Fall Samhain Moon
The dead tree I felled yesterday was an ironwood. It’s the densest wood around here and
having a new chain on the chain saw was a good thing. Splitting it this morning was a challenge. On many of the logs the first action was the maul bouncing back into the air, perhaps a small dent only in the log’s surface. After two, three, four whacks or so, it did split into satisfying semi-circular chunks.
Ironwood has a BTU rating of 24.7 per cord (4′ by 8′ by 16″), putting it in the top range of firewoods, along with black locust (of which we also have plenty), oaks (ditto) and beechnut (none), hard maple (none) and hickory (none).
Working directly with the wood, my power mediated only by the maul, feels good. The immediate feedback, even the shudder up my arm, and the crack of the log splitting gives me a sense of connectedness to the tree and to the fire for which I will use it. Even though the chore became onerous, I’m sure, a family that heated with wood and had no other options, would retain this personal, physical linkage with the forest and the heat for their home.
