Saturday, July 16, 2016

Summer Time - Get Ready for Winter #169

Cooling down after a day
sawing sticks. Enjoying a cider
in Conway's, Kildavan.
I spent most of the day today in Ballingate down in the bog sawing sticks with my Dad Joe and my brother Joe. This is part ritual, part practical, part necessity. Both my Mum and Dad's house, and the brother's house are heated by solid fuel - logs are what they use as they are in plentiful supply on the family farm. I also take a small supply for the fire in my own house. 

Today was sweltering, but nevertheless this is one of my most enjoyable activities. My Mum's delicious tea and rhubarb tart started the day before we went to cut up an oak tree. I quickly counted the rings on the stump and the tree is about 80-85 years old - the same as Dad (85). We filled a trailer load and came back to Mum's kitchen for her fantastic vegetable soup. We returned to the bog for more and by late afternoon we were exhausted and hot - we agreed that only a pint could get us back to normal. We adjourned to Conway's Pub in Kildavan where we solved all the problems of the world while quenching our thirst.

On a serious note, today's work was part of preparing for next winter - we need several more days like this to stock up for the winter. While I do not use solid fuel in my own house, I do have an open fire and like to have Ballingate sticks in the fireplace - I filled up the boot of my car with birch and oak logs. On some cold day next January or February, I will throw a log cut today onto my fire, and remember a lovely day with my Mum, Dad, and brother Joe. 

Is this dog (Gypsy) happy about something? Dad and Joe working hard!

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