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Wood heat warms you twice: once while you chop it and again while you sit by the fire and gaze at the flames. The live trees in the background provide energy by breathing for the planet and also offering shade.
Living in a remote location (or anywhere, these days) it is good to have back-up systems. With a shed full of these nice dry rounds of fir, cedar and hemlock, I will be able to heat my home and to cook, even if there is a power outage. I feel the abundance every time I walk by the woodpile.
There are some hidden costs to this form of energy: it sends dirty smoke into the air plus it takes gas to run the chainsaw that cuts up the rounds and the truck that delivers them. Then there is all the energy expended moving the firewood into the woodshed, into the house, sweeping the sawdust, getting up in the middle of the night to make sure all is well with the the fire.
In the end: relaxing by the wood stove and watching the flames: what a cozy, meditative experience! Chopping with the axe is good exercise and can also be quite enjoyable.
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