Thursday, we set to work preparing for the looming thaw. The recent snows had swirled around the cabin from all directions, thoroughly coating all available surfaces. Once that snow started to melt, everything would be soaked, including almost every single piece of firewood in the shelter. We’d neglected to tarp up the woodpile; now we’d pay for that oversight.
We shoveled snow away from the wood and swept each piece free of snow with a brush. We swept the pile of greener wood; it would no doubt get wet again many times before it seasoned properly. The dry wood got special treatment, to ensure that it wouldn’t get soaked in the thaw. Once done, we tarped it up.
We knew the thaw would come soon. The weather forecast told us so, but we guessed how close it was from the “plops” that had disturbed our sleep the night before. Continue reading