Much to the Heeler’s disappointment, I didn’t light the woodstove Tuesday morning. Outdoors it was 41°F, and in the cabin it was a tolerable 63°F, so I ran a small electric space heater on its lowest setting for a couple of hours. It was fine.
I mean, I’d done a quick, hot burn at bedtime Monday night, around 10pm, and although the fire was out by morning, the mass was still quite warm. And it’d be a sunny day, so I didn’t see the point.
We’re in the middle of a six-day run in the mid- to upper 70s here. Changes arrive this weekend, though, with daytime highs as much as 30° colder and overnights in the mid-20s.
It’s my signal to get my winterizing done. I figure I’ll take care of that annual business between Thursday and Saturday. I should have great weather for the work, and besides, it’s all familiar to me now — after twice wintering in a motorhome and spending two more in a fifth-wheel, I sure hope I’ve learned something.
The now-plumbed cabin adds a new dimension to freeze-proofing on The Mountain, certainly, so I’ll be navigating a bit of uncharted territory. On the bright side, I’m relieved of having to protect the camper (beyond draining the tank and supply lines and dumping antifreeze into three P-traps).
I know what to do. The weather forecast tells me when.
(After that two-day cold snap, by the way, we’re looking at a week or so of highs in the 60s and 70s, lows in the 40s and 50s. That’s November in Ozarkansas.)
I didn’t mention it in my previous post, but I cleaned most of the ashes out of the woodstove Monday afternoon. With the firebox cool (not cold) yesterday morning, I repeated the process and removed the rest.
The task of filling the outdoor firewood rack has been overdue for a while now, and that’s what I tackled next. This time I chose the Ranger and utility cart to move cordwood.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if the tandem rig had the capacity to do the job in one run, but I was about to find out.
I pulled the tarps off of the stacks and began loading — first the cart, then the bed of the Ranger. I didn’t use rope or straps to secure the wood, given the relatively short trip.
Small splits and big splits, coaling wood and all-nighters, I made sure to bring up a good mix of sizes. I piled it as high as I could and, once I was satisfied that I had a full load, I turned the rig around at the road and drove it up to the rack.
I unloaded the utility cart first, which brought the previously empty rack to less than half-full. And that had me wondering — did the buggy’s bed hold enough to fill it the rest of the way?
Yes — yes, it did.
In fact, it couldn’t’ve been more perfect. The wood is stacked tight. There’s plenty of room for air to circulate.
One trip was just right. I covered the stack and called it good.
As I was tucking in the edges of the tarp, I saw that I had company (pictured).
Katydids, like the fence lizards I often see, are considered to be omens of good fortune and prosperity. This one appeared to me at just the right time.
I stowed the Ranger in the shed, leaned the cart against a tree and walked toward the cabin. Man, I was tired. My shoulders were beginning to ache.
Just short of the front door, I turned around and took in this view:
I love this life.
After Tuesday’s dinner, I’ll freeze what’s left of my chili and save it for a special occasion. But I gotta say, Round Three might just be the best impromptu meal I’ve made in years.
I had three eggs that were in use-or-lose territory, so I scrambled them in butter, adding a shake of Flat Iron pepper and a little shredded cheese. I plated the eggs on a flour tortilla, layered chili generously on top and garnished it as before.
Huevos Ubi Libertas? Why not? It was an amazing dish.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable