I Didn’t Start the Fire
I’ll admit it: I’m a fireplace failure.
When I purchased my home, one of the big selling points was a full-size living room fireplace. With the temperature steadily below freezing, ‘tis the season to get those logs a burnin’.
It’s a simple concept, no?
Get dry wood; add fire. Heck, even the cavemen could do it, and I’m supposedly more evolved. But I’ve been a bust. Actually, more like a fizzle.
Regardless of the tactic I take or the method I use, nothing I do is able to light a sustaining fire (more than an hour). I’ve tried different woods, various stacking techniques, and lighting it from a dozen different directions.
I am conservative by nature. No stacks of newspaper. No flammable liquids. And no ‘fire starters.’ The only thing I have been able to ignite is a plethora of opinions from family and friends on how to get a fire roaring. Much of this advice is unsolicited. Worse yet, the majority is coming from urban dwellers who have never owned a fireplace in their life.
It might sound overly-cautious, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to risk every single thing I own by being cavalier about a fire. When you strip away everything else, the reality is that you are bringing one of nature’s most destructive forces into your home. I don’t care what you say, it’s risky business.
So now how on Earth do I get this thing lit?
You could try starting it with a candle and some kindling and build it up to a level you’re comfortable with? Chop a normal candle into a few shorter bits and light them all…
Good luck – starting fire the first time can be a bit daunting.
Louisa said this on December 23, 2008 10:59 pm