Back in the days of ancient times circa 1972. There did not seem to be all the hoopla about cold weather. People just prepared for it, as it was just part of the coming of winter. Seemed like all that was needed gloves and a saddle blanket lined Levi jacket. The hunting seasons were two weeks long and the by that time of the year the firewood was gathered and just need to be chopped. Preparing wood for use is called seasoning. This usually entails leaving it to dry for a period of time in the right conditions, which makes it fit for burning. Freshly-cut wood has a lot of moisture. Well-seasoned firewood, on the other hand, has low moisture content. For optimal burning, firewood should be dried at least for six months. Then you can split the wood into pieces to burn better and easier to control the heat of the fire. Choose a safe area for splitting the wood, or at least always be aware of where you swing your axe. On this day I went to go visit my friend Wes Ray, we were tasked by his mom to chop up wood for the upcoming week. If the wood is old and very dry, splitting it becomes easy depending on the technique you are applying, and type of wood. While Oak, Ash, Cedar and Pine split relatively easily with an axe.
Pinion on the other hand with it’s knotty, twisted grain is a bear to split. Pinon is also the finest smelling wood of them all. It smells so good they make Incense with it. Wes and myself took turns chopping wood. It did not take long before the jackets came off as chopping wood warms you up. We would each chop up a couple of rounds of Pinion then pass the axe. Wes got a chunk that was all gnarled and had big knot in it. It was ladened with pitch which makes them harder to split. He kept hitting it and the chunk would jump and flip moving away from the pile. Finally as he was going to hit it with the most vicious swing he could muster, he encountered the clothesline. The axe hit the line and the spring back caused the blunt end of the Axe to hit him in the forehead and nearly knocked him down. Not saying he’s stubborn, but he moved the log back away from the clothes line and finished splitting it, then went for stitches. Learned a lot that day even though we had been chopping wood for years. Make sure that you are standing on a solid ground. Clear overhanging branches and limbs in order to have a large room to operate and ensure nothing will hold back your axe as you swing it into the air. Especially watch for clotheslines. He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. 10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. Ecclesiastes 10:9-10 (ESV)
acts2-42 