Saturday, March 23, 2013

Rambles

Hubby and I both have been in a sorting, organizing and cleaning frenzy.  I think it has something to do with the knowledge that spring is coming (yes, keep the faith because it really will arrive) and in the not too distant future we will be outside working on projects 24/7 . . . so we'd better get crackin' and do what we can inside now.  Our efforts mean lots of things being hauled to recycling or locations for donation or stored to be possibly sold at a later date.  There's the possibility of Internet sales, plus daughter is planning on having a big garage/rummage sale this spring.

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I did a bit of sorting in my big freezer and was reminded that I still have all those cherry tomatoes in there that I need to make into either juice or sauce . . . or something.


There are two big bags of them.  Two big grocery bags of them.  I've been ignoring them all winter, but guess they're not going to get processed unless I do it.

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Last week I was trying to cut a bad spot out of an onion, the knife slipped and put a good slash on my left index finger right alongside the nail.  (No, I don't deserve any sympathy.  I knew at the time I was doing it  that the way I was holding the knife would likely insure disaster.  Isn't it funny how we know when we're about to do something stupid, but do it anyway?)  What I learned is that I use the index finger of my non-dominant hand one heckuva lot.  I had to keep it bandaged for a while but then decided it would heal better if I let the cut get some air instead of withering away inside that often wet, oozy-goozey bandage.  As a result, do you know how many times I've hit that healing cut and broken it open?  Who knew my left index finger was so active?

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We're gonna run out of wood before the heating season is over.  Hubby says, "No, we'll make it."  I say, ""We're gonna run out of wood."  This fate is befalling us for two reasons.  First, the primarly reason is we installed and are firing a second wood stove in the living room this year.  This means we're using almost twice as much wood right there.  Secondly, Chicken Mama is heating with wood in her new little cabin home and since she moved there in January, she had no wood supply so we told her she was welcome to haul dry, seasoned wood from our shed to her place.  We did this gladly (and know she appreciates it) and wouldn't have had it any other way.  Besides, we know (hee-hee, there's a method to our madness) she'll pitch in to help fill our two sheds with wood this summer.  (Believe me, that girl knows how to handle a chainsaw and will do her part.)  We have oodles of wood stacked in our back wood working area.  Although it's in 8' lengths and still needs to be cut, split and stacked under cover, it's not like we have no wood available.  And who knows?  Maybe Papa Pea is right and the supply left in the shed will get us through to warm weather.

Yeah, here's to warm weather!

18 comments:

Carolyn said...

I'm going through firewood angst right now. What I thought was "plenty" is turning out to be "well, maybe there's enough". And I thought it was a mild winter this year.
We've got PLENTY of downed trees....but not enough chainsaw hands to tackle it all.
So, why'd you put in another wood stove? Needed more heat? Or are you like me and LOVE it when it's a balmy 80 degrees inside during the winter??

Mama Pea said...

Carolyn - 'Tis the season for firewood angst!

The room that we made into our living room (during The Great Remodeling Adventure) was previously just a walk through area with no heat in it. Since we're trying to stay away from heating fuel we can't produce, the wood stove was installed. Also it's an identical Jotul to the one we have in the kitchen (other end of the house) and has the option of sliding the door underneath, putting a screen over the front of the stove and having an open fire . . . which my dear husband loves to sit in front of in the winter. So, yep, it was definitely for more heat, but if it ever gets 80 in here, we'll be strippin' down!

Sparkless said...

We are getting spring but I don't want you to be too jealous. It may snow at any time just today it's sunny and all the snow is melted. The crocuses are almost finished. I really should get outside today and do some garden clean up.
I hope your wood holds out so you don't need to cut more.

Sue said...

We're using about 10% more propane this winter--but it was expected. Normally, we'd be out visiting the grandson for March with the furnace turned down low. It's a LOT cheaper paying the extra 10% for propane, though,than a months worth of hotels/gasoline/restaurant meals which means more money to bring a funny little kid up here!!
:)

LindaCO said...

Glad your finger injury wasn't any more severe. We DO use our hands for so much!

I cut my index finger to the bone once when I was slicing a bagel. Mr W was about 5 and when I told him we might have to go to the emergency room he said, "Can you fix me lunch first?" Ah, kids.

Anonymous said...

Ouch on the finger! It really is amazing how much we use certain parts of our body, and how we don't realize it till we get a boo boo. Hope it heals quickly.

Praying you don't have to go out in the icky winter weather to get up some more wood.

Anonymous said...

I hate those finger injuries... It never fails you hit it again and again and again. I slow cooked my 4 gallons of tomato juice in the crock pot for a couple of days and got 4 quarts of good, roasted-flavoring sauce. We are doing outside chores like crazy this weekend. Weather's nice and with working, its hard to get stuff done during the week.

Jenyfer Matthews said...

I've got a couple of bags of raspberries I picked last summer in my freezer that I've been ignoring. They aren't going to make themselves into jam!!

Susan said...

You know, why IS it that we usually know that kind of injury is coming and still go ahead? It's another of those great unknowns - along with what really happens to those socks in the dryer. I am eking along with my one tank of fuel oil a year (we all wear multiple layers in here) and always worry this time of year if I'll make it. This has been a pretty cold, Loooooong winter, so I think we're all on edge. I envy your wood stove, though.

Erin said...

Ew, EWWWWWW! I could not handle the imagery of the second paragraph LOL! I can't even believe you are getting low on wood, I always have the image of those perfectly stacked, almost overflowing stashes you posted way back... spring needs to come asap!

Mama Pea said...

Sparkless - Gotta admit I am getting eager to get out in the garden. If you do, enjoy it for me, will you? I have to wait at least a month yet, maybe more.

Mama Pea said...

Sue - And don't you know you, hubby AND the little kid will enjoy your time together much more at your place! That's what grandkids' memories are made of . . . spending time at Grandma and Grandpa's house!!

Mama Pea said...

LindaCO - I did have to chuckle over your cut finger tale. Here we are as mothers trying to keep our cool in all situations so as not to alarm or scare our dear little kiddies to death . . . we do such a good job of it that they show little (or no!) concern for us!!

Mama Pea said...

Stephanie - The worst part of wood cutting the wood now would be that it will be wet and slippery. Never a good idea when having to use a chainsaw!

Mama Pea said...

Ruth - Yep, working a full-time job away from home is the pits! Really cuts into time you'd like to be spending doing what you really WANT to do. In a big way. The way you did your tomato juice sounds wonderful. I am kinda leaning toward making mine into juice.

Mama Pea said...

Jen - I've got a couple of bags of raspberries in the freezer, too. But also have plenty of raspberry jam already made up. Hmmmm, how many raspberry pies can we eat?

Mama Pea said...

Susan - Here's hoping your tank of oil lasts as long (or longer!) than our wood does!

Mama Pea said...

Erin - If we do run out of wood this year, it'll be the first time I can remember that happening. I do know for sure that we have an awful lot of wood to process to fill both the sheds first thing this spring/summer. That's a pretty necessary thing up here for those of us who heat with wood. With our March snows, it sure doesn't look like spring will be appearing any time soon!