Does it matter how you put a log that has been split in half into the stove - round side up or down?

--- Shelia, WV

I guess that would depend on what kind of fire you need. I have found that barkside down seems to burn slower, maybe due to moisture in the bark. This can be a good thing if you're ready to turn in for the night.

The intriguing photo was taken by Brian Jones on his trip to Uganda. The woman's name is Napeyok and I've always been fascinated by how much weight can be carried on one's head.

It seems like only women have this skill, and some can carry up to 70 percent of their body mass without burning too many extra calories. This article suggests that the secret is in the pendulum motion of one's head and body.

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About us: Anna Hess and Mark Hamilton spent over a decade living self-sufficiently in the mountains of Virginia before moving north to start over from scratch in the foothills of Ohio. They've experimented with permaculture, no-till gardening, trailersteading, home-based microbusinesses and much more, writing about their adventures in both blogs and books.



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