Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

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"When will you make and end?!"
😛
I'm gonna start building the end up in the gulley area as I go, but I want to do it all in many layers to help get it compacted as best as possible. I have two more large cherry trees to drop there, then I need to get the stump grinder and after that I plan on doing the dirt work. But, It will be after I work on the barn as that's my priority, just waiting on the weather to turn. I need to rent the stump grinder for a couple jobs, so I'll grind the ones in the pond area when I get it. After all that I need to bring on clay to line it.
 
I'm gonna start building the end up in the gulley area as I go, but I want to do it all in many layers to help get it compacted as best as possible. I have two more large cherry trees to drop there, then I need to get the stump grinder and after that I plan on doing the dirt work. But, It will be after I work on the barn as that's my priority, just waiting on the weather to turn. I need to rent the stump grinder for a couple jobs, so I'll grind the ones in the pond area when I get it. After all that I need to bring on clay to line it.
Ok, so…same excuses as Charlie Heston :p
 
Speaking of burning hot, my wife put a bamboo cutting board in the stove on some hot coals and we like to never got the stove under control! Won't do that again!
So, are you saying we should all start growing Bamboo? 🤪
 
Besides getting wood out of the shed, didn't get to do any other wood related tasks. Between parts showing up for the tdi, the boys room (will finally be finished tomorrow after another trip to lowes.) And cleaning up the mess in my side of the basement I was pretty busy. Over time at work hasn't helped much either.
For anyone thats been following the vw tdi progress. Current parts that have showed up. Full filter kit, head studs, all the exhaust to finish from the down pipe back, braided brake lines, intake and "race" pipe. (Egr delete pipe). Full silicon rad hose set and fuel lift pump. (It's actually a factory lift pump for a newer higher hp car, should be able to support around 200hp no problems) Ordered injectors last week, and settled on a garret gt1852v turbo. After taking with my tuner guy were pretty confident I'll be able to hit 150 to 180hp in it. Also I haven't been able to determine what "upgraded" clutch was put in the car so I'll likely be getting a south bend clutch for it as well.
Once it's done it will have 3 tunes. A safty/ valet tune, a pep with mpg in mind, and then full potential. Deffinatly different then tuning a pickup. The tunes are written based off data logging and my input. So very specific to the mods done to the car.
 
Wow, I bet that holds good coals for a long time and could restart another fire if not taken care of/if the wind kicked up.
The fire out back was going all night through rain and snow, this morning the wind started blowing and and it kicked right back up, seems that would happen there too.
When my neighbor moved in he used to be quite concerned with my 10-20' tall fires, he lived in Southern Cali for a bit, he talked to me a few times about it. Glad he trusted me and didn't ever call the fire department.
I do like my fires :blob2: .
When I first got my woodstove I chocked it full of box elder, which is considered a trash wood and in the Maple family(most don't know this), while it isn't the best, once it's dry it burns very hot and mybstove was blazing :crazy2:. It probably wasn't as bad as I thought, but it was the hottest I had ever seen it. I never made that mistake again :oops:.
It sure is nice to be able to save a step when possible. I don't mind a bit of work, but I also see no reason to do more just because lol.
As far as stacking, it's nice that I have concrete on the floor of the woodshed where I stack mine and can bring it right to the woodshed with the tractor after loading it right off the wood splitter. That makes it nicer and saves a couple steps, it's nice that my time splitting and my time stacking gets broke up a bit, takes some of the monotony of it out.
You can see in my picture I didn't even split these rounds(saving a step lol), I just figured I'd bring a few splits in to mix with the bigger ones if needed.
Should get some more out of the cherry, I'll have to leave that piled up somewhere as I also have the wheelbarrow inside full of the deadwood. That will be great to get us thru the shoulder season.

During the late summer months, just about everything can catch fire here...luckily I live in a weird topographical area in the Sierras, where we don't get much wind in the summer months. There have been 100k+ acre fires to the north and south of me, the closest was about 4 miles away a couple years ago, but it burned away from me.

It isn't so much the coals that can be problematic with manzanita during a wildland fire, it's more so the leaves. They readily burn once their fuel moisture drops low enough and are easily carried by the wind...high potential for spot fires. Also it grows so thick, that it's virtually impossible to try to engage a spot fire without dozers or saws...needless to say, cutting line with saws through it is a tedious task.

I have some pretty crazy fires during the winter months, I definitely scare the city people that moved up here. They cant seem to grasp that when we've had regular precipitation for months, the fire wouldn't escape, even if I tried to make it to.

I have had my "wood lot" which is behind the house...kind of a PITA to get wood from there to the house though, especially in the snow. I've got a greenhouse that's closer to my house...I was thinking of turning that into a wood shed. I don't grow anything and it only stores wood slabs for now. It needs a new roof anyway...perfect time to put a metal roof on it. That would also keep people from thinking I'm growing pot in there too(that's what most people with greenhouses here do.) :laugh:
 
Manzanita is an incredible bbq wood. It makes coals that last for hours.
I'll have to try that sometime...maybe if there is any left over from what I gathered today. I didn't anticipate burning as much as I have this winter. I guess I'll split even more wood for next winter.
 
During the late summer months, just about everything can catch fire here...luckily I live in a weird topographical area in the Sierras, where we don't get much wind in the summer months. There have been 100k+ acre fires to the north and south of me, the closest was about 4 miles away a couple years ago, but it burned away from me.

It isn't so much the coals that can be problematic with manzanita during a wildland fire, it's more so the leaves. They readily burn once their fuel moisture drops low enough and are easily carried by the wind...high potential for spot fires. Also it grows so thick, that it's virtually impossible to try to engage a spot fire without dozers or saws...needless to say, cutting line with saws through it is a tedious task.

I have some pretty crazy fires during the winter months, I definitely scare the city people that moved up here. They cant seem to grasp that when we've had regular precipitation for months, the fire wouldn't escape, even if I tried to make it to.

I have had my "wood lot" which is behind the house...kind of a PITA to get wood from there to the house though, especially in the snow. I've got a greenhouse that's closer to my house...I was thinking of turning that into a wood shed. I don't grow anything and it only stores wood slabs for now. It needs a new roof anyway...perfect time to put a metal roof on it. That would also keep people from thinking I'm growing pot in there too(that's what most people with greenhouses here do.) :laugh:
Sacrilege! Grow some food! 😄
Am expanding our garden by 75 sqft.
Construction waste 2x4s and recycled redwood. Had to buy the roof panels.

At the rate my wife is growing starters we'll feed half the neighbors
20230323_185813.jpg
 
Sacrilege! Grow some food! 😄
Am expanding our garden by 75 sqft.
Construction waste 2x4s and recycled redwood. Had to buy the roof panels.

At the rate my wife is growing starters we'll feed half the neighbors
View attachment 1069578

Looks nice...you got a pretty decent setup there.

No pics, but I've got a pretty good-sized greenhouse...I've just got too much stuff going on to grow vegetables. I'm trying to find ways to simplify my life, instead I just keep adding more complexities. :laugh:

During the summer, I do have a neighbor that grows an abundance of veggies and is always giving me stuff.
 
Excellent, perseverance on researching that fine 99.


I gave up on trying to keep up. I went on a quest last week. Several years ago I bought a Savage 99K made in 1929, which was the fanciest model made at the time. Factory engraving, special checkering, hand picked high grade Walnut. Yes, HVBW. It has the initials JM carved in the stock. They look like a cattle brand. Over the years I have spent whole rainy days researching old cattle brands from the West, nothing. Last weekend I went to the Baltimore Antique Arms show. The Cody Museum of the West had a booth there, and they have the Savage records. For $5 they will do a search as you wait. My search came back with the info:
Received at the warehouse Jan 8, 1929
Sold to the Baker, Hamilton, Pacific Co (a large hardware store)
Returned to the factory May 22, 1929 for additional work
Upon completion of work returned to Jo Mora Carmel California

My heart did a back flip. I had heard of Mora being an artist, but, that was about it. I started reading every thing I could find on him. WOW, incredible life, and accomplishments. In my reading I found that the author Peter Hiller had written a book on Mora, and is the curator of the Mora Trust and Museum. The Trust had an email that said Mr. Hiller would answer inquiries, so off went an email. Two days later my cell rings. Peter and I talked for a bit, and he sounded as excited about the rifle as I was. He asked if I would send a pic of the initials, they had examples of art work he signed with just his initials. They are a pretty close match. The picture of the initials on a Del Monte menu that Mora did have two hooks on the bottom that make them look like a cowboy hat, but that was on paper. If you remove the hooks the initials look dead on. I can see where carving on wood it would be easier to just leave the hooks off. Hiller said that the initials looked close enough, and with the Savage records, he was 100% sure the rifle belonged to Mora, or possibly his son, Joey. He confirmed that both Mora's were avid hunters their entire lives. Part of Mora's story is he lived with the Hopi Indians in Arizona for 3 years. Where he learned their language, studied their traditions, and acted as a hunting guide for them. He was kind enough to forward some pics off Mora and his work. One is a water color card to his son Joey for Christmas 1920, Hunting with his dog, with a Winchester on his shoulder, a life size statue of Belle Star, and the Del Montes menu with his initials, lower right side.

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Just put the finishing touches on this coming winter's wood pile.
Burned more this winter than expected, turned into a stove hugger.
As soon as the snow parts, time to work on next years pile.
So far I have next year's stacked and covered and 7 rics stacked for the following year. Another 6 or 7 in a pile waiting.
 
Dang, over 20 pages since I got home

Took my whole crew out to dinner tonight to celebrate the end of the first fiscal quarter. Had a good time, even though I had to give him a bit of a speech about how my service policy account is up $1200 year over year. Told him there’s plenty of time in the year for us to right that. Hoping that we have a good quarter every time so we can go out and enjoy ourselves.


I kind of wish my old boss is used to do this for me, but he didn’t. That’s why I do it for the guys under me only cost me $2400 to take 30 guys out, and gals, open bar… buffet dinner. Gotta let them know how much I appreciate them all.

54 gals and guys work for me, sadly only 30 showed up tonight

Their loss
That is a great morale booster. The place I worked at use to have barbecues a few times during the Summer at lunchtime. Once a year everyone took turns in groups going out on the owner's boat. We would go to Newport RI for shopping, drinking and a great feast. It was also called an offsite business meeting and paid for the day.
 
You must have the fountain of youth in your front yard. Are you stihl swinging a saw? And if so, some pics?
I recall .15 burgers, .15 small fries and a frappe for .20. That was around 1968/69. You could stuff yourself for a buck. I think the cheeseburgers were .18 cents.
I bought my 2nd tractor up there in Berlin on Rt 2 back in the Spring of 2003. The owner said this to me. You can take the tractor anywhere you want around the crushed rock lot or down the road but by no means do you go off the crushed stone lot. You will get stuck so bad that we will have to pull you out of the muck.
 
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