The Sacrament of the Woodburner

The Lord of Dragonwood and Faerygirl performing the Sacrament of the Woodburner in February

It is early when you find yourself at the top of the stairs, adorning yourself in thick layers. Chilly air hits your face outdoors, but the daily pilgrimage must be made. Perhaps you don't really want to go, but the sacrifice is important to keep your family warm. The dark lies heavy on the world, even though you know the glint of sunrise is not far from coming. The woodburner must be approached with solemnity and caution; after all, you don't know yet what you will find inside. Some mornings, the open door belches forth hot smoke that could singe the unwary, and some mornings there are merely warm ash and coals. Reach in with the broken garden rake, stir the ashes to find the still burning coals. Go forth, and hunt fuel. Sometimes, you must dig through the snow to find it. Bring the fire to life with sticks and scraps of wood from the Manor construction. Lay on great logs, to sustain the fire as it burns all day. Dust it, perhaps, with the creosote preventer. Then close the great door. Listen as the machinery clacks and whirrs its power, moving hot water through the house. By this time, you can tell the day is coming. The morning rush surges in your blood, and you are now ready for tea and breakfast.

Every morning, I have honored this time. It is my daily time to contemplate, and to sense the changing of the seasons. But last night, we let the woodburner go out. Although we may keep it going a little longer, the sky is no longer dark in the morning, nor are the temperatures so cold. Another morning ritual must replace this daily visit to the source of our warmth. Perhaps it is time to turn to greeting the sun! It's quite nice to take a cup of tea on the deck and toast the sunrise.

Quickening Moon

Some cultures refer to the second full moon of the year as the "quickening moon". I heartily agree with the name. Thawing has begun in Dragonwood. All the beasts and birds are becoming more active. We hear lots of birdsong, owl hooting, and woodpecker knocking. This past weekend, the Lord of Dragonwood started to feel better. I helped him strip wires and prepare for running speaker wires. One of the nice things about building your own house is that you can build in surround sound! The kids helped clean and clear the spaces that we are finishing up. Over the past week or two, I've observed the robins and the geese returning. Branches I brought into the house have opened into soft green leaves. The Lord observed a hawk on its kill right at the end of our driveway! All this melt is making me antsy to begin laying out our garden beds for the coming year. It's hard to be patient when you know warmer weather is coming!