Around the leafless hills and shaggy hemlock forests in late October Sullivan, few now are the signs and sounds of human habitation. Gone are the laughter and sweet melodies of children playing flutes and guitars on evenings in warm July; long gone, too, the early morning buzz of lawnmowers. Gone, finally, the noxious drone of leaf blower and distant power saw. The only sounds remaining are the hiss of winds rattling the forest canopy and the crunch of leaves underfoot as the gardener bustles about his final chores. Oh gardener, hop to it! Slash to the ground that withered clematis, shake free of earth the fat dahlia tubers, go stack a huge woodpile! October is ending; November is here. Fall seems hardly begun and already we are waist deep in it. We know so well how November will end in a few short weeks: in candle-lit Thanksgiving, then Hannukah and Christmas and Kwanza; then one final lurch into wintry New Year’s. 

For me, October always seems the perfect time of year to crack a fat novel and begin a slow savory read. Unfortunately, winter is on our doorstep and it’s no time to curl up before the fireplace. There is much to do. One of the now necessary tasks is (for many of us hereabouts) to prepare for the burning of firewood in a cast iron stove. In my home, firewood is the principle source of heat six months of the year. The ritual of prepping for winter heating begins in earnest in early September when I call Devin at Liberty Chimney to come by and clean my stove and stove pipe of last year’s creosote. This tar-like substance results most often from the burning of wet or unseasoned firewood or burning a fire at a too-low temperature. If, like me, you use your stove a lot in the winter, annual cleaning is a necessity. Creosote is quite flammable and if your smoldering chimney happens to catch fire sometime this winter, it will be quite the candle in the night, blazing away at 2000 degrees. Chances are, all that heat will catch your roof on fire and burn down your house. Bustle, Reader, bustle! An ounce of prevention …

About the same time as my stove and chimney are being cleaned, it’s time to order the firewood itself. Now. This is a topic that can make a cynic of an optimist. I’ve lived here in Sullivan some while now and let’s just say that when it comes to buying firewood, I’ve paid my way into the ranks of the smoldering enlightened. It’s imperative to do some shopping around for good wood and honest dealers. This can be a tricky task; there’s many a seller in the marketplace willing to sell you half-seasoned wood with a smile on his face and his hand out for … of course a handshake. So beware if in the market; ask around and get multiple recommendations from different people regarding the wood they have purchased in the past. You should also consider the size of your stove or fireplace when ordering wood. 

Cut firewood comes in various sizes, usually 14, 16, or 18 inches. I prefer the really large and knotty pieces with dark brown to grey color and bark sliding off the knotty chunks when the wood is disturbed. If in doubt about the age and moisture content of the wood, go buy a wood meter. This little device possesses two fiendishly sharp prongs that are jabbed into the wood to determine its moisture content. Ideally, you are looking for a moisture content of 15 – 20%. Any content lower than that will result in an overly-short combustion time and anything higher is going to be hard to burn, burn at a low temperature, and rich in creosote production.

Today is Hallowe’en. Tomorrow, November 1st, is All Saints Day. On Sunday, our time ‘changes’ and suddenly the sun will be sinking beneath the horizon at 4:52 PM. It is a darkening time. What to do? One thing everyone can do to bring a little more light into the world this week is to go vote next Tuesday, November 4th. An enlightened citizenry is an active citizenry. Your exercise of your franchise to vote is a precious expression of optimism amidst all the darkness around us. So bustle, Reader, bustle! Be well, be active best you can, and flourish in each your own way.