Hello stranger. I was wondering where you are. Hope all is well with you. Things are slow on here but busy at home. Our son has been doing some work for us this summer. He's built a deck on the house for us and also put in a pellet stove to help with the fuel bills this winter.
Going to go baysit my grandsons today while their mother goes to the dentist. I've got the better end of the deal.

Hi Judy,

Sure know what you mean about watching the grandchildren.
We had ours on Saturday and we took them to a place called Daniels Farm where they had Pony Rides, A Maze made out of hay, Tire swings that had wood all the way around inside with handles on them. A Tractor ride (kind of like a train). A small petting zoo, with cows, chickens, ponys, and rabbits. They also had Pony Rides and our grand-daughter road a horse instead. Our 20 month old grandson went through the maze with his sister and didn't get scared at all. He also got to swing on the tires.

They had the place covered with Pumpkin's and they had those things where the kids could put their heads in a hole and they would look like a Pumpkin or Frankenstien. It is the first time they have done anything like this and I think they have had pretty good success with it this year.

We had a beautiful day for doing something like this. The temp got up around the mid 80's and the sun was shining. It didn't seem hot at all until around 3:30PM and we were finished by then. It was fun to go do something like that and see the kids having fun, it helped to just get away from the stressful stuff that we have been going through. It was a wonderful break.

I think you will just love the deck and that stove is a good thing to have for the winter too. I looked up the pellet stove because I have never heard of it and the ones that I saw look really nice. That is something you will really enjoy having this winter.

Joyce

We have already had it running and it is keeping things warm so far.
And I absolutely love the deck!!!
Your trip with the kids sounds like fun!

That's good to hear, what are the temperatures there now?

I know you did your homework on the Pellet Stove and I do have a question. What was the reason that you chose the Pellet Stove over the Gas Stove? I don't have either one and that is why I was asking. We have looked at the Gas Stoves but they didn't recommend them around small children for fear of them getting burnt. All the time we were looking around we never once saw a Pellet Stove. I saw the pictures of them on the website that I was on and I think they look really nice. I am assuming the Pellet Stove burns wood chips right?

I was wanting something we could use if the electric would go off, my sister has a Gas one and if the electric goes off they can still manually run it to get heat. After our ice storms for the past two years and losing electric that is why I was considering something like that. The Pellet Stove sounds really nice but not sure if they sell them around here.

It was fun watching our grandchildren enjoying themselves and it was a beautiful day last Saturday, not to hot and not to cold, it was just right. "Smiles" Sounds like the three bears huh? "LOL"

Is your deck open or closed in? We have one and I really like it. I wanted it to be opened and not closed in as I felt it would take away from being outdoors if we closed it in. There have been times I wished it was closed in but, that is only when it is to hot or because of the mosquitos. We did add extra room in case we change our minds and want it closed in later.

We put it in because the price of fuel oil skyrocketed. Gary figured at todays prices it would cost us $1000/month for oil. This way the stove and pellets are all paid for the the oil tank is full for backup if we need it.
And it is wood pellets.

That's a good idea and wood pellets isn't that expensive.

I understand if you use fuel oil it did skyrocket. They offer Propane Gas which is what we use to have but, we switched many years ago to Natural Gas. Still the furnace has an electric start and when the electric goes off we have no heat. My husband said that we might be able to start it manually but since we just purchased a new furnace and Air Conditioner we would have to check with the guys who installed it. They will be coming out next month to make sure everything is operating like it should.

Wow a $1000.00 a month? I don't blame you for looking for alternative heating. I think those Pellet stoves from what I saw online are really nice looking too. I don't know why they don't sell them here where I live. If they do we have never run across them.

I remember when I was a child my dad use to work for a company that installed the tanks and sold the furnaces for the fuel oil. Until you brought that up I had forgotten all about that. The furnace was placed in the floor between our living room and the kitchen and it was hot and you couldn't walk on it. I remember jumping across it to get to the living room. Oh those old memories. "Smiles"
Then Natural Gas came in and they switched to that and he removed the furnace and sold the Fuel Oil tank. I was sooooo happy that I didn't have to jump over that thing anymore. "LOL"

We have baseboard heat and I miss the furnace runs where you could stand over them and feel the heat blowing on you.
At least with the pellet stove it has a blower so you can feel the heat blowing from it.I'll send you a picture of it.

I am doing just fine, thank you Joyce. And it sounds as though those grandchildren keep you busy. I know ours keep us on the go attending their football games, track meets, now basketball and soon wrestleing.

Seems like I have been somewhat busy extending Birthday wishes around here. LOL

In this area corn burning stoves are very popular. we have a friend who has one and he and his wife swear it is the best heat yet--clean, warm and economical.
Now I am going to go take a gander at Bob's pumpkins.
Take Care, Everyone, stay warm--we have a cold front moving in and a prediction for snow later today.
Arlene

Hi Arlene,

Gee, I totally missed your post here. I have been so busy with trying to sell my mothers home and getting rid of furniture and going through paper work that my mind is all wrapped up in that. Our grandchildren are the highlight of my day when I get to be with them.

Glad to hear that all is well with you and yours. "Smiles"

Yesterday afternoon I went to see High School Musical 3 with my son and his family and I thoughly enjoyed it. The music and dancing were terrific.

In this area corn burning stoves are very popular. we have a friend who has one and he and his wife swear it is the best heat yet--clean, warm and economical.

Corn burning stoves? That's another new one for me. They just don't sell things like that here that I know of. Does the stove pop or make popcorn? "LOL" Hummmm keeps you warm and makes popcorn too. "Smiles" That was a joke.

No honestly is it just the corn that it uses? What about the stalk?

Gotta run, later

Joyce

Somehow they make the kernels into pellets and you burn them. Ours can use either wood or corn.

We live right here in the middle of corn country. When you drive down the road in the summer, you can't see the landscape because the tall corn obstructs your view. It grows on average of 6 to 9 ft. tall, but is often known to top out at 12 ft. So corn is plentiful around here and I think that may be why it is becoming increasingly popular as a heating fuel source.

The corn kernels are burned. They don't have to even make them into a pellet. They use clean, dried corn kernels. Often times buying them straight from the farmer--no middle man! Below is a link to a ladies blog that is written about corn burner heating. It is well written and knowledgeable first-hand experience about using and living with a corn burner.
Arlene

Here is a link that might be useful: click here to learn all about corn burning stoves

Wow, I am learning new things about corn burners and pellet stoves that I didn't even know existed. "Smiles"

I am sure that there are other alternative fuels out there to save on the heating bills as well.

Thanks for sharing this with me Judy and Arlene.

Hope all is well, I have so much going on around here it is unbelievable.

Had my moms house up forsale and within 8 days of closing the deal fell through. Now I am back to square one again. I really am kind of glad this guy backed out for some reason I had this feeling that he wasn't being totally honest about some things. Would take to long to explain, but someone else will come along and will buy it. I have faith. "Smiles"

Joyce