Got wood? As of today, we do.

Gus, who works, I believe, for the Philly Parks Department and who has been an amazing benefactor for the ITE over the years, took us to two wood dumps (a.k.a. recycling centers) today for all the wood we could carry—in his truck, no less. We had our pick from piles and piles of felled trees: cherry, pear, sycamore, burr oak, ash, mulberry, Cryptomeria, box elder, walnut, silver maple, Chinese elm . . . I can’t even remember all the species we saw. For someone from the Arizona desert, it was a bit overwhelming. We didn’t even make it to two other dump sites. If we use up all we took today, though, we’re assured we can go back for more!

Later, with Jane, the shop supervisor, riding shotgun as navigator, some of us took a run to the Home Depot and Lowe’s for miscellaneous supplies. We’re pretty well set now, and the real work is beginning.