Our oldest son is an arborist - also known as a tree climber or tree surgeon. He works all over the state but every now and again he works in our area and then, if he can, he lets us collect the fallen trees for firewood. This weekend (well, Saturday only because today it rained all day) we split firewood courtesy of our boy.
Looking at the photo above makes me realise that all three of our boys had a hand in this load of wood - providing, splitting and stacking! And just to be fair, I have to tell you that the younger girls helped stack too but must have disappeared before I brought the camera out!
But look, LOOK, what we found in the wood - lovely fat wattle grubs! They are the larvae of the Wattle Goat Moth who lays the eggs on the bark; the tiny grubs burrow in and make tunnels, all the while getting big and fat. Now, I must admit that the kids are not as excited as I am about these, or any grubs but I loooove them! We used to have silkworms every season for quite a few years and I was the one that wanted to hatch them year after year. I love the feel of them and enjoy running my finger up and down their cool, ridged bodies. These little beauties are even nicer to stroke!
Apologies if I'm grossing you out, but I think stroking them is pretty tame - I believe these are what are also called witchetty grubs and eaten by our indigenous peoples.
After all the excitement (and effort) we have another few metres of firewood for next winter - and the chickens had a big protein hit!!
How was your weekend?
My weekend has been lying on the couch, trying to rein in a terrible fit of the whines. A week down in the desert with my oldest, accompanied by my two youngest and our good friend - and evidently, by the virus that the local grandchild and fam were incubating.
ReplyDeleteNothing so exciting, then, as stroking portable protein sources or stacking wood (I LOVE firewood - I love the smell of newly split wood -).
Oh I love that - portable protein source!! And yes the smell of fire wood is beautiful! Though I am getting to the point where I am also starting to have a fit of the whines, as you so nicely put it, about the endless winter weather! Gratitude Ev, remember the gratitude! But, truly, I can hardly wait for the sun!!!!
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