The Last Log…..For Now

In this world of forest stewardship there seems to be something about taking note of the “last   ____ of the season” or the first.  I was reminded of this on a recent hot afternoon as I slipped the steel cable of the choker around the last log of this summer’s logging project and prepared to skid it to the landing.  With this summer’s crazy hot and dry conditions, it is a relief to have the job complete, both because of the pleasure comes from having the sweat stop dripping into the eyes, and because with fire danger that is high and headed much higher, we breath more easily when the season’s logging is behind us.  The logs will soon be headed in three directions – some to Banks Lumber to become framing lumber, some to our mill be become paneling, flooring, and beams, and others for processing into firewood.  As always, the end of one task leads to the beginning of the next.  What’s next? These dog days of summer give us a chance to catch up on machinery maintenance, mixed with jumping in the creek to cool off.