A "cool" fire

Well, the time of year has slowly crept up on us, the time of year that a cozy fire in one's fireplace is very soothing. Especially after working outside in the chilly, fall air. Today, for the first time since moving into my house, I took advantage of my own fireplace and spent most of my evening reading my home town newspapers, eating, and just enjoying the warmth of the fire and the beauty of the embers. My two cats were quite intrigued as well. They have never been around the likes of a fireplace. One of them enjoyed laying on the ceramic tile in front of the fire for a short time. And the gray one, as you can see from the photos, just stayed cautiously nearby. I still need to find myself a fireplace set: a stoker, broom, shovel, etc., as well as a firewood rack for inside near the fireplace. Also, I will need to order a supply of firewood for the winter. But that will happen this week, hopefully.

The outdoor scent of burning wood was evident when I stepped outside for a brief moment, just to get a whiff of what I always relate to camping. Not to mention the fact that it always makes me think of family gatherings during the holidays. The cold air that envelops a person quickly erased by the warmth of a fire. I remember as kids, driving around Tioga, ND and smelling the crisp, night air (which usually hovered around the -20* mark or colder!) as the residents made good use of their own fireplaces. It seemed to be such a fresh scent. God bless my fireplace!

Yoda, enjoying(?) the fire