Winter's Chill

You know, we have a furnace.

Yet we primarily heat with the wood-burning stove in the lower level/mancave. The furnace is just for backup and set at a steady temperature in case the fires burn low.

Cutting wood keeps Pete busy. Finding deadfall and bringing it home. Sharpening chainsaw blades, and buying gas for the log splitter. Keeps him out of my hair. You know how retired life goes. Grin. Pleasant autumn afternoons find Pete outside splitting wood for our winter's fires.

A partial stack of wood in the corner... MamaCat is heppin'

And we do enjoy heating with wood, though frankly, it's a pain in the tookas. Bring in wood. Build the fire. Try to regulate the temperature. Smoke in the house. Wood chips and ash around the stove. Not to mention the slivers in my socks and toes. Keeping enough moisture in the air... well you get the picture.

Yet, there's a comfort to the smell of the fire. Having heated with wood most of my adult life, it's just part of the winter routine. I can't imagine life without a fire to dispel Jack Frost's chill.

A fire in the stove

Of course, there is more than just split logs. We have to have paper and matches and kindling and and and...

One thing I decided to do years ago was to make fire starters. Well... fire helpers.

This week's project happens every fall.

Lint from the dryer, stuffed into old paper tubes and dipped in old melted wax from the thrift store.

Sometimes if I can find free/cheap pinecones I'll dip them too.

I have a friend who stuffs lint into her old tubes and brings them to me when she gets a bagful. Reuse and repurpose you know.

A small basket of firestarters

Just set one on top of the paper/kindling under the larger branches and logs. Strike the match and like magic, poofa, fire.

Pete doesn't need the firestarters, you know. Grin.

Though they make my life easier if I need to build the fire.

Sure beats rubbing two sticks together.

Oh, and one more thing before you go... Seedsofimaginationcards.com has a special holiday Thank You coupon code for readers of my blog. Enter the code (CCBLOG15) at checkout to get 15% off. Code expires December 31, 2021.