Wednesday, January 2, 2008

01.02.08 THE WARMTH OF WOOD


We have burnt up almost all of our stored firewood. Last night we had a huge windstorm as bitter cold air moved into the area. We lost power and I burned the last sticks of our supply of wood to keep the house warm. I kept myself warm today by splitting up some of the black locust, Robinia psuedoacacia, I had recently cut out of the woods behind the vegetable garden. Black locust is an extremely hard and heavy wood, but one of the best for burning in the woodstove, its heat content has been compared to that of anthracite coal. But this wood's density had made the cutting job even more difficult as it is extremely hard on the chainsaw's teeth. Minute crystals of mineral deposits, called rhaphides, are woven throughout the wood grain. Gave me a chance to learn how to sharpen a chain saw!

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