does it take wood to season?

[dana325.livejournal.com]

Excellent!

Ah, so many lovely hours spent procrastinating in front of that fireplace :-) Frank's 15th is this year so I think we'll be paying a visit to it in June..I don't think I've been back in 5 years...

[nathanjw]

Six months to a year, if it's stored outside, and split before storage (more internal surface area). Storage when it's not split or cut at all, and covered by other things doesn't season nearly as quickly, though.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

This has the lovely ring of a tall tale to me. I realize that it might be entirely true...but with one more twist at the start of the story, something misleading and in a copmletely different direction, and you could have just a minute bit more fun with this..

I never thought of it that way, but now you've got me thinking... :)

I'm always a fan of powertools used properly for fun, exercise and amusement.

Remind me sometime to tell the story of how we nearly got into serious trouble with a jackhammer. :)

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Yah, there's a covered wood rack where the wood is seasoned and stored. At this point the wood may stay there until next winter, as bedfull_o_books mentioned.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Thanks for offering! I may not get to it until next fall, however.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Ah, so many lovely hours spent procrastinating in front of that fireplace :-)

That tradition continues, as I'm sure you'll be pleased to know. :)

Frank's 15th is this year so I think we'll be paying a visit to it in June..

Yay!

I don't think I've been back in 5 years...

Wow.