FIREWOOD

When the nights get cold, it is nice to have a fire in the old fireplace. Are you are one of those who have one? I like to have a fire every now and then. (If there is no fire ban going on.) I also like to chop firewood, split it, stack it, and burn it. We also have one of them new fangled fire pit things that set in your backyard. It is like having a camp fire.

On some nights when we have a fire going, Nugget (our dog) likes to curl up on his bed in front of the fire. When I was a little kid, we would pop Jiffy Pop popcorn in the fireplace. (Any one remember Jiffy Pop pop corn?) And we'd have Dr. Pepper with ice cream. Or just have a hot Dr. Pepper. My sister and I would come into the house about half frozen from playing outside. We would take hot baths, were put in our pajamas, and would wrap ourselves in a big old blanket and set in front of the fireplace. Sometimes we would end up falling asleep there on the floor and the fireplace just keep on warming us all night long.

We would get up the next morning and have pancakes, eggs, bacon, and what we called homemade orange juice. The house was nice and cozy. We could not wait to get dressed after breakfast and head outside to go play again in the snow. Weekends always seemed to go by so fast when we were kids. And Grand Dad would come out and cut up more firewood. My sister and I would help carry the wood into the house. I learned how to chop wood with a little hachet that was used for making kindling to start the fire with.

As I got older and learned how to use an axe, hammer, and wedge, I found that I liked to cut wood. I got to be pretty good at it after doing it for several years. It got to the point that I was allowed to do the job by myself. I still like doing it to this day. And when I do, the memories and smells of years gone by come whooshing right back.

So, stoke up your fire, pop some popcorn, have a drink, and stay warm on these cold nights.