Cutting at the cabin starts this week.

Yes, Your Scribe and Bob the Woodsman met this weekend to discuss specifics of felling of trees on my property as soon as he can get his saws and skidder into the woods.

He will fell oak, maple and poplar, and truck out the logs himself.

He will sell the timber to local yards, and we will divide the proceeds.

I don't expect to get wealthy.

But I would like to buy a few things for the cabin, including a generator so I can carry on a useful life after dark.

I like firelight but you can't be cranking up the wood stove in July and August.

I was impressed that Bob will be getting the blessing of the Department of Environmental Protection.

So we won't be despoiling the forest - just thinning it out so younger trees can thrive.

I never expected to be taking down trees.

But so many are dying, especially sprice and pine, that the forestry experts say that if you don't thin out the thick woods, then more will die (and potentially fall on the cabin.)

There are about 20 acres of land to consider.

But no trees will be cut near the river, which in this case is the Sandy River in Franklin County.

I am looking forward to a cleaner forest - and learning about the cutting and perserving of both hard and soft wood.

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