I actually used an ax yesterday. Plenty of “rounds” needed (and more remain) to be split. The ax is from a Harbor Freight outside St. Charles, bought last year and still unwrapped.

Honestly, I was nervous as to how my shoulders would manage with whatever force is sent up the handle. Seriously, I’ve had my left dislocate at batting practice. While I’m pretty sure that I’m on the shallow side of the glenoid/acetabulum convex continuum, I also have some crappy postural habits and the very common tight pec minor.

Happily, save for massive oxygen debt and some extraordinary tired left shoulder and upper back muscles, enough that I’m not touching the thing today, it was super solid fun and wow satisfying.

I have been walking up the path for wood collection. From a drought in 2002-2004 there are many dead trees, some standing and others not. Work performed to clear the path and creek it follows has left many (many x 10^10, approximately) already somewhat cut and the rest, meaning most, waiting for attention whether by someone like me or a forest fire.