Wood Gathering

Going to the woods to cut firewood is a common way of life in Wyoming.  Since we heat our home with wood through a long, cold winter, there is a lot of it to be done.  Matt has already made several trips to the woods in the last few weeks and will make several more.  This past weekend, Isaac and I joined him for our first wood gathering trip.  Not only was it a fun day in the woods, but I was glad to get to help at least a little with the stockpiling effort.  I mostly kept track of a two-year-old (and kept him out of harm's way), but I was able to load the wood once it was cut.

 Matt is enjoying falling trees and is grateful for the intensive chainsaw training he received through the Forest Service earlier this fall.  He'll be an expert before we know it!

After falling the tree, he delimbs it and then cuts it into rounds.

There's something about a man with a chainsaw.

My dear friend Kari and her family were also with us collecting wood.  While the men worked hard, Kari and I played with the kids. They're pretty great kids.

Isaac and Arabella

Rockstar in the woods.

Sweet baby Emma.

Just driving backwards down the road to go check on Roy.  It's how things are done in Wyoming.

And why bother strapping in the babies?

Picnic lunch.

My sweet boy.

The day's haul.

Hot and sweaty at the end of a work day.

And very tired.