More uses for that cord of wood

Several weeks ago, I wrote about the use of wood for heating the houses in Stip.  It is even used for rather large apartment blocks.  In fact I have seen that supplying this wood is quite a cottage industry at this time of year.  A load of logs are delivered and stacked.  A couple of days later, a car pulls up pulling a a portable radial saw and the men go to work cutting the logs into split-able lengths.

These are then split and stacked.  A man spend a day and a half splitting wood for the neighbor's apartment.  They will be quite cozy this winter.  I think we have enough for the winter as well, though none has been burnt for heat yet.  And it is quite cold in the apartment since it is in the 20's at night and only in the 50's during the day.

But I have discovered a couple of other uses for this wood. In the fall, cauldrons steamed as wood was added to keep them hot.  They contained red peppers that were cooked within an inch of their lives to make a local condiment, ivers. The process is a social activity.  The women takes turns stirring while others sit and chat.

The final results is a red paste that, because of the long cooking process, has very little nutrition value, but it tastes good on bread or as a sandwich spread.

                                                         I eat it on eggs.

The other day, I smelled wood burning and went to investigate.  The landlord's father was out back 

feeding wood into this contraption

:

Which is exactly what it looks like, a still.  He was making raki, moonshine from grapes.  I was told it was legal because it was for personal consumption, but if I understood my landlord properly, it was 50% alcohol.  The older gentleman drinks it when he goes hunting, according to his son.  I said that is what they do in Wisconsin as well.  They say they are going hunting and they play poker, drink beer and maybe get a deer.  But Goran's father only hunts rabbits and the season is a month or two.  I'm surprised he can hit anything as small as a rabbit after drinking this stuff.

So, I hope some of the wood is used to heat the apartment soon so I can take off some of the three or four  layers of clothes I have on.