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!  

For Friday Skywatch.

 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!