Diary 5/26/14

Firewood gathering adventure yesterday. We found a "danger tree", a dead tree that could fall across the road. Further up on the hill were other "snags" left for birds and animals to nest in. We bought a permit on the tree for a nominal fee from the Forest Service. They knew that we would successfully fall this huge Douglas Fir and clean up the mess after we took the firewood from it, our part of the deal. How do you fall such a giant? Very carefully~ After accessing the tree, the branches, where it wants to fall, and where we would like it to fall, the process of "facing" making an undercut and then cutting from the back to meet that absent wedge. Once the tree is down, the even harder work begins! Dry firewood for next winter...check.