It's been cold here this morning, and I mean really cold, so much so I was almost tempted to flick a switch and set the central heating in motion ..... almost!!
Instead I decided to go out to the wood store and bring some more logs and wood into the house. There was already enough at the side of the log burner to have a fire tonight, but I don't like filling up the log basket in the dark, spiders, moths and screeching birds make for an eerie time late at night, and anyway wood at room temperature burns so much better and warmer. So I thought I should stock up now so I could light the fire early to warm up the house.
Once we do get the house warm it holds onto the heat really well thanks to the excessively thick insulation in the loft and the Aga ticking over twenty four seven.
Two loads of wood like this and I was happy I had more than enough wood to last the afternoon and the evening.
Oh, and did you spot the little visitor in the top two pictures .....
... I thought I saw movement as I stepped back with my bowl of wood and when I stood still and watched he started hopping about. A cheerful little chappy in his red waistcoat. He made my day.
After all the gathering and carrying of the ood and then stacking it beside the log burner I was lovely and warm so I didn't end up lighting the fire but I will be lovely and cosy tonight .... and hopefully somewhere outside in his nest or den so will my little feathered friend.
Sue xx
We've had frosts and ice up here in the mornings for a while now. We have a 'tarantula' living inside the garage between the door frame and the wall. The light switch is just inside the door. As I went to switch on the light a couple of weeks ago, 'tarantula' was right beside the switch (AAAAAARRRGGGHHH). Fortunately, it seemed more afraid of me and scuttled back into its space by the door frame, but I always check before switching on the light now. Don't mind spiders up to about an inch long, but any bigger ...!
ReplyDeleteSue, back again to ask for food advice. I've just been give a large bag of beetroot with strong beautiful leaves and stalks (I'm doing well this week with food donations). I'm about to make soup today and was wondering about adding beetroot leaves and/or stalks. Have you ever done this? Many thanks x
ReplyDeleteThe stalks and leaves make very tasty salad leaves. I've not used them in the soup, but imagine they'd wilt down rather like spinach?
DeleteThank you - I'm about to make the soup so will add both leaves and stalks.
DeleteYou have been lucky with gifted foods this week :-)
DeleteThe stalks and leaves would be excellent in your soup. But personally after having tasted it, I would use the chopped up stalks in the soup and make Pesto with the leaves. It really is delicious.
Soup turned out lovely! Made with soup mix, left over tomato passata, potatoes (donated), two broccoli stalks, onion, garlic, beetroot leaves and stalks (donated and still plenty of leaves to use up - the dogs had some chopped up for tea), stock and I can't remember what else!
DeleteThat's a good idea to make Pesto, Something else to try this week. I have wonderful neighbours who grow lots of fruit and vegetables and always have too much.
Hello Sue, came to you from Vintage Jane via Ted & Bunny.
ReplyDeleteI remember a time when a bulging wardrobe of new clothes, or a food filled fridge, was Important to me - now it's a fully stacked log pile (how sad is that)!
I've been lighting a fire most evenings for a week now, not because I'm cold, just because it's comforting and it's better than watching the TV.
Frances x
I love a proper fire whether it be a wood burner or open fire. I really think you can't beat them. We're hoping to convert to a wood burner in time for next winter. Where we live British Gas are offering free loft insulation so we've got them coming to do a survey next week. It's free to all, not means tested, it's a Government initiative apparently so if it's free then why not! This should make a difference for us as we've never had loft insulation.
ReplyDeleteDuring the last part of October I was lighting the fire about 4pm, we have an open fire at the moment, just the last few days of the month I put the storage rads on in the sitting room and hall. The one in the hall keeps the bedroom, bathroom etc just ok, the one in the sitting room, heat goes into the kitchen if the door is left open. I still lay the fire each morning. Whilst OH was in hospital I did not light it in the evening, just wrapped myself in a fleece to watch the limited amount of TV I do watch.
ReplyDeleteSince he has been home I have lit the fire in the evenings. Start it with a small amount of coal and then wood, as you say warm wood burns better. I top the basket up every couple of days.
We are saving up to get an inset multifuel stove put in, possibly in the summer.
Right, I'll be round for a cuppa this afternoon, but please can I have Mavis on my lap too? :)
ReplyDeleteAnytime ..... Mavis loves a snuggle. :-)
DeleteHaving a robin turn up so often makes my day too. He'll sit a few feet from where I'm working and then dart in to pick up a worm. Amazing how many they can get through in a single afternoon!
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking, you won't need to light the fire for warmth after lugging in all that firewood.
ReplyDeleteLoving the little red chested chappy. They are always around here too when out in the garden and coming so close. I'm just waiting for the day one lands on my shoulder. xxx...x
Honestly Sue I don't know what we did before we got our multi fuel stove. We have an oil fired Aga which ticks over day and night (I always have it set slightly below unless I intend to make something like Yorkshire puds). And we light the multi fuel with Anthracite and sticks and then, once it is going well, we use logs from our own land - branches brought down by the wind, sometimes a whole tree (which lasts us a very long time). So far we have not lit the stove before half past four and we don't keep it in, but the whole house stays warm all day.
ReplyDeleteWe've starting lighting the fire 6ish after our dinner. Those it is not particularly cold it is very damp with the fog and with the washing hanging all over the place we don't want it any damper!
ReplyDeleteWe have a couple of dunnocks in our wood pile, cheeky little chaps they are too.
Our next property will definitely have a wood burner! It is still mild down in Cornwall so the heating goes on for a couple of hours in the morning and evening and if I'm home during the day it's an extra jumper and wooly socks.
ReplyDeleteThe cottage we now live in is so tiny that there is no room for an Aga or Rayburn. Miss it! But hopefully soon we can change the horrid gas fire to a wood burner. Envy your wood pile! That Robin is wonderful, always such cheerful birds. Enjoy your fires.
ReplyDeleteI have fire envy. It would be great but prohibitively expensive as the chimney was taken down and the bread bricked up. I wouldn't see a return on my investment for at least 6 years as my gas costs £380 a year with gas cooking. Its something I would want if we move next year, if its there or a more straightforward installation.
ReplyDeleteI wish we had the option of a wood burning stove but we couldn't maintain in and living in a rented property , They wont let us , But at the moment we are only flicking the switch just before tae time that with a hearty meal and blankets keeps us warm all night for the time being xxx
ReplyDeleteRobins love to be near people working, not just for the food either I think. Wonder if it stops them being predated by more wary animals!
ReplyDeleteA warm fire in the morning sounds very cozy. We are far from chllly here in Texas as yet.
ReplyDeleteOh I love robins, we have a very cheeky one who sits in the tree right outside the back door and shouts until he gets fed! All the other birds use the feeders and tables, but 'Bob' the robin has his own little terracotta bell hidden away under the eaves of the garage. If we don't fill the bell, he'll use the other feeders, but watches for us and as soon as he spots one of us, he sings, getting louder by the minute until we give in!
ReplyDeleteHaha! A robin - too sweet!
ReplyDeleteA lovely wood stove is so comforting to sit beside. The little Robin Red Breast, must be Christmas on the way. When I lived in the UK I would be thrilled to see the Robin.
ReplyDeleteNow I get parrots flying around instead. I've been here in Australia over 30 years and it still takes some getting used to seeing them out in the wild and twittering in the trees - fighting over the fruit.
You've warmed me here with your post. I, too, get quite ecstatic when I see a robin.
ReplyDeletexx
We are still quite lucky with mild outside temperature here in Brighton, and it`s going to stay mild until the weekend, too. Central heating shall only be used in my home when DB starts suffering with the cold. His health problems will be the thermometer for determining when we shall need that heating. Hopefully, just an hour in the evenings to take the chill of the living room might be enough. Otherwise it`s wrapping up warmly in layers and drinking plenty of hot beverages, consuming lovely pots of hot soup and sitting around with cosy blankets draped around us to watch the TV.
ReplyDeleteI cant wait to be doing the same as you one day soon:-) dee
ReplyDelete