New Haunts

I set out for an afternoon snowshoe not knowing where to go.  I had visited all my old haunts recently, and was craving something new. 

 

I went through the swamp and climbed up a small valley.  From there, I just walked through the woods.  The hardwood forest made for easy walking and the sun was making the snow shine and sparkle all around.

 

Eventually I came across a creek bed.  I followed it down to the river above the falls.  I am so glad I found this creek as it serves to add to my knowledge of the geography back there.  I look forward to visiting it in spring, when it is overflowing with melt water.

 

The next time I visit this creek, I will hike up away from the river to find it's source.

 

 

 

 

Wood

We heat our home with a combination of oil and wood.  The cost of heating alone with the oil furnace is prohibitive, so we supplement with our wood stove.

 

This isn't the most convenient of arrangements, considering the amount of work that goes into feeding the fire, but in the end it's worth it.

 

From early fall to late spring, wood is on our minds.  Rick spends most of his spare moments in the fall cutting, collecting, splitting and stacking wood.  The fire is then on from the first temperature dip to late spring.

 

Fire is relentless.  To be kept up, it demands to be fed regularly.  It's the last thing we do before we go to bed, and the first thing we do upon waking.  Luckily, Rick is a night owl and I am an early bird- there are only about five or six hours overnight when the fire is unattended.  If we are away for the duration of the day though, it's a different story.  All you can do is load it up, close it down and hope that by the time you get home, there are enough embers left to start it quickly once more.

 

As much work as it is, I do love keeping a fire burning.  It's cozy.  It speaks of days spent snuggled up, and of playing outside, coming in to hot tea and flushed cheeks.  The wood stove, and fire, are essential elements of our winters here on Maple Lake.