Our Lifestyle Blog as We Create a Homestead in Northern Ontario
So this spring my neighbour J! and I went halvsies on a load of birch. It was freshly cut eight foot lengths, so I wanted to get cracking on cutting it down to stove length and getting it split and out in the open quickly so that it would hopefully be dry by the burning … Read more
Way back when we first built the yurts, Grandpa took charge of building us a woodshed to keep our winter supply out of the elements. I scavenged the local shipping companies for pallets to get pressed into service, and in short order Grandpa created a sturdy and serviceable shelter. With my later woodshed able to … Read more
So last spring you may remember that the lumber I had cut to build a new sauna had an accident while resting on the drying rack I had purchased. As also mentioned, I had a very busy summer, and never did get to building that sauna. I believe we’ve decided that we’ll look into purchasing … Read more
During the course of the winter, I observed the rack of wood that I had set aside for possible sauna construction begin to tip over. I had hoped that it would hold out until the snow melted, but I guess it wasn’t to be. One morning I woke up to it being completely over. No … Read more
So now that I don’t have the mill providing me with loads of weird, thin slabs and offcuts, I have focused on making firewood cutting as easy and productive as possible. I’ve purchased a couple of items that I had hoped would help and didn’t really, but sometimes I get something that’s pretty good. A … Read more
So last Thursday I got the call from Purolator that a parcel had arrived from Condar Canada – unfortunately it came too late for me to drive to their depot to pick it up. Condar is the company that imports the thermometer from the U.S., so I knew that’s what it was. Kenny and I … Read more
Living with a wood cookstove is a bit of an art, as well as a science. For a nervous person like myself, it can also be a source of stress. Two nights ago it was very windy outside, and I made the mistake of loading up the firebox and then closing it down airtight for … Read more
We returned from a Christmas break to find the cabin a rather chilly -9. It took two days before we got it back up above 20 (although we did return to the city to spend the night with Mummu and Grandpa). Thankfully J! from next door kept our driveway clear while we were gone, and … Read more
It’s always four times the fun piling wood when you have double the helpers! A little dusting of the white stuff just makes it look nice Love to see the smiles!
Now with the sawmill no longer in the mix, I’m focused on trying to make my firewood production as simple as possible. With that in mind, I tried to take to heart the parts of the job that are messiest, as well as most frustrating. One of these annoyances occurs out in the bush, trying … Read more