Fall 2007

Been going back & forth about replacing the crummy fireplace with a wood burning insert or a stand-alone wood stove, or even an outdoor wood furnace.  Well, one of our friends just so happened to be selling theirs, so we bought it.  Got it for a steal (thanks Ed & Sandy!) and installed it right before the cold weather started.  We have an electric heat pump, so we saved a lot of money on our heating bill.   Paul really busted his behind felling trees, cutting & splitting wood.  A wood splitter, other than Paul, is on the wish list.  The cats & dog fight for a spot in front of, or even underneath the stove.  I swear that one day I was going to come home to a slow-roasted pet.  

I love heating with wood.  I’ve also cooked many a meal on top of it.  Nothing better than coming inside to a toasty warm house & smelling homemade baked beans or stew.  Even cookies!  I made a make-shift oven using a high walled baking pan.  Put some foil over the top of the stove, put my cookie dough on it & covered it with the pan.  It took a lot longer than normal to bake them, but they still turned out great.