Filed under: November 2014 | Tags: Community, firewood, Friendship, hard work, little boys
Two hours of work!
November 1, 2014
Today, my Amish friends and their sons showed up to help me reduce a pile of logs to sugarwood. We went at it for two hours. The 10×20 tent provided just enough protection from the rain to make it a great job. We stayed mostly dry. The skid steer brought logs to the tent. Then men with chainsaws cut them to length quickly. Three men on the log splitter made the pieces fly. Five little boys stacked wood like professionals and this job was behind us in record time.
The rain slowed to a misty drizzle after lunch. We decided to buck up a giant tree into logs. The tree blew down a year ago. The horses and I will pull the wood out. We made over twenty logs from the giant limbs. The trunk is still almost five feet across on the small end. The tree has a base measurement of over twelve feet in diameter. The hulking trunk log is mostly hollow, but will take me many hours to reduce it to firewood.
Today, I was reminded of just how a sense of community is a wonderful thing. Friendship is power beyond any ability. We had fun. We worked hard. We accomplished much. I am ahead of my own schedule and all because we trade labor. I worked at different times this summer for my friends. I took machinery and tools along with my knowledge. We finished a few projects at their place…and today it came full circle. I am not only amazed at what a bunch of guys can do… I am humbled!
Filed under: May 2014 | Tags: Community, Friendship, kids, many hands, midget football, pride
Hauling a load of saw logs for a friend
May 18, 2014
A couple of weeks ago, I hauled a load of logs to a sawmill for a friend. He had lumber made to finish his hay mow floor. I did it just because he asked me to do it. Our friendship has been a long one with give and take on both sides. It works best that way. Pitching in to help a friend makes a guy feel good too!
Yesterday, was our company’s community project. Seventy plus people gathered under stormy skies to make a small difference in the community. I would say that the improvements we made were huge.
Flowerbeds were created and plants planted. Low spots were filled with dirt and planted back to grass. White paint flowed like water as benches and bleachers were made new again. People worked like bees as all of us worked on a football field for “midget footballers”.
Mulch was spread everywhere on flowerbeds and fence edges. Weedeaters and mowers made short work of the grass and weeds, while lopers made blisters, as old vines were cut from the chain link fence.
Smiles and chatter were the order of the day. The old field was made new again. The concession stand was painted, repaired and adorned with new counter tops. Signs were placed on the outside wall, naming each team that plays and will play on the field.
American flags were placed and one great big “old glory” hangs from a flagpole, illuminated even at night. The efforts from many hands could be seen all over that field. Folks all agreed that the biggest reason we were there…was for the kids. I know that was the only reason that I was there!
Pitching in … It matters!
RicelandMeadows 