Fire Master!

A few years ago, on December 23 - my husband tried to blow up our house.  

He failed. However, he did manage to burn off a 1-inch circumference of his hairline, from one ear to the other. His goatee and eyebrows also melted like plastic.  It looked like someone had splattered spackle in place of his facial hair.  hmmmmmmmm.  

We moved from that house, and didn't think we would ever have the exciting opportunity for him to blow us all to kingdom come again.

But, hoo. ray.  We moved.  New home.... with a wood burning stove.  Again.

I'm not sure why he has a death wish, or more importantly, why he wants to subject ME to his shenanigans.  As a chef, he has the utmost respect for the sharpest knives.  You would think that a chef would also have the highest regard for fire, no?

When he gets too close to any flame, I shout in alarm, "Watch out!  That's hot!"

He smirks and replies with his cool, unphased demeanor, "Only to the average man."  I wish you could see my face right now.  Deep, cleansing breath.

Anywho. We heat our home with a lovely, wood-burning stove.... Here we go again!

IMPORTANT NOTE:  When you load up your cold stove with so much wood that there is no possible way for it to even BREATHE... and the smoke behind that glass door is swirling around like a tornado.... please, tell someone what you did.  Ya know - so your wife doesn't come over and say, "what in the world is happening here?  Let me just open this glass door and see wh"........BOOOOOOM!  

It's a good thing I opened that door with caution (aka REVERENCE FOR THE FIRE), because opening it slowly still knocked me back 3 feet and rattled every window in the house.

I swear.  That man.

I'm not even going to tell you about the CO alarm going off at 3 am and my 6'8" husband climbing on top of the chair which was on top of the table... and how he fell.... and..... SIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Enter: Fire Master

Why did I need to become the Fire Master?  Because SOMEONE needed to be. ha!

I have much to learn about the ways of the fire.  But... after reading posts from the homesteading group - and @freedomtowrite and @freedompoint encouraging me to share my tips.... I thought I would!

When you first start off, I've read (and experienced) that it's ok to have about an 1" light covering of old ash in the stove.

Here's what mine looked like. (and notice our new cast iron humidifier on top of the stove!  We used to use a normal kettle - but THIS thing has a lovely wide mouth that spews out steam!!!)

Then... I don't know why - but this is part of the secret!  When I used to use crumpled up paper for my starter, (I prefer junk mail hehehehe) I used to toss them in one at a time.  The flame would light quickly - but die down just as fast.  

The secret tip: (and maybe you all already know this?  hahaha)  Make a log cabin, with the paper crumpled lightly in the center.

As you build your log cabin, the logs will keep the papers together and concentrate their heat.  Instead of the heat burning up quickly and fizzling out, it burns and continues to burn!  HOT!

  

Continue to build your log cabin, filling the space in the middle with the paper as you go.

Now here is the wild part!  Normally, when building a fire, the heavy logs aren't really a part of the initial mix!  But with this technique - they go right in!  There they are at the top, resting on top of my smaller pieces of split wood.  Everything is going to ignite quickly and generate so much heat!!!

While I was setting this fire up this morning, I asked the hubby to go get some more logs off the porch.  He is a good LOG Master.  I stroke his ego with this. hehe  Take a look at this cool carrying sack that his sister got him for Christmas.  It's leather and lays flat when empty, but wraps up the logs so nicely to carry in the house!

Now... it's time to light!

It took only 4 minutes total, from the time I lit the paper to the time it was a roaring fire.  

The sight below is confirmation that I AM FIRE MASTER!!!!!! hahaha  (Not sure if you can tell, but it's registering that it's at the very onset of the BEST OPERATION stage!)   gold star for me :)

Take any tips that help and feel free to share!  Please be safe.

Respect the fire! Don't blow up your family.