Friday 2 October 2015

Log pile

As the nights draw in the temperature is dropping sharply. As soon as the sun is down it's too chilly to be outside.
How those telegraph wire ruin a good sunset!  
 Himself called the log man this week to order a load of wood to take us through the winter. He had to shout into the phone because Wilson was at a ploughing match and couldn't hear above the noise. We were reminded to stock up because there was a feature on wood in the newspaper. The article stated that in the 19th century in the heavily forested state of Maine young women were advised to look at the condition of a man's wood pile when considering if they were suitable marriage material. If the wood pile was an unusual shape then he was a free thinking, open spirited man although a point to watch out for was that the construction may be weak! I went and had a look at our wood pile to see what it said about Himself.
What to make of it? The front is properly stacked and loose wood thrown in behind. Well, we've plenty of it and that's good, it means the man is loyal. It's not a 'pedantic pile' which could mean that he's a pedantic perfectionist - heaven forfend! Is ours a flamboyant pile? If so then he's flamboyant but possibly also a bluffer. All in all I think my man's a keeper and our wood is all decent dry hardwood so cosy nights are ahead. It's stacked in one of the old dog pens.
The position of the former dog runs can be clearly seen on the ground. We have kept the concrete because we like to see the history of the place, the house where the estate gamekeepers always lived. Future owners will no doubt think it a mess and dig it up.
A smaller stack of older wood is heaped behind a couple of water butts. No prizes for careful stacking.
But look next door. What does this say about our neighbour? A flamboyant pedantic perfectionist maybe? How would you describe the owner of such a wood pile? (I'll tell him what you think!)
If you've got a wood pile I hope it's saying all the right things about you!

16 comments:

  1. LOL... so funny to think you can determine a personality based on a woodpile. However, I think there may be some truth to the concept! Great post.

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    1. I've added a photo of our neighbours' wood pile as the contrast is rather extreme!

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  2. Very imaginative




    ALOHA
    ComfortSpiral

    (\__/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

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    1. Hello there, Cloudia, I see that we've both been looking up at pink clouds.

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  3. Lovely skies......and your place looks great!

    Happy weekend!

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    1. Good weather promised for all weekend - lots of grubbing about in the garden!

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  4. Gosh, I won't show you our wood pile! You would probably immediately send us to the psychiater. :o) :o) :o)
    Lovely sunset photos. The first one looks like if a woman is flying over the telegraph wire.
    Have a great Weekend.
    Alex

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    1. I'd love to see your wood pile, Alex! And I like the idea of the flying woman. (:-)-x

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  5. So funny to read about the man behind the woodpile. I can tell you we have a large woodpile under the verandah. On one side it looks rather tidy but on the other side it is a chaotic heap. I know one thing it is enough to keep us warm for one winter.
    Have a nice Sunday!

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  6. Did it start out tidy and then just get chucked in? There is something very satisfying in knowing that you have a good supply of wood that's going to keep you warm for months to come.
    A good day promised for tomorrow and I'm planning to be in the garden picking the squash to store undercover before any overnight frost ruins the crop.
    Wishing you a lovely weekend, Janneke.

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  7. Ah, good for you! It is freezing here this morning - 1C - but I need to get out in the garden and do some clean-up this week before we put it all to bed!

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    1. Dull and wet here today, it looks as though our spell of good weather is over. I'm about to start packing over on Miss Cellany in search of sunshine!

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  8. We don't have a wood pile as our fireplace is gas but if we did, it would look like your neighbor's - obsessive and controlling.

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  9. 'Obsessive and controlling' - YOU? I don't believe it! (I'll tell David what you think of his stacking!)

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  10. Your man is definitely a keeper. ;) Our wood pile is a bundle of mess but that is fine somehow as all that wood which comes from our own forest keeps us warm all winter and our home is filled with both warmth and love. :)

    Take care!

    Charlie
    xx

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    1. How wonderful 'from our own forest' sounds, Charlie, not to mention that your home is a place of warmth and love. It's obviously a BIG woodpile created by and for big-hearted people. Who cares about a mess? I don't. Enjoy!

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