Friday, February 13, 2009

High wind creates firewood


For two days we had high winds and rain that made Pine Creek rise up above 5 foot for the first time this year. Yesterday morning around 9 am our power went out and wasn't restored until around 11 am today. This really causes no problem for us since I have a generator I use to keep the refrigeration going and pump water. Our heat comes from firewood..no electric required. It is times like these I am glad we heat with wood.

The electric company was busy yesterday and around 10 pm their truck pulled up in our driveway. I went out to talk with the guys and they looked like they had been through the wringer. They had driven their big truck up Leetonia Road and it was above freezing. Since the road is not plowed they spent two and a half hours wondering if they would ever get out of the forest. Anytime you drive on a snowmobile packed road and the temperatures go above freezing you drop through the snow. The snow can be as much as a foot and a half deep in places and it tends to pull you to the ditch or worse over the edge. After all they had been through, I couldn't believe, the tired battered electric workers were apologetic about not getting my power on. I just thought, man you risked your life, don't worry about it. They promised to come back in the morning and showed up with a tracked vehicle, quickly finding the tree doing the damage. These guys should be commended on the lengths they go to just so I can turn on my lights. I am not sure I would go to that much work and peril for one house in the middle of nowhere. In fact, after first hand experience going over the edge...you couldn't pay me enough to do it.

The same thing that destroyed my power has now added to my firewood supply as you can see from above. So there is always a blessing to us wood burners with every storm. Just make sure you have your chain saw with you when you drive somewhere after the wind blows. There are still some icy spots on the road, but for the most part you can get in and out when the weather is below freezing if you stay in the middle of the road or be safe and stay on the plowed part. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

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