Wood, Wood, Work

In my opinion, wood heat is a better way to go.  

The best heat would be one of the Balearic Islands or somewhere similar. 

Our first two winters on the farm, we used a propane water heater as the energy source for the radiant floor heat.  There were mornings I thought I was going to freeze.  We woke up on more than one occasion to the thermostat reading a whopping 30 degrees.  That was the inside of my house temperature folks, not the outside temperature.  When it was that cold, it usually meant frozen water lines and no coffee.  With every convenience gone, I never wavered in my excitement for our adventure until those dark, cold, no coffee, end of time mornings.  It didn't matter that we were living in insulation, had a plastic work tub for a sink, had to crawl under 14ft staging, around the 7ft crate housing my stove, to get to the coffee pot. On one particular dark morning, we woke to less than comfy temperatures, to find all pipes frozen.

Did I tell you that there are two things I require.  #1 quiet time in the morning #2 coffee with my quiet time. With these two things, I can handle anything thrown my way.  Without them, not so good.  Mr. Norm suggested that he start a vehicle, get it nice and toasty, so I could run to town to get some nice hot coffee and pretend that the heater in the truck was a fire in the fireplace. He would work on bringing our home back from the deep freeze. 

Guess what.  Did you guess? 

Four vehicles at the farm and not one would start.  Just too dang cold.  This year, we constructed the boiler house, installed our new wood furnace and we now have wonderful, glorious, wood heat. I am in my bare feet, t-shirt and exercise pants.  No layers. Outside temperature is 13.6, Inside temperature 81. 

Balearic Island of Maine.

With so much time dedicated to getting the heat source on-line, we didn't have time to build our inventory of wood.  Saturday was wood day.  I actually love wood day. What a wonderful feeling it is to work hard outside, your cheeks stinging from the chill, then come into to a toasty warm home. YEAH, for wood heat.

It was also this kind of wood day:

Mr. Norm spied these two shipping pallets that came in with the equipment he had ordered for a project at his place of employment.  Solid Mahogany.  My wheels are spinning with the projects that can be created with these beauties.  Did I tell you? They were free.

Isn't it a law or something that every farmhouse have one of these:

On Sunday, the family got together to continue with the project of purging dads many tool/work areas. 

 WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.

I Love my family.  Hard work? Yes, but oh what fun discovering all the hidden treasures.

With many hands we have purged four work areas, only several to go.  Once the purging is complete, we'll be back to organize.  Dad puts everything to good use, including these two drawers from an old refrigerator.  How clever is that!

See that red painted iron crib.  It was dad's. History in almost everything we touch.

 

The biggest motivating factor for Mr. Norm and I to be on this adventure of ours; leaving a legacy for our children's children.  I wonder what they will discover for treasures at The Turner Farm.