Tree Length
The sight of logging trucks on roads around here is a common occurrence. If you're behind them, that's one thing, but if they're coming towards you you better give them a wide berth. Ever since we've lived in our home we've burned wood. We have four fireplaces, but we only ever used one and that was just briefly. The woodstove in the kitchen is where we burn wood these days, always have. You can't beat a good woodstove fire. These days, for the most part, we get it cut, split and delivered. However, there was a time when we got it delivered in tree lengths in trucks like this. RN, who lived in Pownal, delivered with his big rig. He was quite the character. He had few teeth, looked like he visited a razor about once a month, chuckled constantly and always wanted to share some crazy highlight of his day with me. He looked quite a bit older than me, but in reality he was 15 years my junior. Sad really. A hard life chasing the bottle can age a man quickly. As I remember, he was a hard man to track down too. I called him constantly trying to line up a delivery. My guess is that he had a few creditors and ex-wives chasing him down. They might have taken a larger toll than the bottle. Yet, I was always happy to see his rig heading up back with that smile and wave. After he left, it was just me and my trusty Husqvarna on sweaty July days. RN is gone and so are those days.
Another brilliant post, sharing your memories brought to the forefront of life by an image--thanks!
ReplyDeleteInteresting story. We used to have wood delivered. Our guy was hard to find, too, and I remember calling one time and being told it was too cold to deliver wood. Before that he was too busy. Go figure. ;)
ReplyDeleteWe cut and split out own wood now and it is from our own property. For the really big trees, we have professionals bring them down and cut into fireplace sections, then we split and stack it. It keeps us young.
Your description of the log delivery guy reminded me of a guy who used to deliver eggs around town in a horse drawn cart when I was just a kid. The horse drawn cart is what attracted us kids. It was an unusual site. I never knew his name but we all called him "the egg-man". He was quite a character.
ReplyDeletemy father 'made wood' every summer. we kids helped feed the circular saw (scary!) and pile and throw and re-pile in the basement to get us thru the wisconsin winter.
ReplyDeleteOnly good memories of those days remaining....
ReplyDeleteCostas
I envy your wood-stove!
ReplyDeleteDoesn't that rig thing on the back of the truck look like a guy in a cap, holding a log? I loved wood heat at various times & homes in my life, but most especially campfires.
ReplyDeleteLiving in one of the largest pine forests in the country, we have lots of logging trucks too. I'd rather meet them head on than drive behind them. I stay far, far behind. A good driver stops very frequently to check the security of his load.
ReplyDeleteA guy like RN painted my house one year. Not my best employment decision.
ReplyDeleteA wood stove would be very nice.
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