Toasty warm

We've now had over a week of beautiful spring weather so it's with confidence that we can say that summer is just around the corner. That of course means jobs in the garden. Jobs like tidying up the wood pile. It may be toasty warm during the day but its still chilly at night so a fire is in order.

By accident, rather than by design, I've tried different types of wood on the fire and it's amazing how they burn differently. At the end of the day, as long as it's dry, it burns. However, the intensity of the fire can be quite different. Historically I've used a mixture of 'white' oak and beech and even some vine wood. The latter burns intensely and give out a lot of heat but soon disappears. The type I like best so far is chene vert. It's quite a dense wood and gives off lots of heat but also leaves a lot of thick ash.

After a bit of effort I found this old ryhme:

Beechwood fires are bright and clear

If the logs are kept a year

Chestnut is only good they say

If for long it's laid away

Make a fire of elder tree

Death within your house will be

But ash new or ash old

Is fit for a Queen with a crown of gold

Birch and Fir logs burn too fast

Blaze up bright and do not last

It is by the Irish said Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread

Elmwood burns like churchyard mould

Even the very flames are cold

But ash green or ash brown

Is fit for a Queen with a golden crown

Poplar gives a bitter smoke

Fills your eyes and makes you choke

Apple wood will scent your room

With an incense-like perfume

Oaken logs, if dry and old

Keep away the winters cold

But ash wet or ash dry

A king shall warm his slippers by.