Rain Brings It On for Racers and Winter Preparations

27 June 2012
8:09 PM

Sunset at	12:44 AM	in direction	344°	North-northwest
Sunrise at	3:04 AM	in direction	16°	North-northeast

The same storm front that brought lightening and fire to the Interior now has brought rain and cool weather.  Yesterday it rained for the better part of 5 hours.  Frankly, it was lovely.  I thrive on the sun, I admit it, but the rain after a long spell of dry, hot weather in the Interior is a blessing.  Our well was drawing from deeper levels due to the dryness, like it does every June before rains start.  The trees pull the deeper water, forcing our well to do the same and it grinds and moans while filling water holding tanks in both houses.  The noise has already eased when the well pumps.

It looks like the Sluice Box 100 bike and foot race will consistent of muddy paths, sloshy trails, and puddles.  The description of the race on the website sounds ever so inviting as it describes a trail that boasts "12,000-foot elevation gain, swamp crossings, and crusty sourdoughs with guns."  People in these parts thrive on meeting the challenges of Interior conditions in both summer and winter.

The rain provides an interesting complication in winter planning as well.  We did not order our birch fire wood early in the season and now that it is raining, it will take longer for any trees cut now to dry.  We have been told 4 to 8 weeks, depending on how wet it is.  Last year we bought late in the season and our supplier, a really good man, only had wood that had been cut that year and had dried for several weeks with the branches intact.  His method for drying followed the basic instructions found at How to Season Birch Firewood with one major exception.  We took the wood the same year it was cut.  The first load into the garage was still very wet, and we stacked it two deep and 5.5 feet high across one of the garage doors.  Within a week it was visibly cracking and by the time we were ready to burn it, it had aged sufficiently to not sizzle in the wood stove. Each load thereafter improved, but overall, waiting a full year is more desirable.

We have talked off and on about taking wood from our yard.  I identified six birch trees that I would be willing to part with, letting more light onto the lawn and flower beds and removing an obstacle when we back our car out in winter.  I also know of three big spruce trees I would like to fell as they block winter sun from the house.  We could cut them this year and next have wood from our own lot to burn.

In the moment, though, I am still waiting for blooms from the everything but the rose and columbines in our front garden!  The new plants are responding well to the rain and within a week or two, the entire area will be in bloom.