Mission Accomplished...sort of

[Ken Hill]

Hope everyone is doing well, it was a shock to log in and see John Keeton dealing with his heart attack! I have just the thing for his recovery, come help me with firewood LOL!

For those who have followed things here over the past year, I wanted to give you an update. I had planned on doing alot more turning the past 5 weeks but decided I had better buckle down and get things done before I hit the lathe.

I ended up with just shy of 30 cords after splitting everything I had brought out last winter. Its been crazy here, splitting, stacking and making firewood deliveries!

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It seems really odd not having that incredible pile of logs and cuts here!

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I still have some wood that will make great bowl blanks, Red Oak, White Oak, Hickory and some Spalted Maple if anyone wants to stock up before bad weather sets in! I have a very large chunk of Cherry for Baxter if I ever get to his area or he is back up here! Hopefully I can get back on the lathe soon, I made a few calls and wine stoppers for an order yesterday and it got me thinking of everyone here. Hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving!

[Ken Hill]

Oh btw, once deer seasons is over, I have another 100 or so trees to drag up and start all over!

[John Keeton]

Ken, you had me really worried when I looked at that "fire axe" and saw all those ricks of wood! Then, I saw the nice splitter!:D Much better!!

That is some good looking firewood, and I sure wish you were closer. We buy our wood, and don't get anything that looks this good. Glad to see you caught up, and ready to get that lathe spinning.

[Ken Hill]

I keep that old axe handy to help with those big pieces that wont come apart on the splitter, I use a big maul to bust apart the big big stuff...thankfully they dont get used often! I have to get a cherry and a nice hickory out before it gets too slick on the hillsides, they seem to be really popular as NE. Working on trading a cord of oak for 6 big Hedge trees as well....it never ends haha!

[Russell Eaton]

We look forward to seeing some of your awesome calls soon. Have a great Thanksgiving! By the way that is a very impressive pile of wood.

[Dan Hintz]

Uhm, Ken? That's insane!

I'd be interested in some Hickory, though... don't think I have any in my stack.

[Ken Hill]

Dan, anytime you can come out I will have some for you. I have a few folks buying hickory for BBQ bu I am saving several logs to cut off for bowls, you are more then welcome to some

[Dan Hintz]

Thanks, Ken... we'll have to set up a convenient time (holidays being on top of us and whatnot). If you need any Poplar, let me know... I have chunks bigger than I can pick up (30"+ diameter), even after being cut in half. Interesting red color in a lot of it, and multiple crotches per piece.

[Roger Chandler]

Well...........that would be considered termite heaven! Welcome back Ken! Great pics as always!

[Peter Elliott]

Looks like a road trip to Kens? minus the rattle snakes! because that big log pile look like a high rise for the timber rattlers..
Nice to hear from you Ken... hope all is well with your wife and the boys..
-Peter

[Betty Fox]

Wow!!! That's a lotta wood and a very nice looking log splitter you got there. There's nothing sweeter, though, than whacking down with an axe and hearing that crack. I love it.
Nicetameetcha.

[Baxter Smith]

Lots of splitting and stacking there Ken. Glad you survived it and are thinking about round 2!

[Mike Cruz]

Hey, I think we'd have room for one more...What say you DAMP?

[Bernie Weishapl]

Wow Ken. Wondered where you had been. That is a mess of firewood.

[Jon McElwain]

My dad and I did about 15 chords two months ago. Just looking at your 30 makes my back hurt!!

[Ken Hill]

Mike, got your phone message. I would love to but i have deliveries scheduled for saturday as I try and get wrapped up before our opening day here on monday! Saw a nice 8 this morning

[Ken Hill]

Looks like a road trip to Kens? minus the rattle snakes! because that big log pile look like a high rise for the timber rattlers..
Nice to hear from you Ken... hope all is well with your wife and the boys..
-Peter

Everything is pretty good Peter! You sure you dont want a pet? I can go get ya one!

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[Mike Cruz]

Okay, maybe next time. Good luck on Monday!

[Dan Hintz]

Everything is pretty good Peter! You sure you dont want a pet? I can go get ya one!

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If you want to get rid of that pet of yours, I'd be interested in the skin (ask him if he'd be willing to part with it :D).

[Mike Cruz]

Oddly enough, Dan, he parts with it once a year. You are probably wecome to it. Trick is, you've gotta follow him around to see where he leaves it...

[Peter Elliott]

I had nightmares the 1st time you posted those snake photos.. Now I am ruined for November... but some awesome photography Ken...

I hope this one isn't sleeping with the cherry or hickory, I like to get a stash from your wood farm...

[Ken Hill]

No worries, rattlers should be headed in holes, same with the copperheads. We did kill a copperhead that came by while we were all sitting outside enjoying the evening (about 2 months ago). The cat saw it first, then the rest of us. I handle it with a shovel. Dang thing was headed rightf or us and if the cat hadnt seen it, I do believe it would have slithered right in amongst us!

My Guineas and Turkeys should help with any snake issues, my son killed a squirrel for supper the other day and before he could walk up to it, the turkeys grabbed it and shredded it!

[Kevin Lucas]

You're making me homesick for West Virginia but definitely not for snakes. Those things have always given me the willys and make me an instant sprinter!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Ken,
You did it again. You took a picture of firewood and made it art. You are blessed with quite a sense for framing a shot. You are missed here. Glad to see you back.
faust

[Ken Hill]

Thanks Faust, a buddy gave me grief over posting a snap shot of a firewood pile so to appease him, I took a better image haha

[Ken Hill]

1 more for Peter haha! BTW, best snake trap ever is a 3'x3' section of deer netting. Roll it up hap-hazzardly and set it in an area you think snakes use. We managed to catch all sorts of'em this year.

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[Peter Elliott]

I sleep well tonight... good size copper.. did it eat your dogs?

[Ken Hill]

Thankfully the dogs didnt stumble across it! The cat that found it 1st is a killer. It has been nailed before, almost lost it due to a venomous bite. If it ever decides to try and drag one of them in the house, it will run out of lives LOL!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Great photos! I can not even imagine the amount of work it would take to split and stack that much wood! All I can say is amazing!! Thanks for sharing!

[Ken Hill]

Thanks Steve, I feel the affects daily from doing so much haha! My oldest son is in the process of joining the Marine Corps. His recruiter and training leader asked how he got so big and he said helping me with wood. The Staff SGT. asked if I would be willing to let a training platoon come over for a day and hustle wood for strength training. I told him I would consider it haha! I have some nice thick Red Oak on a hillside that will need to be cut and hand hauled up a hill, I figure after a day of that they will either be dead or ready to destroy the world!

[Mike Cruz]

Ken, you and I don't live THAT far apart and it is interesting that I am riiiight on the edge of where rattlers supposedly live and where copperheads should be prevailant, we have run into neither here...thankfully. By that, I don't mean that I turn into a school girl or skirm from them (like some :rolleyes: :D) but rather that my dogs wouldn't stand a chance. The one is brave as all get out and would attack either one out of protecting the property...and would likely lose. And the other, well, let's just say she is a few flakes short of a bale. Lucky she's cute cause...never mind. Not to mention the horses running up on them. Then again, we've got a VERY healthy population of black snakes here, which I hear run out the copperheads. This year we saw more snakes (black, gardener, corn) than any other year...

[Ken Hill]

Mike, dont believe the "black snakes deter others", we have seen them sunning with in feet of each other! We have run into rattlers from Garrett Co. to Frederick Co. MD....I geuss when you get used to looking out for them you tend to spot them faster. I remember being at my old employers on the eastern shore and yanked his 300 pound butt clean off his feet when I saw him about to step on a snake. It ended up being a Hognose that looks alot like a copperhead when seen at a quick glance. I despise snakes of all kinds. Could never get passed moving a bale of hay and seeing a snake under it, or having them drop down on me while cleaning a stall. I have Decon for pest control and two mouse killers! Anything God turned someone into he didnt like so the hooved animals could stomp on tells me all I need to know about where to rank snakes in my life haha!

[Mike Cruz]

Ken, I walk my woods daily (up to 3 times a day) with the dogs, and have never run into any. But you are MORE THAN WELCOME to come here and rattle snake hunt for me! I don't mind snakes, but ones that pose a threat have GOT to go. That is an open invitation, btw...

[charlie knighton]

awesome Ken, enjoy