Firewood
Logs
Our stove is hungry, there’s ice on the inside of our windows
and we’ve taken the easy way out. We are fattening our
haphazard store of firewood with logs from the sawmill
in the valley. It feels quite luxurious to simply load up the van
and motor off with this lovely ‘processed’ firewood without
having to chainsaw, carry and split our way through a whole
tree. Taking heed of this traditional rhyme we rummaged
through these bags looking for ash. Whilst I might not be
able to recognise a tree in leaf I’m well practised at
spotting ash bark!
Oak logs will warm you well,
if they’re old and dry.
Larch logs of pine will smell,
but the sparks will fly.
Beech logs for Christmas time;
yew logs heat well.
Poplar logs it is a crime for anyone to sell.
Birch logs will burn too fast;
chestnut scarce at all.
Hawthorn logs are good to last,
if you cut them in the fall.
Holly logs will burn like wax;
you should burn them green.
Elm logs like smouldering flax,
no flame to be seen.
Pear logs and apple logs,
they will scent your room.
Cherry logs across the dogs,
smell like flowers in bloom.
But ash logs, all smooth and grey,
burn them green or old.
Buy up all that come your way,
they’re worth their weight in gold.
One Ash Tree
So when our neighbour said we could have one of his ash
trees we didn’t waste a branch!