Fire starter

Oh yes, I can build a fire.

I used to believe a big, roaring campfire was something only the most seasoned outdoors-man could make. Pfff. My good friend and yoga buddy, Lauren Kilpatrick Brown, gave us a big wad of peanut hulls, orange peels, dryer lint, and candle wax as a Christmas gift.

Richard opened the package and peered inside. We both sat wondering what in the world this was all about. Lauren explained that this combination is good for building fires. As we frequently enjoy camping adventures and spending time on the deck with our chiminea, it was a great gift.

Now I have an assembly line in progress in my washroom pretty much year-round. Lint production slows in summer as I use my clothesline more, but the rainy fall and wintertime provide all the lint I need. I keep a little bin for collecting the lint each time I clean out my dryer. It is amazing how much is produced even in our small, 2 person household.

And nearby in the washroom window sill, I dry all my citrus peels. If you don’t need fire starters and have a garbage disposal, you can put them in and flip the switch to freshen your disposal. The only garbage disposal we have runs around on 4 legs and won’t touch orange peels, so I love this project. The peels dry nicely, and as they have flammable oils in them, they make a great addition to the mix.

Peanut hulls and pistachio shells go in when I have them. I also include my credit card receipts. No need for a paper shredder here! The chiminea takes care of it.

Finally, I collect any candle leftovers. Sometimes a candle melts all over the place, so I add the scraped up drippings. Or, if a candle has gotten to the bottom and just isn’t burning anymore, I throw in the whole thing.

I save my cardboard egg cartons. I tried using them as seed starters for my spring planting.  Fail… But they do make a nice receptacle for the flammable debris. I also use paper sacks from small purchases such as wine, greeting cards, and cosmetics.

I fill an assortment of the mix into my saved bags and cartons. When it’s time to do a little entertaining or yard cleanup outside, I grab one of these bad boys, place it in the chiminea, put a couple of small, dried sticks on top, and strike a match. It usually only takes one, and the flame takes hold. Make sure there is a little opening in the sack so oxygen can aid in its catching.

Once the starter is fully engulfed and the sticks have caught, I add the size appropriate tree limbs I’ve collected from our large, woodsy backyard. It’s a perfect solution and makes cleaning up the yard more like a festivity than a chore. I don’t know why we humans enjoy the crackling of the fire, but most of us do, and I’m no exception. Richard and I will pull chairs around and peer into the fire. Maybe it’s the contrast of the cool air and the heat from our little fireplace, but something draws you in to experience the warmth and watch the flames dancing inside our little fire cave.

I haven’t tried cooking in this thing yet. Still, my understanding is that the original intention of the chiminea was for baking bread. I’ve only seen them used for entertaining, but I aim to give cooking a try in the near future.

But that will be another story.

---