Dan and I were trying to figure out where to put a firepit.  He came across the brilliant idea to use the old stump in the yard. It was a fairly easy process (for me.  I took pictures.  Dan used the chainsaw). First, we (he) leveled out the stump. Then I swept all the debris and sawdust off (see! I did more than just take pictures!).  Next, we cut into the stump the same way you’d slice a cake or pie; we created slices from the inside out, placing the chainsaw on the stump and letting the front tip of it just cut into the stump, creating the slices. We tried to chisel them out using a hammer and wedge, but it wasn’t happening.  So Dan brought the chainsaw back out, and cut the slices out, holding the saw with the blade horizontally rather than vertically. They didn’t all cut out easily, so be prepared to use that hammer again to knock the wedges out. One final thing we did with the chainsaw: we cut a straight vertical line from the inside to the outside down to the ground.  This will allow any water poured on the fire to drain out, and allow for some oxygen to get in to the fire from the bottom. I came in and did some clean up (Dan helped) and there you have it!  A firepit that will last!  The stump will eventually burn down; the hole will deepen, but it will take quite a while.  We had a fire last night and the stump is just charred on the inside. Sorry the fire pictures are bad, it was night!
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Dan and I were trying to figure out where to put a firepit.  He came across the brilliant idea to use the old stump in the yard.

It was a fairly easy process (for me.  I took pictures.  Dan used the chainsaw). First, we (he) leveled out the stump. Then I swept all the debris and sawdust off (see! I did more than just take pictures!).  Next, we cut into the stump the same way you’d slice a cake or pie; we created slices from the inside out, placing the chainsaw on the stump and letting the front tip of it just cut into the stump, creating the slices.

We tried to chisel them out using a hammer and wedge, but it wasn’t happening.  So Dan brought the chainsaw back out, and cut the slices out, holding the saw with the blade horizontally rather than vertically. They didn’t all cut out easily, so be prepared to use that hammer again to knock the wedges out.

One final thing we did with the chainsaw: we cut a straight vertical line from the inside to the outside down to the ground.  This will allow any water poured on the fire to drain out, and allow for some oxygen to get in to the fire from the bottom.

I came in and did some clean up (Dan helped) and there you have it!  A firepit that will last!  The stump will eventually burn down; the hole will deepen, but it will take quite a while.  We had a fire last night and the stump is just charred on the inside.

Sorry the fire pictures are bad, it was night!

‘an oldie but a goodie’

i’m not one to post blog posts on tumblr, but i found this as i was going through an old blog, and i needed to share it.

i’m sorry, but its 100% inside jokes. you either get it, or you don’t.

—-

so many moments of my life have passed without a second thought.
but there are those that have passed that have left me breathless and reeling when i think of them.

moments like tonight, driving down a dark road with a song playing and replaying memories of incredible nights. i couldnt believe the memory of one night could bring me to tears; i think it was a combination of all of the below that pushed me.

-a night under the stars playing the alphabet picture game with four of my closest friends at the fifty yard line.
-dragging picnic tables into lakes to create our own islands with a best friend, an ex friend, and a young love.
-getting passed by dune buggies on the highway.
-endless laughter and inside jokes between friends and lunch tables. mutual hate of another.
-making up ridiculous dances all years of my childhood and into my late teens. its still going on.
-planning parties, getting in fights, and making up over dances dressed in black and white.
-driving down the middle of the highway in pouring rain in the middle of the night after meeting amazing band members.
-forgetting to turn on my headlights and driving by the moonlight.
-yet another night spend at the fifty yard line, kentucky friends and family clashing and molding into one perfect night.
-flying kites out of car windows.
-a jacket being slipped over my shoulders, followed by an arm, and later an amazing kiss in the middle of the road under the moon.
-finding ridiculous town names and pointless exits in the middle of states. rarity?
-sitting in a car, hearing the first piano measures of the song that would change my entire life.
-on hour five of a six hour car drive, looking over and seeing dad’s eyes filled with tears, his hand tight on mine.
-‘hook forest’ and lanterns breaking and pants being ripped.
-hanging out with the hush sound, security guards, and andrew mcmahon. my dream come true. it was with you.
-offroading in a bmw with the sun roof open and the same song on repeat for hours.
-riding on sleds, crashing into pool fences, soaring into thorn bushes, peeing our pants.
-never getting words out, but understanding everything we meant to say.
-stumbling words and fingers over message boards, to IMs, to texts, to phone calls..
-conversations in cars being interrupted by easily breaking into singing the song on the radio, right back to conversation without skipping a beat
-nicknames, le bone, pierre, hiroshima
-chasing down chipmunks, geese, hitting people with cattails
-waiting hours and hours at bookstores for the release of a book, returning later to collect a giftcard from the slowest moving person ever
-sitting next to a band as they belt out an acoustic song, to be met by enthusiastic singing from the crowd of twenty gathered around.
-the first ‘i love you’
-a mountaintop on colorado


these moments complete my life.
every single one of them goes noticed.
takes my breath away.

..i love you all.