The other day it was a bit warm out. Today, however, we are watching what amounted to (according to the table on my deck) about 9" of snow melt.
I had the other day off and I wound up walking my dog around the yards of my development. It was sunny and she wasn't shivering a cold shiver (just her normal chihuahua shiver). I've taken to throwing on what I call my muck boots, strappin Bella up and off we go. We get pretty adventurous that little dog and I. We wound up on the upside (i.e. forbidden side) of the quarry. It equates to about a 100ft drop with the edges mushy. It was breathtaking. People don't understand that when you are from this area you have a natural pull back safety mechanism...you know how close you can get at certain times of the year! Then we trekked the outskirts of the whole place. She roots around like some miniature piglet and I survey the woods - we both have farm dreams and detach from reality during these walks. She's my best girl.
The geese are making their way back as evidenced by the cocktail party sounds from the swamp on the bird sanctuary side. The natural rhythm of these sorts of things always set me correct. I came in and made a kickin cabbage and stewed tomato soup (easiest recipe ever!) to warm up. I was still restless and decided the perfect ending would be a fire in the old cast iron pot belly stove at dads!
My brother and I pulled this stove out of the woods a long long long time ago. That was when there was a ton of good pullin around these parts (now, if anything, it's literally just litter along our roads). Back in the day when this was a summer-home-town, city folks that would come up and just let things go that they didn't want. (Dad had found an intricate wooden bird cage once!) Time marched on and summer homes (ours included) were transformed into year round homes. And we got out of Brooklyn for good.
Anyway, my brother and I hauled this thing home, painted it blue and white for mom, stuck a plant in it and on the deck it sat for years. Those were the days when my life was more about aesthetics than usefulness. Now I haul things around and find a few uses...this is the best chiminea $ didn't buy! We've set this ablaze, warmed food on it, popped corn on it, boiled water for hot chocolate, gotten rid of newspapers and all the little twigs that storms leave behind. But some days when I'm off and on my own and the kids are in school, I head over there, light it up and breathe into Crisy fire meditation. Fire is alive, it is comfort for me on a level I can't explain...a level other than warmth. It's a connected feeling with all that came before, a basic ingredient to being human. After my divorce I bought a townhouse with a gas fireplace. No muss, no mess, just flip a switch. It doesn't even come close.
So there I sat for a good long while.. The light started to change and I knew it was time to head in. My dad suggested putting in a proper pretty outdoor fire pit...the protests of everyone were fast and furious! If he ever does though, this beauty will be in my garage until it rests on my own dirt on my own farm. A proper place for sure!
Here's to fire we make and take with us
