random notes and chit chat from the insanity of our life

Peek into our life and see how crazy it can get with 6 kids, homeschooling, sewing, and now farming. We're in our first year on the land, and entertaining the world with what we don't know. By the grace of God, we're learning, day by day, so pull up a chair and laugh with us!

Monday, January 31, 2011

Easy chore, right?

So, we got wood delivered, a couple of weeks ago.  Wonderful dry wood, peach, walnut and oak (mostly oak).  A cord of wood is a LOT bigger pile than it seemed like in my head, mind you.  It's about half stacked, slowly getting more stacked as the kids get badgered out there.
Now, normally, Steve splits kindling for me.  He's not in very good health, so I figured it certainly couldn't be as hard as it seems when he comes in afterwards, you know?  How hard can it be?  Stand wood up, hit with hatchet, smack on chopping block a couple times, kindling falls off the side.  Repeat.
Well, today, we needed kindling, and he's at work.  So, off I go, with 2 big buckets and the hatchet.  Stand wood up, hit with hatchet, WOAH!  Hatchet bounces OFF wood!  Barely even a dent!  Ok, try again, harder.  Watch fingers closely.  Stand wood up, hit with hatchet, ok, it's in.  Abouuuuuut...a half inch.  Well, it's in.  Smack on chocking block.  Smack on chopping block.  Smack a bunch more times.  It's in about...another eighth of an inch.  CRUD!
Ok, get a hammer.  Smack back of hatchet with hammer, till arms fall off.  Then rip the kindling the rest of the way off of the wood.  Realize that hammer is broken (already was, split in handle, OW!  Pinched my finger thumb).  Get another hammer.  Start allllllll over again.
I think a half hour of splitting got me about a half a bucket.  I MAY have enough till lunch.  Of course, finger sized pieces burn really quickly, so maybe not.  And I only got that much because I hunted down a piece of scrap 2x4 (not pressure treated) and split that.  Splits much easier.
Oh my gosh, if I'd been a pioneer woman, I'd have just died.  Childbirth is much easier.  I need to make something especially wonderful for Steve tonight, after he comes home and splits me wood.  He deserves it!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

fire...warm....aaaaaaaah

Well, NOW I know how firewood keeps you warm.  Not just the fire, but the prepping the wood!
We're down to green wood, mostly tree limbs.  They don't burn well, don't light well, and they make NO heat.  Heck, I can HEAR some of them steaming once I get them lit.  Will be buying wood this weekend (hopefully!), so....
SO I lost my mind and went outside, lol.  Dh had said that when he got home, he'd cut up a pallet to burn.  We have a bunch (3?  5?) plus a couple broken ones, and they make great wood.  Nice and seasoned, oak, hot...  Checked the wood pile, brought in the last 4 pieces he'd cut up on Saturday, looked at all the green wood, and said NO.  Dragged a broken pallet into the breezeway and busted it up, hands and feet.  Kicked it apart, pulled it apart...jumped on the long pieces to break them...  I now have a nice pile of oak bits for today, lol, and I may never need it.  I'm SWEATING!  Dragged the other broken one into the breezeway, too, so the rain coming doesn't soak it.  Wet wood doesn't burn well either, we've learned.
Such a learning curve, lol!  So much to learn, so little brain to do it with!