How much wood would a woodchuck chuck?

Pictured above are six cords of seasoned, dry, split and delivered wood.   Not hauled up the hill via the Country Wife Fitness Program. 

Last year, I barely dared hope that we'd be able to purchase wood this year.  And now...just look at it! It's LOVELY!!!

So far we have purchased 8 cords.  I have one cord tucked away in a sheltered area near the door, just for blizzard weather.  I have two more cords coming next week.  Once that is stacked, we'll cover it all and wait for the snow to fly. 

We may not use that much wood.  If we don't, it'll be there for next year.  I'd rather have too much than run out....which I have done in the past.  And let me tell you, hauling wood uphill...in over a foot of snow...is not as much fun as it sounds.  Still, it beats shopping for a bikini.

Why not cut our own again this year?  Our woodlot has pretty much reached its limit.  It needs time to recover.  There are a few downed trees, and a few that look ready to fall; we'll harvest those, as well as any that fall from storms in the future.  We discussed buying another woodlot...just land that we could clear and then re-sell.  But the cost for the land per month would actually exceed what we would spend on wood, already split and delivered.  Not to mention with the real estate market in its current shape, it would be difficult to re-sell the vacant lot.  For once, the easy route is the cost effective one.  Go figure. 

We've already burned through about a cord and a half of our 'boughten' (I've been reading the Little House series again..does it show? lol) wood. That may sound like a lot, but it's been cold here, and the fire has been burning since October 2, give or take a few warmer days.  Some days were so cold, we've had both woodburners going.  I fretted about the expense until a co-worker of Eöl's mentioned her natural gas bill (most people in this area use natural gas for heat; we used it in the city..yikes..expensive).  She'd been billed over $350, had used her heat for less than a month, kept the house at barely lukewarm, and has a very small home...about half the size of ours!  I guess I can't complain, when some days it's gotten so warm in here that I've had to open the windows!

I feel spoiled, though, not cutting and hauling wood this year.  It's been a strain on our budget, as well.    Then again, considering we have an oil furnace, the price of oil, and how long a tank would last, we are coming out ahead financially, with the bonus of being super toasty warm.

But now my major dilemma is: how will I practice my ninja chainsaw skills? *shrugs*  I suppose I'll find a way.  ***maniacal laugh***