I have wood, no…… not that sort of wood, (there’s a time and place for everything!) but timber. All around the valley the timber that was cut last winter is being gathered up ready to be taken to the various depots from which it will be sold to people for use in fireplaces and stoves.
It is a sad sight to see mature woodland felled, but it is carefully managed on a 17 year cycle an with the glorious sunshine and occasional rain shower, trees grow quickly here in Umbria the Green Heart of Italy and the green soon returns. I hate the scars left on the hillsides by the woodsmen,they are always angular and change the look of the hillsides for several months, but like a cut or graze, they quickly heal as the saplings begin to grow.
Here seeing the wood all around, urged me into tidying up the trees, cutting off lower branches that prevent trees from growing to their full majesty and lopping off the occasional dead branch to give the trees a finer shape.
We have wood cut last autumn ready to come into store, already nice and dry to serve for this winter in our boiler and stoves. Sadly we had to take down an old very sick walnut tree. The wood from that, like the cherry makes a wonderful fire and the most aromatic smoke, perfect for pizzas and barbecues.