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The View From Maybelot

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Tiredretiredlawyer
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#201

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

I am glad Hubby doesn't read Fogbow threads. We might have a log splitter purchased and stored somewherz.

Hubby taught both of our boys and the neighborhood kids how to split logs. It was fun watching their determination. Zen Buddhist Son's Lady can split logs. She's a keeper. :biggrin:
"Mickey Mouse and I grew up together." - Ruthie Tompson, Disney animation checker and scene planner and one of the first women to become a member of the International Photographers Union in 1952.
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#202

Post by Maybenaut »

This is about 3/4 of the wood we have to split. There’s one more tree that’s been cut to firewood length, but we won’t split that until we come back from our Alaska cruise.

I’m not terribly excited about going on a cruise, but here’s the thing: My sister, who is only a year older than me, has early-onset Alzheimer’s. She’s currently in a clinical trial for an Alzheimer’s treatment, and she’s convinced she’s got the real thing, “or it’s the strongest placebo effect ever.” Anyhoo, she asked us to do a few bucket list things with her and her husband while she’s still with it enough to enjoy them. So we’re doing this cruise and next year we’ll do a river cruise in Europe.

Meanwhile, back at the woodpile… Most of this is red oak. The trees were already dead, and the wood is fairly well seasoned and will be ready to burn this year. We have it on the pavement in the sun so it can shed the last of it’s moisture.

There is also some poplar. One of the oaks took out a live poplar tree by accident when we were cutting it down. Since the poplar was live, it will have to wait a year or so before it’s ready to burn. Poplar is also day time wood. It’s light-weight and burns fast, so we wouldn’t use that in the wood stove overnight. For that we use black locust when we have it (burns long and hot), otherwise we use oak.

There’s maybe three cords of wood here (it’s hard to guesstimate til it’s stacked - a cord is 4x4x8 feet). We’ll use 4 to 6 cords over the winter between this house and the cabin. We have a cord and a half stacked down there already.
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ETA: The wood splitter. It’s all hydraulic, so I can operate it myself.
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And we haul the wood from down below up to the house with our ATV and trailer.


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"Hey! We left this England place because it was bogus, and if we don't get some cool rules ourselves, pronto, we'll just be bogus too!" -- Thomas Jefferson
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#203

Post by Phoenix520 »

Chores at your place look like fun!
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#204

Post by bill_g »

OMG. Even dried oak chunks are heavy. I'd be dying after a day of feeding the splitter.
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#205

Post by Maybenaut »

bill_g wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 8:47 am OMG. Even dried oak chunks are heavy. I'd be dying after a day of feeding the splitter.
We have this awesome woodsplitter (a Wolfe Ridge 28 Pro - if you're in the market, I highly recommend it). It has a hydraulic log lifter, so all I have to do is roll the log onto the lifter plate that sits right on the ground, then the hydraulics pick it up and I can roll it onto the bed. The wedge is also hydraulic, so I just use a lever to raise or lower it, then use another lever to operate the ram, and presto! I couldn't operate our old woodsplitter without help, but I can manage this one all by myself (someone else does have to actually cut down the trees, though -- that's a bit beyond my capabilities).

Having said all that, it's still a workout. Most logs have to be split a number of times, and after the first split the quadrants are still around 20-30 lbs. And all this wood is going to have to be stacked after it dries in a couple of weeks.

But I'm in my happy place. There is something so satisfying in that crack that happens when the splitter finally breaks the tension in the wood, and the wedge runs through the log like a knife through butter. I really can do this all day.
"Hey! We left this England place because it was bogus, and if we don't get some cool rules ourselves, pronto, we'll just be bogus too!" -- Thomas Jefferson
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#206

Post by bill_g »

Maybenaut wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 9:06 am
bill_g wrote: Tue Aug 09, 2022 8:47 am OMG. Even dried oak chunks are heavy. I'd be dying after a day of feeding the splitter.
We have this awesome woodsplitter (a Wolfe Ridge 28 Pro - if you're in the market, I highly recommend it). It has a hydraulic log lifter, so all I have to do is roll the log onto the lifter plate that sits right on the ground, then the hydraulics pick it up and I can roll it onto the bed. The wedge is also hydraulic, so I just use a lever to raise or lower it, then use another lever to operate the ram, and presto! I couldn't operate our old woodsplitter without help, but I can manage this one all by myself (someone else does have to actually cut down the trees, though -- that's a bit beyond my capabilities).

Having said all that, it's still a workout. Most logs have to be split a number of times, and after the first split the quadrants are still around 20-30 lbs. And all this wood is going to have to be stacked after it dries in a couple of weeks.

But I'm in my happy place. There is something so satisfying in that crack that happens when the splitter finally breaks the tension in the wood, and the wedge runs through the log like a knife through butter. I really can do this all day.
It smells good too. There is great satisfaction in physical work. I enjoy it, but I need a steady diet of water and Tylenol to keep it up all day.

Glad to hear your splitter has a log lift. That makes all the difference for us mere mortals. I'd get about four cut pieces up there and be done for the morning. Too much weight for me.
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#207

Post by Maybenaut »

It’s been very dry here in the Ridge and Valley section of the Appalachians. It finally rained yesterday off and on all day and throughout the night, and now it’s starting to clear up a bit. But there are lovely clouds hanging in the ravines, and spots on the mountainside will be lit up with sunlight as the light shifts. My phone’s camera can’t do it justice.
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"Hey! We left this England place because it was bogus, and if we don't get some cool rules ourselves, pronto, we'll just be bogus too!" -- Thomas Jefferson
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#208

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#209

Post by bill_g »

I love those views. Someplace around here I have a directory of cotton candy clouds. IE: I'm high enough to be above the low morning fog just after dawn when inversions set up. All you see are mountaintop islands set in a sea of white. The phone cam never gathers the scene correctly.

ETA: found one!
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#210

Post by Volkonski »

I envy you.

On the North Fork and in Texoma there are no mountains. :(
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#211

Post by Maybenaut »

A very special shout-out to the couple in the brown Nissan pick-up truck with the dog. I don’t mind people pulling into my entrance - it’s one of the few safe places on the mountain to pull over to let faster drivers pass; to turn around; to switch drivers; to check your e-mail; or even to allow a carsick passenger out so they can barf — not my favorite, but these roads are windy and some people are prone, and I certainly understand why you wouldn’t want them doing that in the car.

What I don’t understand is this: When your dog decides to take a shit inside your truck, why in the world would you think it’s OK to throw a Scot towel full of dog shit in the middle of my driveway? I mean, you have an entire pickup truck you could’ve put that in.

People are jerks.
"Hey! We left this England place because it was bogus, and if we don't get some cool rules ourselves, pronto, we'll just be bogus too!" -- Thomas Jefferson
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#212

Post by Maybenaut »

More new windows going in today. These are before and after picture of the bathroom. The only “before” picture I have is one of Stormy with the far wall in the background. We’ll have a jetted soaking tub under the window when the bathroom is done. We also have new windows for the living room — I’ll post before/after for those when they’re in.
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"Hey! We left this England place because it was bogus, and if we don't get some cool rules ourselves, pronto, we'll just be bogus too!" -- Thomas Jefferson
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#213

Post by Phoenix520 »

Working cats: Inspector Stormy
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#214

Post by Foggy »

Where's Stormy in the second photo? In the shop vac? :shock:

Oh, probably the cardboard box, of course. :doh:
Out from under. :thumbsup:
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#215

Post by Maybenaut »

UGH! I'm on crutches!

I was trying to organize a bunch of stuff -- keep, donate, landfill -- and as I was stepping between piles of stuff I tripped and twisted my knee. I got up and shook it off -- I was OK for quite a while, then I sat down without moving for a couple of hours and couldn't stand up. I went to the ER, they gave me a knee-immobilizing brace and prednisone. I'll have to use crutches for a while.
"Hey! We left this England place because it was bogus, and if we don't get some cool rules ourselves, pronto, we'll just be bogus too!" -- Thomas Jefferson
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#216

Post by Phoenix520 »

Life will bite you right on the ass, huh?
:bighug: :bighug:
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#217

Post by Phoenix520 »

We should have a Fogbow’s Most Ridiculous Accidents contest.
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#218

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

Oh, noes, Maybenaut!!!!! :o
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#219

Post by Volkonski »

Ouch!

Hope you get better soon. :bighug:
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#220

Post by Kriselda Gray »

Sorry to hear that, Maybenaut - I hope you get better fast!
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#221

Post by Foggy »

Yeah, get 100% better, not just maybebetter. :bighug:
Out from under. :thumbsup:
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#222

Post by RVInit »

:bighug: I am so happy it’s only crutches. :bighug: :bighug:
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Re: The View From Maybelot

#223

Post by AndyinPA »

:bighug:
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The View From Maybelot

#224

Post by Maybenaut »

We ran out of water pressure (again) today. First time it was the capacitor for the well pump. Second time it was the bladder tank. My husband and son-in-law (a plumber) were getting ready to pull the pump from the well to check it, and they discovered the ground around the well was soft. The remnants of Nicole dumped quite a bit of rain here so they weren’t sure if it was that or a leak in the pipe carrying the well water to the house. They dug down a bit and turned the well pump on and got a geyser. Now they knew it was the pipe so they had to dig that out — and they found the problem.

Previous owners: If you don’t have the right size fitting, just use the closest-fitting one that you have, pack the joint with plumber’s putty, wrap it in electrical tape, and hope it holds until it becomes the next owner’s problem.

Unbelievable. This has probably been leaking for a long time. But it will all get fixed (right this time), and hopefully the unnecessary cycling on and off hasn’t damaged the well pump motor.
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ETA: The part on the left had plumber’s putty; the part on the right was soldered. Both fevered in electrical tape. Both failed.
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The View From Maybelot

#225

Post by MN-Skeptic »

Maybenaut wrote: Sun Nov 13, 2022 11:05 am Previous owners: If you don’t have the right size fitting, just use the closest-fitting one that you have, pack the joint with plumber’s putty, wrap it in electrical tape, and hope it holds until it becomes the next owner’s problem.
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