Ah, woodpiles and fireplaces!!! There lie the two passions that propel me into actually enjoying bad weather. Someone said, "the darker the weather outside, the brighter the fire." I am a certified "pyromaniac" and plan to revel in that mania for as long as I can haul the wood into the house and onto the hearth. There is no such thing as loneliness beside a winter fire. There is never a want of companionship beside it's warmth. Nothing can fill me with an awareness of my blessings or invite contentment like sitting by our blazing hearth. Looking out from my fireside seems to hold at arm's length any nagging discontent that might rob me of recognizing the everyday, ordinary blessings I see from this" best seat in the house."
Fires and their amazing emotional benefits aren't limited to fireplaces inside your home. A little fire in your yard on a cool afternoon does wonders for your soul. Last week I spent several magic afternoons in Clare's New England backyard around a campfire that served as a magnet to neighborhood children (experimenting with a stick and crescent roll dough), and later a lovely little tea party with an elderly widow invited from next door. They were packed with more entertainment, goodwill and happiness than any elegant catered affair. Oh, and who can forget what it does to a hot dog or a marshmallow!
I can't write another word about fires without praising its source- the humble woodpile. The sight of one, lovingly stacked, elevates my blood pressure a bit. When I spot one beside a house,the desire to stare, to covet, to picture its influence over their home makes me a danger to other drivers. Phil didn't realize when we said our vows that I wanted to add to the "better or worse" part a vow to include a promise to keep the woodpile full, no matter the hardship, no matter the expense. Fortunately, he loves fires too and only needs to see my ever increasing depression set in when the woodpile is decreasing to do whatever it takes to replenish the honored commodity. I'm ever grateful for that!
"Happiness grows at our own firesides, and it is not to be picked in stranger's gardens."
"The family fireside is the best of schools."
"You are a king, by your own fireside, as much as any monarch on his throne."
1 comment:
You do make great fires Elaine, even in the cooler Spring and Summers! Clare's fire in her living room looks lovely! I'm glad ya'll had a nice time. Thanks for my Macoun apple! I put it in the refrigerator for it to get cold and then I bit into it and pretended I was eating it right off the side of the road with you girls in that cool, crisp Massachusetts air!
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