My woodpile shrunk a bit today

[scotsman]

Wow, Dennis! I've never seen so many trees so close together in my whole life! And they're tall ones, too! We don't have many trees out here in West Texas and they are not tall and clumped up and all. Do y'get claustrophobia in amongst all those trees? WOW!! Great pictures--I always like seein' what it looks like in other places.

Hey, if y'all need wood, or know someone who does, I've found some and we can get 'em all they want. All they have to do is come get it! Don't even have to cut it! I'm perfectly willing to share, since I probably can't get around to burnin' it all myself anyway!

That's funny Terry. I know what the country is like in your neck of the woods so understand why you said that. On the contrary though, rather than claustrophobia, it is extremely relaxing. One good example is what I will go through tomorrow. We have to head in to the city. I guarantee when we get home that it is so relaxing it is almost unbelievable.

It is almost the same as when I go cut wood or even sitting in a treestand while hunting. For sure, when hunting I am in thicker woods than what you see in the pictures. Imagine sitting 20' or more up in a tree. After sitting for a short time you really become tuned to the woods and the quiet. Very peaceful! We have a couple of deer blinds along the edge of the woods too and many times I'll just go sit in one of those blinds and enjoy the peace.

Did that when we lived in Colorado. It was pretty easy to find a place where you could not see or hear evidence of the hand of man. I'd go fly fishing in some very remote streams in the mountains where you could not prove there were any other humans on the planet--couldn't even see any airliner contrails. It usually took a couple of hours in the quiet for the residual "noise of civilization" to drain away from in my mind, but after that . . . great! I can still do that around here, but it's more difficult to see no trace of civilization, since you can stand on a beer can and watch your dog run away for three days. Typical visibility is between 80 and 150 miles. The quiet, however, is remarkable. When we have to go to "town" (Lubbock), it's tense until we get back out to the country and are able to relax again. It's gotten so we won't go unless we have no choice and it's really not bad compared to what most folks endure. We are blessed and I know it regardless of how much whining I do.

 

[dave7965]

Call me cynical but the fact that he was at your house without asking or calling first makes me suspicious. You seem like a very nice person but don't get suckered .People who truly need something that they cannot get on their own after sincerely trying aren't this bold and are, in fact, to some degree embarrased to be in this situation. Be sure that he makes good on his promises

 

[iskiatomic]

Call me cynical but the fact that he was at your house without asking or calling first makes me suspicious. You seem like a very nice person but don’t get suckered .People who truly need something that they cannot get on their own after sincerely trying aren’t this bold and are, in fact, to some degree embarrassed to be in this situation. Be sure that he makes good on his promises

To The Wood Dog and other cynics.

#1 wood dog welcome

#2 wood dog obviously you are new here. If the world had more people like Dennis (AKA backwoodsSavage) around we all would be in a much better place.
I personally have had many PMs with Dennis and this guy is the real deal. If he can help someone out he will. I wish I was closer to this guy to buy him a beer someday.

Not everyone is out there to screw you and make a buck, yes you have to be cautious. But Karma will take care of that, what comes around goes around. It all happens for a reason.

Dennis, I do believe everyone here on this site has learned at least one thing from you.

Take a bow for yourself!

KC

 

[mikepinto65]

Call me cynical but the fact that he was at your house without asking or calling first makes me suspicious. You seem like a very nice person but don't get suckered .People who truly need something that they cannot get on their own after sincerely trying aren't this bold and are, in fact, to some degree embarrased to be in this situation. Be sure that he makes good on his promises

Funny, 90% of the people i've come to know from RI often think someone has it out for them....must be all that brackish water.

 

[wendell]

Dennis, good for you. I'm darn glad to know you!

 

[burntime]

Absolutely, and I just put an order in for another 2 cords for 100 bucks :lol:

 

[Skier76]

You're a kind soul Dennis. Nice work!

 

[WoodPorn]

Call me cynical but the fact that he was at your house without asking or calling first makes me suspicious. You seem like a very nice person but don't get suckered .People who truly need something that they cannot get on their own after sincerely trying aren't this bold and are, in fact, to some degree embarrased to be in this situation. Be sure that he makes good on his promises

Funny, 90% of the people i've come to know from RI often think someone has it out for them....must be all that brackish water.

I'll second that

I'd like to put a fence up on the MA/RI line. It seems to me that if you can't trust people then, well you probably can't be trusted.

Dennis, don't let anyone ruffle your feathers, that is/was a great deed, and you will eventually be rewarded.

 

[DBoon]

Having grown up in the midwest and then lived on the east coast before making my way to Central NY (not the east coast )I can tell you that there are good and bad people everywhere, those that are willing to help and those that are not, those that are suspicious and those that are not, and those that are religious and those that are not.

My experience is that people on the coasts seem to be a little more suspicious and cynical than those in the interior, and I can certainly see that in these posts. Nobody should take those kinds of comments for evidence that those same people wouldn't help others in need if they knew them like Dennis knew this person. When helpfulness is not an abstraction anymore, but is helping someone you know, a lot of things change for everyone.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Many thanks to everyone, including the cynics. Hopefully we all can learn a bit from this. Please allow me to restate a couple of things:

1. He did arrive that day unannounced....but I had also informed him that he indeed was welcome to more wood to get his family through this winter. I have plenty and don't mind giving to someone who is in need.

2. This man is not taking advantage. I know not only his pastor, but also know his pastor's father (a retired pastor) and also his brother (a retired school teacher). These people are heavily involved in church doings and are upright citizens. His pastor and brother normally cut wood off his brother's place (next to ours) every year for the man who for several years just could not handle it. He is just becoming a little more able but doing the whole wood thing is still too much for him. Even last year when his pastor came out with him to cut some firewood, they didn't have much to cut that could be burned so I offered him some maples that I had cut down only for the purpose of giving the deer something nutritional to get them through the winter. That which I had cut had been down 2 years and even though in log length was very dry all the way through.

3. The man is, in his own way, trying to show his gratitude for us helping him out and I know he will do more in the future although it is not necessary for him to do so.

4. I really try to have trust in my fellow man. I sincerely believe that 99% of the people you meet are honest and good people and refuse to let that other 1% ruin my trust in others. With that, I will continue to help others if I am able to do so. I am not a rich man and I do not have a lot of physical possessions, but I still do not mind sharing what I do have if someone is really in need.

5. Perhaps it takes something special or something bad to happen to people to make them truly appreciate what it is like to be in need. I've had a couple times in my life when I honestly did not even know where my next meal was coming from, yet, somehow, the Lord found a way and I always had food. In addition to that, the Lord said I should love my neighbor as myself. If I were in need I surely would be thankful for any help offered by others; that is, they would show love and concern; and I truly understand the situation.


Once more, thank you to everyone for posting. I did not post this to try to blow up what I did but it is my sincere hope that others will read this and do some of the same things for their neighbors.

 

[smokinj]

Many thanks to everyone, including the cynics. Hopefully we all can learn a bit from this. Please allow me to restate a couple of things:

1. He did arrive that day unannounced....but I had also informed him that he indeed was welcome to more wood to get his family through this winter. I have plenty and don't mind giving to someone who is in need.

2. This man is not taking advantage. I know not only his pastor, but also know his pastor's father (a retired pastor) and also his brother (a retired school teacher). These people are heavily involved in church doings and are upright citizens. His pastor and brother normally cut wood off his brother's place (next to ours) every year for the man who for several years just could not handle it. He is just becoming a little more able but doing the whole wood thing is still too much for him. Even last year when his pastor came out with him to cut some firewood, they didn't have much to cut that could be burned so I offered him some maples that I had cut down only for the purpose of giving the deer something nutritional to get them through the winter. That which I had cut had been down 2 years and even though in log length was very dry all the way through.

3. The man is, in his own way, trying to show his gratitude for us helping him out and I know he will do more in the future although it is not necessary for him to do so.

4. I really try to have trust in my fellow man. I sincerely believe that 99% of the people you meet are honest and good people and refuse to let that other 1% ruin my trust in others. With that, I will continue to help others if I am able to do so. I am not a rich man and I do not have a lot of physical possessions, but I still do not mind sharing what I do have if someone is really in need.

5. Perhaps it takes something special or something bad to happen to people to make them truly appreciate what it is like to be in need. I've had a couple times in my life when I honestly did not even know where my next meal was coming from, yet, somehow, the Lord found a way and I always had food. In addition to that, the Lord said I should love my neighbor as myself. If I were in need I surely would be thankful for any help offered by others; that is, they would show love and concern; and I truly understand the situation.


Once more, thank you to everyone for posting. I did not post this to try to blow up what I did but it is my sincere hope that others will read this and do some of the same things for their neighbors.

Very well said and you have the wood to spare GREAT STORY.....

 

[Deep Fryer]

4. I really try to have trust in my fellow man. I sincerely believe that 99% of the people you meet are honest and good people and refuse to let that other 1% ruin my trust in others. With that, I will continue to help others if I am able to do so. I am not a rich man and I do not have a lot of physical possessions, but I still do not mind sharing what I do have if someone is really in need.I did not post this to try to blow up what I did but it is my sincere hope that others will read this and do some of the same things for their neighbors.

You're a good guy Dennis, no doubt about it, your heart is in the right place and that is all that matters.
Be well & keep warm.

 

[dreezon]

I can't imagine having enough wood to be able to give it away like that. I'm expecting to run out by early Feb—unless I can pick up a bunch from my friends parents' lot. Trouble is, that wood has been sitting uncovered. I may have to ...buy some wood. Perish the thought.

 

[dave7965]

Sorry for the negativity guys, but I speak only from experience in RI.I wish things were a little different here myself. Being in retail for so long and also a landlord for a while, I can honestly say that for the hundreds of people I've given a break to in some way, 2/3rds have never made good either with a loan or a line of credit. They simply vanish.I know for a fact that people outside of my area are wonderfuly generous, compassionate and honest. There aren't many worse feelings for me than feeling I was played for a fool. Sorry
I must take issue with the post that assumes that I am less than honorable. Nothing could be further from the truth. I would be the type of wood delivery guy who adds a little extra just in case.
Thanks for listening