Sunday, April 26, 2015

cleaning out the kindling box

During the porch renovation, I put aside all the short pieces of pine that had originally lined the walls between the tops of the screens and the roof. They neatly filled the big kindling box by the woodstove.


 All winter, as needed, I'd pull out a piece of the old pine,
set it on the edge of the box, tap it with my hatchet,
and the kindling would fall right back into the box.
So tidy!

Action shot! See the falling piece?

This s a handful of kindling from one piece of wood.
Multiply this by about 50.
Its been very satisfying.


Piper checking my work: 

(As you see, Piper has also been opening her mail.)


It's been quite cold lately, and daily chores again include
bringing in an armload of stovewood
every time I come inside.

I can actually see the bottom of the kindling box.
The timing is good, because now I can call this,
"cleaning out the kindling box."
As if I am actually cleaning something.

In my house.

(Ha.)

I am also burning the few pieces of stovewood
that have been set aside.
Every year, some pieces are just so interesting
I keep them to ponder for a while.


Usually, they are the last pieces to be burned in the Spring.
Occasionally, they are the first pieces
to be burned the following winter.
And very, very occasionally,
they aren't burned for years.



But that doesn't mean they are entirely safe
from destruction.

"Art is not eternal.
Go find yourself another piece of wood."


I hope you are having a warm and pleasant Sunday,
wherever in the world you are.
~~~~~