Getting Limber for Lumber

Well finally got outside and actually accomplished something, with the snow packed down a little but temps dropping back down to -10 overnight its now possible to get back in the bush without needing snowshoes or being up to your knees in the white crap.
So with my lumber supply dwindled down to scraps I figure I need to get some more pine sawn this year for all those 'Honey Do” and “Dad can you....” projects and to rebuild the back porch that did no survive the avalanche of snow and ice from the house roof when things finally warmed up.


With the sun out and it warming to -5 it was a good day to go and cut some pines, there is little time before the sap rises and once that happens the wood will be stained with a blue/grey left over from the excessive sap once dried. Does not hurt the wood so far as I can see and still usable if being painted but not good for fancy projects or natural staining. The next thing is to get the logs sawn by early June before the Pine Sawyer lays its eggs under the bark and their larva starts to chew the hell out of the wood. These grub are voracious, you can hear then chewing from 15 feet away and after a few day can see the pile of sawdust under the log or tree they have attached. Its a good job they will only lay their eggs on 'dead pines', those that the bark has started to peel so far as I can see, but with any cut log laying past June for any time its taking a chance on it being scrap if not sawn or bark removed.


So we got a few cut, some even fell over (always a problem when selectively cutting in a closely planted pine plantation), none trimmed or cut to length but once cut there is no rush for that. We may even cut a few more Tuesday when its forecast to be a mite warmer, I don’t really need a whole bunch more wood but so long as we are bringing in the sawmill may as well make it worthwhile. Now just got to figure out what size lumber I meed, will be mostly 1” boards but should cut a few 1 1/2” planks and possibly 3/4 for smaller jobs, whatever I cut will not be what I need next year when its ready so its all a guessing game eh.


But it was good to get out and DO something even if the old bones are now telling me that its going to be a while before I am back into summer “working” mode!


Here's to an early spring and a super summer..... Cheers!

Join the National Day of Action Against Bill C-51

Elizabeth May was the first MP to stand up against the Harper government's so-called “anti-terror bill,” which does nothing to improve national security, and is likely unconstitutional.

Join Elizabeth and thousands of other Canadians this Saturday at the National Day of Action To Stop The Secret Police Bill.

Rallies are being organized all across the country.

This Saturday, stand with Elizabeth May in rejecting this dangerous, vague and invasive new legislation.

Defend our Freedom Day of Action: City Hall (Owen Sound)

When: Saturday, March 14th, 2015 at 12:00pm

Where: 808 2nd Ave E, Owen Sound, Onatario 

http://we.leadnow.ca/stopc51-owen_sound

To find a Rally near you go to http://we.leadnow.ca/stopc51

For more information see

Harper’s police state law

Signs of Spring?

Forsythia Buds - Mar 6 2015

Its been a long cold winter the proof of which many urban folks are being made well aware off with water mains freezing up and others being told to run their taps full time in order to prevent further loss of supply. Here out in the 'boonies' we have our own private well system and thus far it has not frozen despite the recent -20 temperatures, perhaps my failure to clear the snow back to the barn has helped insulate the pipe which runs under that area. There was much less snow this year than last but with no real thaws there is still a good 18” on the ground, I hope it also insulates the perennials out in the garden because the plants in the (largely unheated) greenhouse sure took a hit.


Even as the weather folks say its going to be a late and cool spring I am more optimistic on the days that the sun comes out, it seems like forever since we got a few sunny days. There sure were not many since I last wrote about a sunny day lifting my spirits! The last couple of days have further given me hope as we heard a Cardinal singing and a squirrel emerged and was running around giving our dog Nikki something to chase to work off her spring fever. Those weather forecasters are telling us we will have THREE DAYS in a row with temps ABOVE FREEZING next week, this after almost two months without any kind of thaw! Could this be the start of spring, I sure hope so.


So with the sun out and some small indications that warmer time are coming I feel much better......... till I look out the window and see the ladder up against the house as a reminder to get out and remove the snow and ice from the roof where it is creating an 'ice dam' that will create problems when (if) that partial thaw happens next week. Ah well you cant win them all but at least the race is taking place in SUNLIGHT!