9.13.26
I wonder, does the changing weather bring out the squirrel in all of us? It sure does in me! As the nights get cooler and the days perceptively shorten, the urge to get prepared for winter strikes! I find myself wanting to stock up on animal feed and welcome the sight of a winter’s supply of hay stacked neatly in the arena. The urge hits to top up items in the pantry and most of all, to get the woodsheds filled to the brim with chunks of well-seasoned firewood.
This year it has been up to me to fire up the chainsaw and get cracking on cutting the logs that have been seasoning in the woodpile, into rounds ready to split and then stack in the sheds. Usually, it is my dearest who is out there working away with the saw until a sizable pile of rounds are ready to be split. With the tractor, I would bring the wood splitter over and position it in the perfect spot for him to crank it up and start his favourite part of this seasonal chore, splitting the rounds into chunks for the wood stoves. My job would be to load the wood into the trailer behind the four-wheeler and trundle it to the woodsheds where I would stack the pieces just so, ready to be used for heating and cooking.
Each morning for the past few days, after my milking and feeding chores were done, you could find me out wielding Darrell’s chainsaw for a couple of hours, whacking big logs up into manageable rounds ready for splitting. The first morning was hard. All I could think about was how my dearest loved cutting wood. In my mind’s eye I could see him there, working away, then, before I even started cutting, I found myself kneeling on the ground by the logs, crying my eyes out. Pulling myself together and getting to my feet, I wiped away the tears, fired up the chainsaw and got to work.
There is something very therapeutic about cutting wood. I am glad I decided to use Darrell’s saw instead of mine as some of the logs are a good 24 or more inches in diameter. Darrell’s saw has a 20” bar and mine just 16”, plus I still haven’t got round to replacing the carburetor on my saw yet, it is still on my “to do” list. Now Darrell had the knack of being able to make cuts part ways through one of these big logs – since the log is wider than the chainsaw bar – roll the log over and continue the cut from the other side making perfect rounds with ease. Not me! I make my cuts part way through then discover my initial cut was not straight making some pretty wonky rounds I can tell you! That was before I had the dream.
There I was, out at the wood pile feeling pretty disgruntled and absolutely dreading the next big log to be cut because of my struggle to get a nice straight line. Then, my dearest was with me. He took the saw from me and showed me where to look on the bar to make a perfect cut downwards, rolled the log and with ease completed the cut. When I woke up yesterday morning, I remembered the dream, which of course immediately brought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes. After my regular morning chores were done, I spent some time cleaning Darrell’s saw then sharpened the chain before making my way to the log pile. The next log in line to be cut was another whopper one. Firing up the saw I took a deep breath then found myself smiling! I knew exactly what to do. The sharp chain bit into the wood, chips flew and what a smooth, straight cut I made. Once several slices were in the log, I flipped it over and without hesitation, completed each cut with ease. Before me lay several neat rounds, not a wonky one among them!
Turning off the saw, I sat down on a log and looked at the big pile of rounds in front of me. It may have taken me longer to get the job done than it would my dearest, but what a good feeling it was. I had accomplished a task that part of me had looked forward to doing and part of me had dreaded doing alone. Yet was I really alone? No, I know with certainty I was not. My dearest may not have been out there wielding his chainsaw, but he was guiding me through this task I have accomplished all on my own, watching over me, coaching me and most of all, keeping me safe.
The squirrel inside me is feeling comfier now, for it knows a woodshed full of winter wood is just around the corner. Then, one more task can be crossed off the “ready for winter” list.
