In Search of Combustable Carbon

We call this the T field

A cat's cradle of maple sap tubing.
(Do click on the woodland pics. They are much better large.)

Alan went out to cut firewood yesterday. It was so incredibly sunny and lovely and fine that I hiked up to join him...and took the camera along of course.


There is a neat cycle going on here with this wood cutting thing. This particular woods is a sugar bush. Most of the trees are hard maple and we let a local fellow tap them each spring. He gives us a couple of gallons of good quality syrup in return as well as cutting down dead trees and thinning a few undesirables for us. These he left along the edge of the field last winter and now we are cutting them up for heat.

Our quarry, the elusive dead elm tree

The cats cradle of sap lines is amazing considering how very steep this woods is. I went down into it and clambered along the top and I have to tell you. Every single time falling crossed my mind I started to slip. I had to concentrate on keeping my feet under me every step I took. It is hard to imagine what it must be like to lay out line like this on these hills in snow. A team of goats might come in handy.

Steep, baby, steep!
(Consider the size of the old lady shadow to envision just how steep it is.)

Whenever the kid took a bucket load of nice, dry elm down to the house, I sat on the end of a log and watched the maple leaves swirling down. Although most of them just sort of float and glide, every tenth one or so rotated down around its stem like a whirling top. It was amazing how far across the field they flew. The air was crisp and cool with a leaf-scented breeze made pleasant by the sun beating just above the horizon like a warm, bright heart. I actually was sorry when the saw began to cut in a curve and the kid decided to wait until he could use the vice to resharpen it.

Close up of the maple tubing

Our maple guy isn't the only one drilling in this woods!

Playing hooky while the saw clutch cooled

NY's Old Bones