Pancakes and wood smoke

I'm looking forward to this weekend as my dulcimer group, The Mixed-Up Strings, will perform at the Loyal Oak's Cider Festival. One of the Norton Boy Scout Troops prepare a fundraiser pancake breakfast. We perform from 8 am to noon, with periodic breaks. It's a long day for us but the group looks forward to the breakfast every year!!! Buttermilk pancakes, ham, orange juice and a beverage--YUM!

It seems like we've been working on the downed tree for ever!!! There's an old saying that goes, 'wood heat is the only heat source that warms you twice! Once when you cut/split the wood and the second time when you burn it for heat.' I in 100% agreement with that! This past weekend I've divided my time into helping John splitting and stacking wood as well as cleaning the barn floor, cleaning cage trays and making accommodations for my hybrid NZ's who were due to kindle. (Two of the three does kindled.)

Needless to say that after several days of hauling and stacking wood my old bones aren't very happy with me!

We've quite a bit of dead wood that John cut about three weeks ago, it's in the woodlot. Our neighbor, who has a backhoe, has generously offered to move the cut wood in the bucket of the backhoe over to our boiler. BUT, Murphy's reared his ugly face again, as the backhoes developed some problem. It's okay, as it will allows us more time to work on the large tree in the yard.

Following the tree damage to the boiler, we've realized more damage to the boiler's surround than expected. The surround and platform will have to rebuilt before really cold temps hit. The boiler will have to be lifted from it's platform prior to a completely shelter rebuild. :- 6 The trees weight broke several 4" x 4"'s of the platfore and shelter structure.

Hopefully, we'll have it finished before the snows fly!!!