A Wealth of Wood

Wood, wood, glorious wood.  We have it in spades on Malcolm Island.  And we're lucky enough to be able to use some of this sought after product in our new house.  Over the last few weeks we've been beach combing on warm days and found an amazing piece  of wood to turn into something quite unique. Plus we've been able to get both cedar and pine and from one of the two local mills.    Sweat equity and good weather both go a long way and we've been taking full advantage!

From one of the local mills...

This is a partial load.  Had to go back the next day for the rest of it.

Hosing off the boards so the sawdust doesn't stain the wood while it's drying for the next few months 

Of course it all had to be packed own the lower level of the property. Board by board by board!

Then stacked and stickered so that there's drying room around the planks.

Cover with old metal siding and add a few rocks for good measure... 

And you have a stack of beautiful wood protected from the sun and rain ....drying over the months.
By the way...this was the most snow we got this year!  Was gone by noon the same day.

The last batch was finished at 10:30 p.m. last Thursday evening by floodlight.  

The last batch of wood had to be brushed off and covered before we headed south to pick up some finished boards from a cabinet shop down island.  We had to work long after the sun had set.  Here you can see Jim working away.  He's outside the bathroom window on flat ground, stacking the boards that I cleaned and passed down to him.  Once all were stacked and stickered we started building a cover to keep the boards in good shape while they slowly dried.  A labour of love!

The other wood - from the beach - has the potential to becoming something special.  Or perhaps a few special pieces.  We found the tree a month ago and marked its location with a float and rope strung in a huckleberry bush.  Then we went back another time and analyzed the shape and location of the tree.  We still haven't got it to our property yet...soon!

See the curl in the tree?  This is the same curl in picture #1 at the top.  Jim can hardly wait to cut into it!

Had to cut a piece off of it so we could roll it towards the water.  We'll likely drive the truck across the beach to retrieve it.  Soon!

Last Wednesday evening Jim and I drove back to check out the tree at sunset.  As we arrived at the beach three loons began to sing.  The sun played off the clouds with colours of purple and pink, gold and chiffon.  I can see more evenings on the beach!  A second later an eagle flew over us just as we heard a seal that was sunning itself, catching the last bit of warmth from the rocks.   Rocks and trees make our world go round!

Until next time.

Jim and Tricia