Every year about this time I set about collecting wood for the Rayburn and Living Room fires. It’s not far to go, a small wood sits at the side of the field at the bottom of the Lane. Hardly anyone ventures in it, mainly because they have no reason to!

So along comes a couple of good days and it suddenly becomes one of those things which you don’t want to start even though you know you’re going to enjoy it once you do.

There are various things I like about collecting wood. Not only is it producing free recycled fuel, but it’s a chance to be alone and basically – think!

First of all you notice the sounds, especially at this time of the year when the wind is rustling through the branches and each slight gust produces leaves to fall in their non-regimental manner. Like they say that no snowflake is the same, neither is a falling leave. You can glance up and see one winding it’s way down to the ground, but you haven’t a clue where.

The other sounds are the unknown one’s; like the sudden rustle of leaves on the ground. You then realise you are not alone, but you don’t know who the nosey companion is! Maybe a Robin, Pigeon, Field Mouse, Shrew, Cat or Fox.

The thing about this job is that you are doing something of time immortal. You can look around you and be in the 16th. or the 8th. Century. There are no signs of modern life and you begin to feel you are just a part of it. At the end of the day, we are an evolved species the same as the Robin and the Field Mouse etc. The only thing that separates us is the angle of our brain to the body.
This is supposed to make us the most clever species of all, but we can’t fly, we can’t survive without the help of others and this brings it all into proportion.

So the time goes and you leave the wood behind you. Unless there’s some catastrophic weather or some Planner decides that Houses should be built there, the Wood will outlive you and in 200 years time when I’m far from here, maybe someone else will be doing the same and having the same thoughts.

Who knows!
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See the Frugal Living Pages and ‘Nature’s Free Gifts’ in the main website.