On Wind and Wood

Grab a hold of your hats, ladies and gentlemen. And while you're at it, you might want to tie some sand bags to your ankles. It's windy season. The past three days have presented some of the most dynamic weather that I can remember. Saturday was, as you fellow WNC residents know, windy as all get out. Sunday was hot and sunny. Monday started out as hot and sunny and by nightfall severe storms had blown in, bringing drastic temperature drops, driving rain, scary wind and intense lightening. This continued all night. Today is fluctuating between sun and things like rain and hail, and all the while the wind blows fiercely, blowing out the last dregs of winter and reminding us that we are but mere humans in this complex assortment of earthlings, subject to the whims of the Zephyr and other elemental powers. Last night, on my way home from my Nauni's, I saw a dead standing locust begin its falling descent from the hill by the road into my path of travel. I slammed the breaks, missing being smashed by this heavy beauty. Spooked the deez nuts out of me, and after enough cars had been stopped by the tree lying across the road, five other ladies and I hoisted it out of the way in the lightening and driving rain and wind so strong it seemed af it would blow the car door off when I opened it. (One lady in flip flops exclaimed, "This is awful- all uf women out here doing this work!") I got drenched and today am fighting something that resembles a cough (aka, classic case of what the Chinese would call a Wind Invasion).

Moving on from weather talk, I began the sizable task of treating my siding wood this past weekend. In spite of the dreadful wind, it delighted me to no end to get my hands into that gorgeous pile, pulling the boards out one by one and giving each one care. I selected a product called Eco Wood Treatment (formerly Lifetime Wood Treatment) to use instead of stain, paint or sealer. It is a mineral concoction that some hippies assemble in Canada, "secret recipe" kind of thing, and you mix it with water and apply to the wood. It ages and "patinas" the wood, and supposedly helps preserve it for a long time. Being non-toxic and neither a stain nor a sealer, the wood can breathe and do its thing, which I like. Turns out I have a special sentiment about this wood that we cut, milled and stacked right here, and which is now going to encase my house, and it feels good to treat it with something mild. The treatment process has been tedious and a bit time consuming, utilizing a combination of spraying with a garden pump sprayer and rubbing the stuff in with rags. The solution smells metallic, but hasn't irritated my skin, and it immediately changes the color of the wood. And it will continue to change over time, with different colors of the wood aging to different "patina-ed" hues. Some friends used it on their siding, and 3 years later it looks gorgeous. Hope I'm happy with it years down the line...




Super helpers Ren and Zoe helped on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, and it was great to have the help and be able to laugh and chit chat with friends while doing such meaningful work. We had multiple visitors throughout the weekend, including Moonie and her 2 horses, Marlene and Winter.







Even though I am feeling puny today with my annoying Wind Invasion, the weekend was pretty exciting, and my house is getting sided! Hee haw!