With Hatchet and Saw

Been spending some time over the past few days cleaning out a thin wood line behind the house that's been rather overgrown since I came here. I always felt like it was a sure enough haven for no-shoulders and varmints that I'd rather not have in the yard. Same for the overgrown grape arbor, and monstrous bushes. Every time I get close to one of them, I expect to hear a snake rattle or a raccoon hiss at me.

I'd much rather do the work, than have my better half or myself go to the hospital for snakebite or rabies treatment. No thank you, sweat on my brow for me!

It's been going pretty well, but the downside is I've got a brush pile going that could conceivably get as high as the house if I don't do a better job spreading it about. Aside from the obvious fire risk that it poses, I'm really just substituting one habitat for another, so after all the cutting is said and done I'm going to have to do something about that pile too.

Some of the drier stuff can go on a second pallet next to the split wood to be used for fire. I've got a couple of stakes from my dad's land that I'll use as retention poles to keep things from rolling off the edge. That's still a lot of green wood left, though, that's going to have to season for at least half a year before it burns worth a damn.

Right now my plan is to drag some of the green stuff out before every fire I make so that it can be chucked on after the burn is going good and hot. Not sure how well that will work out... Green wood doesn't burn worth a damn, but without a chipper I can't think of a better way to get rid of the stuff. There's always a good chance that we might need to be moving soon... ish. Probably better to not have a big brush pile taking up a significant chunk of real estate.

I will say that it's nice to get outside and do some real work, though. Been cooped up in offices too long, it's a damn pleasant change of pace to be out in the sun.