New Woodstove

In early October we had this wood stove installed. I love it! I have been using it almost everyday, there is something just so cozy about curling up in front of the fire. I grew up in home where our only heat source was a wood stove so it also has a sort of nostalgia for me. A few years ago we put in a grain burning stove which was great until we started putting barley in silo instead of corn which went to corn silage as the stove couldn't burn the hulls of the barley so the fire just goes out. So we talked about a wood stove but didn't get one right away because once you buy it and pay for installation it gets very expensive. This summer we decided to look at them again and this wood stove was about $1000 off because they were getting rid of some of their floor models, so that was how we decided to get this one. We wanted an alternate source of heat, we have an oil furnace and the cost in the winter is just ridiculous! We don't expect this to full replace but at least supplement the oil to reduce our fossil fuel use. Wood is a good option for us because living on a farm we have access to a bush and we don't need to cut down any live trees because there is tons of dead trees or large branches around. Sadly this is mainly due to the deaths of the ash trees from the ash borer and the elm from dutch elm disease. We actually have two elms in our backyard that need to be cut down because they are nearly dead. We have also got some of our wood from trees that have broken off in the pasture or along the fence line as well since that must be cleaned up anyways at least now we can make use of it. Another nice thing is my husbands father and a family friend love wood working so if we come across any large pieces that are in good shape we can give it to them so they can get it made into boards so they can use. As you can see in the picture, us humans are not the only ones who love the wood stove, the cats love to just stretch out in front of it and bask in the heat! One thing that disappointed me was, we decided to get the tile from a local flooring place to support local business instead of those big chains and yet the tiles were still made in China! When we ordered them I guess I thought that Canada being so rich in natural resources that surely the slate tiles would be Canadian made, it didn't even occur to me they would be made in China. So when we picked up the tile and in capital letter on the box was "CHINA" it was rather disappointing. It is so hard to find anything Canadian these days! I am certainly going to have my work cut out for me for Christmas shopping this year ensuring none of the gifts I buy are from China (my last post). But I digress, at least the wood stove is Canadian made and very lovely! Eventually I need to redecorate the living room, you can see in the picture the 1970's decor of orange carpeting and wood panelling. I'm hoping there will be lovely pine floors under the carpet since that's what I found upstairs in the two bedrooms I have done thus far.

Well, I have a midterm today so I must go prepare! Happy country living!