Finally started cutting again ... it was a long winter.

[flashhole]

So after several months of snow and cold and thaw and wet I was finally able to get back to the firewood.

First tree this gathering season, a large hard maple. Here are some of the rounds and my wood buddy Nilla. Felt good to get the saws and splitter going again.

 

[benp]

Your grass is GREEN!!!

I like how you have your wood stacks setup off the ground like that and I bet that's one heck of a view in the fall.

 

[stihly dan]

Green and a lot of it. Nice all around.

 

[CTYank]

We've been in "drydock" around here until a few weeks ago, now having to play serious catchup on a couple of sites to prep for reforestation. Some, we're just knocking down & making avenues in the tops of blowdowns for replanting access. We'll get to the stems whenever- no shortage of that sort of brutal amusement for the summer.

A bit back, I stacked some green oak splits high like in the pic. Really bad move. As they air-dried & shrunk, wanna guess how long it for the big stack to tumble? Not long, in spite of shoring it up with tubafores. Wood moves.

 

[Whitespider]

I've been doin' a small amount of cuttin, and a bit of splittin' 'n' stackin'.
Damn... did I ever get fat and out'a shape over winter... and it gets worse every spring.
*

 

[rancher2]

Finally got out Saturday early morning to cut some logs up and split. Then came the rain. I never wish rain off but I had four extra people to help. Better luck next time I guess. Just about time to plant here so the wood will have to wait.

 

[stihly dan]

I've been doin' a small amount of cuttin, and a bit of splittin' 'n' stackin'.
Damn... did I ever get fat and out'a shape over winter... and it gets worse every spring.
*

Did some cutting on sat, and most of the day sunday leveling and stacking. Legs and back still screaming a bit.

 

[flashhole]

Grass just greened up in the last 3 or 4 days. We were ugly brown after the snow finally melted off. I stopped mowing the large fields before the mowing season ended so the deer could forage. Seems to have worked, they stayed around in large numbers all winter. I will be on the mower before the end of April.

Yes, fall colors are sometimes spectacular. The amount of color seems to coinside with the degree of temperature shifts day-to-night (higher makes better color) and whether or not we have a dry spell in late summer.



The cross stacking on the ends makes a pretty solid brace for the rest of the stack. Only time I lost part of a stack was when the cats were romping on top. I put cross stacks in the center too for added support. Going a bit higher with the stack gives me more open area on the ground.

 

[TreeTangler]

Man, you guys truly suck! I've still got FEET of snow in the yard and woods. What ground is showing is soaking wet and muddy!

 

[svk]

Man, you guys truly suck! I've still got FEET of snow in the yard and woods. What ground is showing is soaking wet and muddy!

I can empathize with you as two years ago we had two to three feet of snow on the ground into may. We've been snow free for several weeks this spring.

 

[Whitespider]

Man, you guys truly suck! I've still got FEET of snow in the yard and woods. What ground is showing is soaking wet and muddy!

I sympathize with ya' man... you boys out that-a-way ain't had an easy go of it by anyone's measure.
*

 

[TreeTangler]

I sympathize with ya' man... you boys out that-a-way ain't had an easy go of it by anyone's measure.
*

Ehhhhh, not looking for sympathy. Just get a little ansty seeing everybody's "Back in the Woods" threads while I'm still blowing snow lol. Besides, I'm sure your ice fishing is pretty crappy!

 

[Whitespider]

Besides, I'm sure your ice fishing is pretty crappy!

L-O-L‼
Ain't never seen the point of sittin' out in the wind on a massive ice cube during winter to catch fish when it's so much better durin' spring 'n' summer.
But I have sat many times in shirtsleeves, in a heated ice-fishin' house, with a ballgame on the TV, drinkin' beer 'n' whiskey... just never got around to wettin' a line
It was more about hidin' from the women folk...
*

 

[TreeTangler]

L-O-L‼
Ain't never seen the point of sittin' out in the wind on a massive ice cube during winter to catch fish when it's so much better durin' spring 'n' summer.
But I have sat many times in shirtsleeves, in a heated ice-fishin' house, with a ballgame on the TV, drinkin' beer 'n' whiskey... just never got around to wettin' a line
It was more about hidin' from the women folk...
*

Hahahaha, what kind of fool do you take me for?! I have a nice insulated ice shack with propane and electric heater when I can remember the generator. This year myself and an old friend or two spent many a day and night out there until long after midnight!

 

[flashhole]

How thick does the ice have to be to cut a hole and fish through it? Sounds like fun if you have the proper gear and equipment.

 

[flashhole]

Tree Tangler, we're not finished with our muddy stage either. I was surprised how fast the snow disappeared once the nights warmed up above freezing. Last snow I saw was about 10 days ago. Today is April 20th and we had a morning fire in the fireplace to get the chill off and we will have one tomorrow and the next day according to the forecast.

 

[Whitespider]

Last snow I saw was about 10 days ago.

Heck, it was spittin' a little snow here about 3 hours ago... damn depressin'.
We ain't even made out'a the 30s today (yet... might hit low 40s before day's end) with the northwest wind blowin' 'round 30 MPH... damn depressin'.
*

 

[TreeTangler]

How thick does the ice have to be to cut a hole and fish through it? Sounds like fun if you have the proper gear and equipment.

That all depends on how good the ice is and how brave/stupid you are lol. They say around here that 2 inches of good clear ice is safe to walk on, but we generally wait for 4-6 inches before drilling holes. The lake that I put my shack on had over 30" of ice when I pulled my shack off in April!

 

[KenJax Tree]

If i don't see vehicles out there i stay off[emoji2]

 

[TreeTangler]

If i don't see vehicles out there i stay off[emoji2]

You've got to be careful with that one!