Ramblings from late winter

[PapaDave]

Just thought I'd relate a little story from this past weekend. A lot of folks on here mention how they enjoy sitting in front of the stove/insert watching the fire and feeling the warmth.
My sis-in-law was up for a few days, and stayed with us. I haven't been getting up in the wee hours of the morning to reload the stove, because it's been warm enough to not need that little exercise.
So, fire got started whenever I got up (usually about 6-7), I let it go out for the day, then did a restart later in the afternoon/early evening.
Here's the good part.....I found my sil in one of the recliners with a quilt over her, staring at the fire, ....several times. It was a nice change of perspective for me, since I usually look at the fire to determine how it's doing so I can open/close the air, add wood or just leave it alone.
It's usually more about the heat than ambiance, for me, but now.............well, never too old to learn, eh?

 

[NH_Wood]

Yes, it's nice when folks come over and really appreciate the beauty of the fire - I do appreciate the view, but, as you said, it is easy to just start treating the stove as a heat source and not emphasize the beauty - but.....I do often just sit and watch the fire! Cheers!

 

[PapaDave]

Also had another sil mention how much better the heat from a woodstove feels than from a furnace. I agreed, and said that it's because the heat is always on with the woodstove. Furnace heat comes and goes.

 

[GAMMA RAY]

I'm guilty myself of just hangin and watchin the fire...husband thinks I'm crazy, sometimes it's therapeutic though for me....specially after work and all....it does seem that when friends and family come over that is were everyone wants to congregate.....

 

[yooperdave]

two things man will never tire of watching...fire is one. water is the other.

 

[davegore2005]

Hey, I am in Liverpool, in the UK and we got a woodburner installed just over a year ago....I am like many of you guys here and scavenge for wood wherever I can find it, internet, freecycle, they work well for me, and for myself and the mrs there is nothing better than just staring at the fire....the flames are almost hypnotic and whenever anyone calls to the house it's a real talking point, I simply love it and would not be without it

Dave

 

[LLigetfa]

Also had another sil mention how much better the heat from a woodstove feels than from a furnace..

I've been sick for the past week and keeping the fire going or relighting it despite how mild it may get. The forced air furnace drives my sinuses crazy so the wood fire has been a nice respite.

BTW, WRT the title, you're off by one day. Today is the first day of Spring. The snow of yesterday turned to a drizzle.

 

[begreen]

Hey, I am in Liverpool, in the UK and we got a woodburner installed just over a year ago....I am like many of you guys here and scavenge for wood wherever I can find it, internet, freecycle, they work well for me, and for myself and the mrs there is nothing better than just staring at the fire....the flames are almost hypnotic and whenever anyone calls to the house it's a real talking point, I simply love it and would not be without it

Dave

Welcome Dave, happy spring!

LLigetfa, sorry to hear you were sick. Hope you are on the mend and feeling a lot better now.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

two things man will never tire of watching...fire is one. water is the other.

You'd best add one more to that list Dave. What about the ladies?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes, welcome Mr. Dave Gore.


PapaDave, methinks maybe you will resume the fire building during the night again as our forecast doesn't look too hot. Also you should not put that snow shovel away just yet. There is more on the way. Looks like you should get more than we will and that suits me just fine.

 

[woodchip]

Hey, I am in Liverpool, in the UK and we got a woodburner installed just over a year ago....

A very warm welcome from someone else in England

Nothing beats the warmth from a woodburner, or the view of the wood burning to make that warmth.

Air ducts from furnaces just don't have the same appeal.

Particularly when you watch your hard earned money go out to some utility company.

Perfection must be sitting next to your wife in front of your woodburner, glass of wine in hand, with a fountain happily going out in the yard.......

All bases covered there methinks

 

[LLigetfa]

two things man will never tire of watching....

What about the ladies?

The ladies I know never tire of watching for sales/bargains. My wife says she never tires of watching me work either.

 

[PapaDave]

Also had another sil mention how much better the heat from a woodstove feels than from a furnace..

I've been sick for the past week and keeping the fire going or relighting it despite how mild it may get. The forced air furnace drives my sinuses crazy so the wood fire has been a nice respite.

BTW, WRT the title, you're off by one day. Today is the first day of Spring. The snow of yesterday turned to a drizzle.

Hope you're feeling better.
Re: the "official" start of spring, well, 'ya got me there, but it's still below freezing at night and I'm still having fires. That's winter to me, despite the date.
We're also due for some snow.....any second now. Another sign of winter.
I think I'll go watch the fire.

 

[LLigetfa]

Hope you're feeling better.
Re: the "official" start of spring, well, 'ya got me there, but it's still below freezing at night and I'm still having fires. That's winter to me, despite the date.
We're also due for some snow.....any second now. Another sign of winter.
I think I'll go watch the fire.

I was starting to get over the flu but then my long dormant herpes (cold sores) surfaced. Haven't had an outbreak in years. Mind you, I haven't had a bout of flu in years either.

To add insult to injury, I got a migraine which I haven't had in months. If bad things truly come in threes as they say, I should be all set now.

As for the late Winter versus early Spring, I'm looking at my glass as half full, not half empty. It's hard to be that optimistic with more than a foot of snow still on the ground. I like to joke that "I tried that positive thinking stuff once but I just knew it wouldn't work".

The snow will be gone soon and I can turn my thoughts to lawn care, another OCD that rivals my woodstacking OCD.

 

[davegore2005]

Hey, I am in Liverpool, in the UK and we got a woodburner installed just over a year ago....

A very warm welcome from someone else in England

Nothing beats the warmth from a woodburner, or the view of the wood burning to make that warmth.

Air ducts from furnaces just don't have the same appeal.

Particularly when you watch your hard earned money go out to some utility company.

Perfection must be sitting next to your wife in front of your woodburner, glass of wine in hand, with a fountain happily going out in the yard.......

All bases covered there methinks

everything apart from the fountain actually....so are you a scavenger like me or do you have to pay for your wood??

dave

 

[iceisasolid]

Hope you're feeling better.
...cold sores... surfaced. Haven't had an outbreak in years. Mind you, I haven't had a bout of flu in years either. To add insult to injury, I got a migraine which I haven't had in months. If bad things truly come in threes as they say, I should be all set now.

Just a word of caution, cold sore outbreaks, new headaches may be something to pay attention to, especially in the setting of posterior neck pain and fever. Get well.

RE: looking at fire... we have no cable only the "fire" channel. Lots of time is spent unwinding in front of the fire.

-Ray

 

[PapaDave]

Yes, welcome Mr. Dave Gore.


PapaDave, methinks maybe you will resume the fire building during the night again as our forecast doesn't look too hot. Also you should not put that snow shovel away just yet. There is more on the way. Looks like you should get more than we will and that suits me just fine.

Not to worry Dennis. The plow is still on the tractor.
I know better than to put it away this early.

Welcome to the Hearth, Dave from Liverpool.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Dave, I took the plow off a couple weeks ago and am just hoping.... Yesterday we had rain with some snow mixed in but mostly rain. Then after dark we had some thunder. That is not good. Thunder in March means a dry summer.

 

[firefighterjake]

two things man will never tire of watching...fire is one. water is the other.

You'd best add one more to that list Dave. What about the ladies?

I swear Dennis that we are long lost relatives . . . as I read YooperDave's post I was thinking . . . "Only two things . . . I don't tire of watching women myself." Honestly, other than our opinion on splitting horizontal vs. vertical we could be twins . . . albeit you would be the older but more in shape twin and I would be the younger, but fat, balding twin.

 

[firefighterjake]

For the record . . . almost done with Year 3 and I still find myself turning off the TV once in a while just to watch the fire . . . there truly is something mesmerizing about fire when it is contained and is being used as a tool to provide warmth and light at a campfire or in a woodstove . . . seeing it level a home on the otherhand . . . well this I cannot abide and do not find so relaxing or mesmerizing.

 

[PapaDave]

Dennis, looks like we're due for anywhere from 1-12" tonight-tomorrow-tomorrow night. The real bad stuff USUALLY stops at Gaylord, and we get the remnants.
We'll see.
Jake, I couldn't do what you do.
You guys remind me of da Ahhnuld and Danny DeVito in "Twins". Sort of...... If one of you had lots of muscles and the other was short and pudgy.
I can almost see the resemblance from here. Almost. :lol:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Dave, I just looked at our forecast and it does not look too great. 4-7" of snow and maybe up to 1/2" of ice. Nasty. Maybe we can send this on to Jake so he can get in his miles.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

two things man will never tire of watching...fire is one. water is the other.

You'd best add one more to that list Dave. What about the ladies?

I swear Dennis that we are long lost relatives . . . as I read YooperDave's post I was thinking . . . "Only two things . . . I don't tire of watching women myself." Honestly, other than our opinion on splitting horizontal vs. vertical we could be twins . . . albeit you would be the older but more in shape twin and I would be the younger, but fat, balding twin.

:lol: Okay brother Jake. Someday you may see the light on splitting but although you may be a bit heavier (I doubt it) than I, I certainly have you on the age. Also not in too good of shape right now. Hopefully will get better though.

On your mileage on the snow machine you remind me of me keeping track of mileage when I ride the bike. Actually I was really hoping for 5,000 miles this year but now I have to doubt that as I can't even ride right now and have lost all conditioning. One thing I have learned too is that getting into better condition takes a lot longer with age...

 

[billb3]

two things man will never tire of watching...fire is one. water is the other.

You'd best add one more to that list Dave. What about the ladies?

+1

except, when I'm 80 and they start looking like dancing prunes I might want to stare into the flames and remember watching the ladies ...

 

[Backwoods Savage]

When I turn 80 I fully expect to still be enjoying watching the ladies and I can see no reason to expect anything different. My wife told me when we got married I can always feel free to look; just don't touch. I've kept my word too....and still enjoy the looking.