It’s almost fire-pit season. The springtime yard clean-up is mostly done, and the trees are beginning to bud out. In a week or two, the evenings will be suitable for lighting the fire, sitting down on the glider with a ginger beer, and watching the flames.
I know that an evening fire on the edge of the woods is not a totally engrossing thing for many people. But for me, it offers the opportunity to completely relax. I’m not working at the computer or at the station, trying to make ancient equipment last another day. The topic is relaxation.
If I’m lucky, my wife will join me. In the dark, my dog, Max, is snuffling around, looking for adventure, and the cats are trying desperately to open the screen door. How dare we attempt to exclude them?
Yes! The season during which we were always sternly advised by the Old Farmer’s Almanac to “Beware the Pogonip” is gone. While those mountain freezing fogs were never a New England thing on a regular basis, this spring has been variable enough to warrant the warning. But with fire-pit season here all is fine.
Now all I have to do is find out where I put the bug spray last fall. Ouch! Damn black flies, no-see-ums, and mosquitoes! It’s bug season too!
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Oh, man. We love spending time at our firepit!
It’s a great way to relax.
I love how a fire completely engrosses me. My entire job becomes keeping it going while cleaning up all the fallen debris in the area, and shuffling burning bits around so everything stays hot and the coals burn up stuff an inch below the surface from last year. In between shuffling and stirring and collecting, I stare deep into the glowing red and watch alien patterns dancing across surfaces. It’s meditative and zero screens are involved.
You make a great point! Policing the area! After the winter, we have lots of burnables for the fire-pit, and then the ash can be spread around on the trails after a few days.
I thought of a firepit here, but decided against it. Living on a US highway makes sitting outside in summer not all that fun. As for bugs? I’m waiting for the arrival of the Wank Nozzles, but maybe the controlled burn and empty ponds at the Refuge will dissuade them…
How about a chiminea? They are compact and discreet.
So nice 👍
Love, love, love this!
Sitting and staring at a fire is so relaxing.
Cricketts, a rising moon, and the fire. It’s great.