Ending the Year as It Began

That pile of wood finally got split.  Better late than never.

We tried to remember exactly what we were doing New Year's Eve last year.  We couldnt recall for sure, but one thing for certain, at least part of the day involved firewood.  Stacking, or splitting, or carrying armloads in for burning, handling wood is a constant on the homestead.  

Getting next year's wood is a ritual, an ever present reality in the ongoing activities of life on the farm.  It occupies our time and energy from summer through the following spring.  There are maybe only those few months of late spring and early summer when we are not daily handling wood.

This year's wood is a non negotiable  necessity. Since the wood has to cure for a season, next year's wood is the job of this year. Next year's wood is almost better than money in the bank... it is an assurance of warmth, of the ability to prepare food, a symbol of comfort and self sufficiency. If everything else fails, we can stay warm.   

So today, we worked on stacking next year's wood, and maybe even some for the year after.  We estimate our little woodshed here will hold about 7 cords.  

So I have no complaints of ending this year the same way it began.  There is a rightness, a pleasing satisfaction in seeing those stacks rise to the ceiling.