We have totally lucked out with weather this month. Warm sun and not a single day of rain. Not one! I'm sure the parts of the Pacific Northwest that are going up in smoke at this moment aren't as happy about that as I am, but we've really had it very easy for this project.
But what if we didn't? What if it was cold and rainy and we still had to cook and wash clothes and be happy? Fire. Gotta have fire.
So how do you get fire? Glad you asked. I'll show you. Maybe you already know this, and I knew some of it, but in case you haven't yet acquired this vital skill, I'll teach you how to make fire. Who knows? Maybe you can win Survivor with this!
Lots of air is the key to starting a good fire. Actually, any fire.
You start with a bunch of paper folded into nice, fluffy wads (not just dropped in as fat sheets.)
Then loosely pile on some kindling - little, splintery bits of wood. Babies, not grown up logs. Again, lots of air space in between.
Lots of air!! Open all the dampers, portholes, whatever.
Light the pile and blow. A Magic Fire Stick is really useful for this. Keep blowing until the everything is blazing or you pass out.
Only when you have a bit of heat going and some nice bright flames should you add the big guys, the logs. But don't dump them on in a heap. You guessed it...leave air space! If your fire goes out, it probably can't breathe. If it smokes a lot, it's choking to death. Give it air! Either that, or your wood is wet, but you didn't need me to tell you that you can't start a fire with wet wood, did you?
Now, some fire music to get you in the mood:
The Ohio Players, with "Fire, duh duh duh, duh duh duh." Gotta love the 70s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y47G-Wa4qfs
"Fire", Bruce Springsteen. You can have The Pointer Sisters if you like; I'll take The Boss. Oh yeah.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5PoIrcyd34
Autumn
No comments:
Post a Comment