Winter rites of the Great North Woods

[jhetley]

Took advantage of the sun and warmth (25 F!  Whee!) to maintain our auxiliary heating system.  Let the stove go out*, took down the stovepipe and cleaned out creosote, shoveled ashes into a metal bucket, etc, etc.  Less creosote than I expected, barely enough to justify the effort.  Which, given the chimney-fire rate this time of the year in Maine, is just the amount I want to see . . .

*"Out", in this context, means cold and dark.  It does not mean you can shovel the ashes into a paper bag or cardboard box, another source of Fire Marshal visits to the smoldering ruins this time of year.  Did have some live coals buried there.  Hence, the metal bucket for the ash, and said bucket is now sitting out on the driveway asphalt rather than on our garage floor.  Another North Woods Survival Tip, free of charge.

Comments

[pagawne.livejournal.com]

While I grew up without wood stoves and fireplaces, I did enough camping that I am well aware that fires must be OUT and Cold, before leaving. I favor drowning them. Out fire, water, stir, more water, more stir, etc, until you are absolutely certain the fire, she is dead as last weeks toast.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

"Death by drowning" is, indeed, the proper way to leave a campfire. The state forest folks remind us of that every year . . .