And here, finally, is this morning’s view of Cone Peak. Isn’t she lovely?
I’ve decided that raising a fire is about as attention-demanding as raising a puppy. Don’t get me wrong. I love, love, LOVE my wood stove. Never want to be without it, any more than I want to be without my dogs. But I have to tell you, I’ve done little else but take care of it the last few days. I started a fire on Thursday, and it hasn’t gone out, yet. Yes, it has been that cold up here. Freezing temps, which is kind of necessary to produce all the lovely snow. It’s a good thing for me that for some inexplicable reason, cutting wood is one of Rock Knocker’s favorite pastimes … right behind eating and you-know-what. Whenever he can, he just loves to cut wood. Fortunately for me, I have lots of downed dead oak limbs, from various wind storms, and some dead madrone, and sundry other available sources of joy for him. No live trees are ever harmed in pursuing his passion. He wouldn’t dare. He knows these Valley Oaks are my living relatives. Pine … not so much. But pine is not good for wood stoves. They serve only three purposes, as far as I can tell. One, lovely pinecones; two, nice smell; three, they go up like Roman candles in a wildfire.
And on a slightly different note: “The vernal equinox will occur 10:14 p.m. tonight, marking the start of spring. Ironically, the region experienced some of the most unsettled weather of the winter this weekend with widespread hail, heavy rain, gale force winds and reports of snow.” (This from my weatherman in San Luis Obispo.) I guess I will see my first Spring snow, a week after I saw my first Winter snow! He also had this to say: “Another cold front will pass the Central Coast on Saturday with rain and more unsettled weather. Rain will turn to showers on Sunday with snow levels dropping to about 3,000-feet.”
Okay, that’s today’s post. I may add a lovely photo of Cone Peak bathed in snow later, as the sun is shining, and I got a couple shots off while it is. I have a couple announcements, but soon, I will have to move them to the announcement page, as the number of requests I am getting is going up as tourist season approaches. Time to go feed the fire, again.
I like the pic. Not often you see snow on poppies.
Poppies in the snow. 🙂 It’s been a confusing spring for the flowers. Home fires demand a lot of stoking, especially when it’s colder outside, it takes more heat to keep indoors at a warm temperature. Excellent that you have a happy woodchopper at your service. Keep up the good work Kate!
I know, right? Snow in winter, and now expecting snow again NEXT weekend, in Spring. Gotta love our weather treats.
Forgot to say, Happy Spring!
I miss not having a wood burning stove. The smell and efficiency, the low costs, natural heat. Good you have the wood and woodsman!
You survived the winter Kate. Another week or two and we are into clear air. Spring days on the coast are the best!
We all owe the BSK woodstove gratitude for, despite puppy-like demands, it has kept you in one place long enough to produce this vivid description of hinterland life. I too miss my woodstoves. I lived in great desolate wilderness in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The neighboring farmer (who’d show up in red sweat pants! gorgeous guy) would chop and stack chords of wood for me for $12 an hour from a zillion fallen trees. Nice to sit and watch that kind of labor, bravo Kate! Look at the life you’ve made for you.
I burned my last log of madrone yesterday. This is the madrone that fell last summer and I had a friend cut it into rounds, then he and I split it together. Making firewood is more than a one person job.
I’ll need to buy firewood as the only other downed tree is a rotted oak, which is not worthy for firewood, but will add a fine mulch to the earth.