Pap would gather firewood all summer, with help from older brothers and later ole jeep and me. Come fall, the task of keepin firewood on the front porch fell on ole jeep and me. We'd carry that wood each evenin, after school, and stack it where it was easily accesable when needed---which was often in sub zero weather. The old house was cold and drafty with no insulation back then. It took a bunch of wood to keep it livable back then. Feedin one heatin stove and the Home Comfort cookstove was a constant battle through those cold days and nights. Pap would close off the entire south end of the house which had 2 bedrooms, in the daytime. At night it would be opened up and let to warm before goin to bed. Boy, I hated those old cold floors, beds and everything else to do with it! By mornin the wood fires would be low and the entire house was freezin, it seemed. This was back before we had "indoor plumbin" so nothin was hurt by freezin inside. Many a time I remember the old water bucket bein froze solid. A few minutes on the Home Comfort would remendy that little problem, though. Ole jeep and I got tired of arm carrin that firewood so we devised a plan to build a wheel barrow outta 2X4's pap had laid back for some other use. We "confinscated" those 2 by's and found an old steel wheel with an axle from a wheel borrow of long ago. We built the raskel and done a rite smart job of doin it too. It was just the checkers for what we planned. Pap wasn't real happy we'd used that lumber but didn't get mad or say anything about it. He knew we had to move and stack a lot of wood each day and he most certainly wasn't a tyrannt. We'd load that old wheelbarrow down with fire wood and bring'r to the front porch. About 3 or 4 loads, stacked real high, would be enuff to run all night and next day. Pap's BIG woodpile would really diminist quickly when the weather hit those then famous -25 to -30 below temps back then. Still, we survived and done quite well in the process! I couldn't go back to those days now, even if I wanted to. Age as well as other things have taken it's toll on this old bod and it's no longer possible to recall any of my youth except in memories. I sold my chainsaw couple years ago just so I wouldn't be usin it. I don't heat with wood, smoke, dust and bugs--well, bugs me. Heart problems prevent me cuttin firewood anymore. I used to help ole jeep some but even that's not possible anymore. I could do more but he just has a fit and won't let me help. Rekon, he's a feered he'll hafta build me a coffin!!!! Course, he'd hafta build it fer nuthin. Homemade choc or peanut butter fudge with peanuts init. Cooked over that old Home Comfort cookstove was always a treat-especially on a cold night. Hot cocoa, with real cow's milk, and fudge and even maybe a scratch built choc cake while llistin to the Grand Old Opera out of Nashville, Tn. Sat nites were special back then. Now it's t.v. Did we lose our way somewhere over the last 40 years or so? Rekon some of us did but it's still possible to reclaime some of it anyhow. Just try a little harder. Be good to your neighbor as well as family. They'll appreciate it and it'll make you feel better too. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), October 13, 2000

Answers

Hoot, thanks for the stories. I just finished stacking the wood we have and I'm very glad the temps don't get down that low here! We will have to heat with wood this winter as we can't afford the high price of propane. Our big pile isn't too far from the house, so I don't need a wheelbarrow, but moving it to the little pile next to the house is a pain. annette

-- annette (j_a_henry@yahoo.com), October 13, 2000.

The boys and I just moved some up to the back porch the other day. I've about gone thru it already, it has sure been cold. We always use the wheelbarrow. It just makes it easier. Less trips. My sons figured that out real fast. I think you and jeep were enterprising.

-- Cheryl Cox (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), October 14, 2000.

Hoot probably doesn't remember this, but our older brothers had another way to do it. Joe (10 yrs. older than hoot) was silly about horses and before he got his first real live horse, he made do with stick horses. He used saplings about an inch in diameter, long enough that his hands could grip them at the top at a comfortable level. Just below his hands, he cut a groove clear around the stick and fashioned a "collar" of baling wire--we used baling wire for everything! He then fastened a light chain to the collar and hooked the other end of the chain to a sled. Using a "team" of "horses", advancing them one at a time made for good leverage. He had a special place in the barn for his teams, up against the south wall and he had several teams, varying by color, thickness, etc. Even had them all named, but I don't recall any of the names. Joe and Bert, 18 months his junior, did most of the wood hauling to the house. My job usually was doorkeeper, opening the door to let them in with arms loaded with split wood, then quickly closing the door when they got inside, trying to conserve some heat. Since I was 3 years younger than Joe and the only girl in the family, I seldom carried wood. I remember once when I was helping Bert get the wood in (don't know why) I had a really bad earache that night and he LAUGHED at me because I cried. Ah--the good ole days! I have enjoyed propane heat for 2 or 3 years, but we'll be using our wood stoves a lot this winter, I'm thinking. Filled our propane tank yesterday at $1.26/gal.

-- ruth (bobtravous@email.com), October 14, 2000.

When reading your stories about getting in the fire wood. I looked at the name and I thought there can't possibly be more than one Hoot Gibson in the world. There may be but you sound like the one I know of in Missouri. He can tell some good ones. Keep it up.

-- dale garrison (pegleg_65717@hotmail.com), October 16, 2000.

Hoot, thanks for the stories. Boy, do they bring back memories, mostly good and some funny, a few I would just as soon forget. Keep up the good work of reminding all of us what really is important over the long haul. You can toast your toes at our fire any day. I"ll carry the wood. Maureen

-- Maureen Stevenson (maureen@mtaonline.net), October 17, 2000.

Hoot, your right. We did "lose our way somewhere over the last 40 years or so?" Not sure if we made a right turn or a left, but what we need to do now is make a U-turn!

-- JLS (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), October 18, 2000.

Mr. Hoot, I have most enjoyed your posts. Old things are also of importance to me. Past times are where some of us originated. That is why I searched high and low for an old fashioned "crank" ice cream churn. Didn't the small Grandchildren have fun, and didn't their parents look at me like I had grown two heads for this effort? They sure did scoff up the ice cream though! It was fun!

-- Searching for (re@lbutter.com), October 18, 2000.

Hoot, Your yarns not only entertain, they make me recall my past and make me more diligent in making present day memories for my son. Thanks.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), October 19, 2000.