The other day I took a peek at the Facebook marketplace and spotted an offer of free firewood. It turns out that some people, who only live a few streets away, are in the process of removing a tree that has been overshadowing their garden and leaning at an angle that could become precarious. Jane and I went and picked it up the other day and I made a start on chopping it up and stowing it away to season in our wood storage system.

Then, yesterday, I got a message offering more, so we went back and got an even fuller load, which I’ve been working on for most of today. Then, this evening, yet more! The sections of trunk are going to a friend of theirs with a chainsaw and a van, who has helped them take it down. That’s fair enough and I’ve still ended up with a good harvest of logs, sticks and twigs.

There might be more but, once I’ve assessed the situation, I’ll probably suggest they offer that to someone else as I don’t want all my storage space to be taken up with what is probably Scots Pine; it will burn well but needs a good, long time to season before I offer it up to the fireplace.