When smoke gets in my eyes...

Mmmm... can you feel it? That toasty warm feeling of a fire crackling in the wood stove. Don't you just love the feeling of coming in from the cold, frosty air to a warm home? It is so comforting. I have had the opportunity of benefiting from three different types of fires over the past couple of months.

While at camp in August we cooked quite a bit over a campfire. I love the SMELL of a campfire. Usually I am not big on the smell of smoke but a campfire is different. There is something so soothing about sitting around a campfire in the dark and yet somehow it is exciting too, like something good is about to happen. It causes me to think about my life and dream.

When we returned to camp in September, we used the wood cook stove instead. I love cooking on a wood stove. Just the thought of it got me out of bed bright and early each morning. I just couldn't wait to hear the crackle of the kindling and feel the camp warm up. It was so satisfying to use it, like somehow I was communing with some of my ancestors who may have had to cook this way each day.


And now it is October, a chill is in the air and I am sitting in my living room being warmed by my wood stove here. This stove and I have a love/hate relationship. Actually, I hate it and I'm pretty sure it hates me. It is suppose to be smokeless and it is not. Cough, cough! It is also a bit stubborn to start most days.To start a fire in it you must leave the stove doors open, be sure none of the tiny little holes in the back of it have any ash in them, and recite the alphabet backwards while hopping on one foot. Okay, okay, the alphabet and hopping part aren't true but you get the idea. Still, after all this, many times I must open a window in my living room so it will "draw". Goodness, I'd buy it a pack of the finest Crayolas if it would only draw well enough so I could keep my window closed!! ~smile~ Yet, this frustrating thing does eventually get a really good fire going and it warms my house very nicely. THEN, of course, I love it. I am so fickle. Right now, I am sitting in my warm and cozy living room enjoying it's generous heat. And once again, I am in love.

Wishing you a warm and cozy evening,
~Penni