but to get maximum enjoyment from this goal, start a fire in someone’s heart.

And tend it.

like a good ol’ pinecone. Taught that to my daughter this last weekend. It should only take one match to light the cone. Have a handful of dry pine needles, dry leaves or even juniper bark to toss on it. That way that little pine cone fire gets fed right away and gets bigger from the fire fodder. Yum, yum the fire will say. While the fire is burning contentedly, find little sticks, dry little sticks, and feed them to the tiny fire. CAREFUL! Not too much at once lest the little fire get a stomach ache. Take your time, watch the fire and feed it only when it’s hungry. It will most favorably respond to your attention.

In time your fire will be ready for big branches. When that time comes put them on the fire slowly and crisscross the branches as you lay them in the fire. This will give the fire lots of fresh air so it won’t feel closed in and eventually extinguish. This is a critical step because so many people get excited at this point and throw logs in. DAMNIT, the fire’s not ready for that! You and your fire have just begun a relationship. Slow down and don’t rush things. Sheesh!

When your fire is ready for logs you will know because it will be big enough to work for you! Don’t bother cutting long logs into tiny ones. Lay the long logs over the fire half way and let the fire burn it in half. It can keep you warm now, BUT don’t try and cook on it yet! Yes, I know you want to because the fire is enticingly beautiful and warm. It’s just way to much fire and no coals. Wait until all the exciting “fluff” is gone and see what coals there are. Coals are so much better than the overrated flames. Coals can reignite and stay at a comparably stable heat. When you see nice coals . . . start cookin’.

When it’s time for the fire to die, and all good fires do, let it burn itself out even if you have more logs. It deserves to die that way after what it has done for you. If you must leave before it dies then pour some water over the coals. Always have a glass container with a metal lid around to take some of the fire’s coal with you. When you make a new fire put that coal in.

I use to do that until I didn’t want to think about the fires I made before. The glass jar broke one day and I threw it all away. I hope that doesn’t happen to you.

Good luck.

Oh, one more thing.
Next to us a gentleman was starting his fire by tossing charcoal lighter fluid on logs. His fire didn’t respect him and went out several times before using much of his fluid. When it was burning it was shallow and tiny, not a heart warming fire at all. The man simply was a barbarian and had no idea how to treat a fire. My daughter noticed this and without having said a word about this guy’s fire she said, “Daddy, your fire is better.”

Oh, and another thing.
Find different wood to feed the fire. Sometimes different wood will make the flames change in color, more blue or red and maybe both sometimes. Who really knows what the fire thinks but it looks cool. A good thing to remember though is that pine wood makes the best coals, if you want a long term fire.

singing . . .

Never know how much I love you
Never know how much I care
When you put your arms around me
I get a fever, that’s so hard to bear

You give me fever, when you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever, in the morning
Fever all through the night

Sun lights up the daytime
Moon lights up the night
I light up when you call my name
And I know I’m gonna treat you right

You give me fever, when you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever, in the morning
Fever all through the night

Everybody got’s the fever
That is something you all know
Fever isn’t such a new thing
Fever started long ago

Romeo loved Juliet
Juliet, she felt the same
When he put his arms around her
He said “Julie Baby, You’re my flame”
I’ll give his fever

When he kissed
Fever with thy flaming youth
Fever, I’m a fair
Fever, yeah I burn for sooth

Captain Smith and Pocahontas
Had a very very mad affair
When her Daddy tried to kill him
She said, Daddy, Oh, Don’t you dare
He gives me fever
With his kisses
Fever when he holds me tight
Fever, I’m his Mrs.
Daddy, won’t you treat him right

Now you’ve listened to my story
Here’s a point that I have made
Chicks were born to give you fever
Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade

They give you Fever, when you kiss them
Fever, if you live or learn
Fever, ‘til you sizzle
What a lovely way to burn

They give you Fever, when you kiss them
Fever, if you live and learn
Fever, ‘til you sizzle
What a lovely way to burn

What a lovely way to burn (they give you fever)
What a lovely way to burn (they give you fever)
What a lovely way to burn (they give you fever)

this year?