One of the pleasures of living in a forested state is that many in our area heat with wood. We use about 4 cords each winter that is put into the garage during the summer and early fall. This most recent stretch of colder weather has all of us using our woodstoves to keep our houses warm and keep the winter cheer going.
The scent of woodsmoke in the cold winter air is a pleasant sign of winter and col temperatures. Those of you who live in places where wood stove use is less common don’t have the chance to develop an appreciation for the scent of different types of firewood. Each species has a distinctive smell, and you can quickly tell what they are burning for firewood as we pass by on our regular walks. Some smells are quite distinctive like birch or one of the softwoods like spruce or pine. Even the standards like maple or oak have a distinctive smell.
It is a delightful thing on a chilly early morning to go on a walk and smell which neighbor is burning which wood. It adds a lot to the winter days that are now getting noticeably longer. I hope that you have a chance to get out and enjoy it for yourself.
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