Several enormous tree limbs fell during winter storms. Mike Conklin came and chopped them up, but he had to wait for Spring to break up the heavy limbs and prepare the wood for firewood – that takes a wood splinter.

He’s done that; it’s brutal and expensive work.

More than two cords of cut wood – ready for the wood shed –  were spread out all over the farm, and Maria was starting to make noises, as I knew she would go and collect them herself. She loves to do that stuff.

Mike was busy, and it might take a while to get here; he has a landscaping business and is always active in the summer.

The wood is dried and will be great for our wood stoves. But gathering it and stacking it in the shed would be tough.

Our logger is bringing two cords of wood in a week or so. Maria wants to stack that. Wood costs $215 a cord this year.

I called up young Ethan DuPuis, who did much of the wood cutting. He lives up the road, loves to work, grew up on a farm, and is vital as a carriage horse. He works for Mike in the summer but sometimes has time in the evening.

I told Mike and Ethan that I wanted the wood collected before Maria got into her head and that she should do it to save money or because she loves hard labor, and believe me, this is hard and hot labor.

I threatened Ethan with torture and ruin if he didn’t get her before Maria took this on.

She does enough, and it’s hot and dirty work. This became my mission, even though I knew it would tick her off. She is way more macho than I am.

I have to be vigilant; she has no “off” switch.

Ethan is excellent – honest, hard-working, and friendly. He came today and went to work right away. Maria came out, of course, and said she would stack all the firewood – a cord and a half at least.

He smiled and said, “No way, Jon will kill me if I let you stack the wood.” I was pleased; I pulled it off.

Maria growled at me, but I could tell she didn’t mind.

It took Ethan about three hours to collect all the wood in a cart (I suspect Mike gave him the afternoon off). It was hot, and he was sweating. He came to the door, knocked, and asked if he could turn on the outdoor water house to take a drink.

I cursed at him, dragged him inside, gave him some bottled water, and showed him where the refrigerator and bathroom were if he needed them. I said he never required water from an outdoor faucet; he wasn’t a cow.

He said he earned 28 dollars an hour, and the job took three hours. I went to the bank and gave him $100. It was cheap at a price. This is spending money to save money.

Ethan works like a demon and is a pleasure to have around.  He has vast earplugs and headphones and is often singing, even dancing, while he works. He has a great spirit.

Ethan is considering moving to Utah; he is the rugged outdoor type and loves to fish and camp out.

I told him they had no water there, and many rich people were moving to Utah and driving ordinary people out. We both had a few laughs about where to live.

I hope he hangs around.