My wood supply was down to its last two or three days of being able to keep the house warm.
The snow on the ground is a hard and soft combination. Hard packed on the bottom, a layer of soft, some more hard packed and so on. Like a seven layer salad of winter laying on everything.
The three weeks of being ill and quarantined put me way behind, and with another storm coming in this weekend I needed to think about what to do. I never mind a good trail ride with a Power Wagon and a saw, but with one hour of light and only a few hours of time before more snow arrives, well I decided to break down and just go pick some up.
The one old red barn here at the ranch I rent to a local landscaper, it isn't much but allows him to keep an under roof rotation of his winter to summer accessories.
Normally its a hundred dollars a month, and I will trade it out for dirt, gravel, mulch or firewood through the year.
After a day on the phones I decided I better get after it.
Sitting tucked away in the underground mound I new Hank would fire right off, cold blooded but he came to life quickly.

The thought of driving him through the salt and brime on the roads made me cringe, but not having firewood....well that thought made me shiver.
Its only about 6 miles from the ranch to the Outdoor Oasis wood pile, The entire trip was a sloshy snowy mess, thankful for a heater that works well, it didn't take long to get there, and still made me smile even driving through the slurry.
As I backed in it was just getting dark, but I could see well enough to know where to go. An hour and a half of stacking and sorting and knocking the ice and snow off of the wood, I had a heaping truck load of warmth. In more than one way.
As I pulled out and headed for home the snowflakes started to dance in the headlights and melt on the windshield.

Pulling around the house through the seven layer salad of snow I could tell that this hundred yard trail ride required four wheel drive. I hopped out quick and turned the Warn locking hubs from the free to lock position. Hopping back in and pulling both twin sticks attached the NP201 transfer case I had better faith about not hitting the house or getting stuck.

On the east side of the home there is a small window that opens into the basement of an almost empty utility room.
It works perfect for stacking up a big inside supply of firewood. There is a slight hill that leads up to that window, and I was able to back up to it easily. Not sliding and not getting stuck was a great day.

By now the snow is really starting to come down, and I could feel the next two hours of unloading being an evening of fun.
Unloading a bed of firewood from the W200 is the only time I wish it sat 2 feet lower to the ground.
from the bed to the window, armload after armload. My coveralls were wet and heavy and I was getting tired.

But I would be warm for several weeks, so keep going.
Soon after the project was done, and back into its underground home Hank went.
The stove was loaded, the wood got stacked and the evening was now working on being the next day.
You hear about firewood warming you twice, but tonight well.... It warmed me about five times.