This last week, as our builders, excavator, and my husband were amazing me with all they could accomplish on our house, we had our first falling of snow. It was so gorgeous to wake up to a beautiful white blanket covering all of our mud pits, and piles of wood. Every tree dusted with white, and clouds so thick they seemed to block out the entire universe but for our little haven on the hill. Likely needless to say, Tanner and I LOVE snow. We ski, snowshoe, happily shovel and truly just enjoy every bit of winter. With these facts established, we were happy to see the snow when it covered all of our construction site, and were thankful that the snow wasn't rain, which would be a little bit more tricky to handle.
The earth covered in a blanket of snow, all things still and serene. Silence envelopes as calm sets in. White flakes drifting, floating all around.
By the end of the week we had accumulated about 5-6 inches. The snow slowed us down a little here and there, just in clearing it from the roof and all of the tarps over which all of the tools and supplies are lying. While snow melted on the valley floor and rain replaced snow as the temperatures rose, all of the snow remained at our elevation. Normally, and in every other year in the future, we would be ecstatic, unpacking all of our winter and ski gear as we plan our winter activities. This year, however, we are behind to get things comfortably situated for the winter. My last blog post may have misled you into believing that our house was enclosed for the winter, but in fact we have another floor and loft to frame in with roofing before winter really rears its ugly head.
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| Chilko, keeping watch from the first floor of the house |
Sunday morning, Tanner and I checked the weather forecast for the week, and discussed the weeks plans. The forecast shows rain and warmer temperatures all week long, which means that all of our snow will disappear into a muddy abyss which is our home-site. While this weather situation leaves us with very little dry work space, Tanner introduced me to an additional dilemma that occurred during the week.
Our land has plenty of wood, ready to be cut and split for firewood to keep us warm this winter in the yurt. In the process of developing our land, we've piled these logs in anticipation of preparing them for firewood this fall. In our numerous tasks set before us in getting the house dried-in, the firewood has fallen to the wayside for the time being. We've cut some here and there, but for the most part it has laid untouched. Also, since most everything for the house is in the driveway, under tarps, we've developed a shortage of tarps, and in haste to save pretty wood for building our home, our firewood was sitting under our beautiful blanket of snow, melting in the warm temperatures, and about to be rained upon!
If anyone has ever had a wood stove as their primary heat source through a winter in the northwest, you may know how frustrating it is to heat your home with wet wood. This prospect caused me great concern. Despite the fact that we received snow in October, (an occurrence that I don't remember since I was in the 6th grade) our yurt has seen temperatures as low as 47 F on a few mornings and evenings. I worry for the temps we may see in January!
So Tanner and I set out, shoveling and sweeping snow off of the log piles, and finding tarps to cover them. Tanner reassured me that the wood would dry out, being that it was very dry before being snowed on. I must admit that the entire situation brought me the closest to tears that I have been in this entire process. Nothing like the thought of human suffering to bring about despair! Tanner did his usual great job of bringing me back to earth, and pointing out that we still have lots of wood, still standing in our forest to suffice in getting us by while these logs dried out. Now, to find time to cut it!
With the main firewood logs swept and under tarps, I spent my afternoon splitting kindling, and Tanner spent his insulating the yurt further. My chore has been awaiting me for months, and has fallen down my priority to-do list, just as the firewood has fallen down Tanner's. When I first began working on the kindling pile, it was a gorgeous day in September, and I chopped away in between being dumbstruck by all of the beauty around me.
I remember taking these pictures because I was having such difficulty concentrating; my deck chair calling my name, the sun and cool breeze singing for the commencement of a puppy walk.
Here I am in September, in my tank top....
and here I am in October, in my wool pants....
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| Moose and Chilko |
Once I had this particular wood scrap pile taken care of, we consolidated kindling and wood to take the kindling tarp down to the gravel pile, awaiting an icy driveway to be distributed onto....why don't we just buy more tarps? ;)
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| Moose, Chilko, and Buddy, trying to tell me it's dinner time |
At day's end we were glad at all we could accomplish, and motivated to get as much done as we can. It seems we are always just a little bit behind, but our spirits are good~living the dream!!
