The Significance Of The Fire

HeatingHelp

The Significance Of The Fire

The Irish made fires that never went out. The fire in the hearth was for cooking and for warmth, and it smoldered for hundreds of years in some cases. In this episode, Dan Holohan reflects on his heating heritage.

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cubbydog

Maybe we don’t burn turf or grass, but I have never lived in a house without a woodstove !

Jamie Hall

There is something deeply instinctive in us which reacts positively to the smell of a little wood smoke -- or peat, or even coal -- on the wind. Home, safety, security... we simply can't avoid it, even for those unfortunate folk in suburbs and cities who have never experienced it. (of course there are always those who complain about air pollution... they have my sympathy).

ethicalpaul

We actually have fireplaces and fire pits even in the cities and suburbs, Jamie

And sometimes, just sometimes, people in the city go camping! We don't feel unfortunate, country mouse

I can even walk to get coal-fired pizza for lunch if I want!

ChrisJ

ethicalpaul said:

We actually have fireplaces and fire pits even in the cities and suburbs, Jamie

And sometimes, just sometimes, people in the city go camping! We don't feel unfortunate, country mouse

I can even walk to get coal-fired pizza for lunch if I want!

Charcoal grills.
Pellet grills.
Smokers.

Chimeneas
Fire pits.

WMno57

ethicalpaul said:

I can even walk to get coal-fired pizza for lunch if I want!

Clean coal I hope . D'Amato's Bakery is possibly the last operating coal bakery in Chicago. I have not been to the actual store yet, but have purchased their bread in Chicagoland grocery stores. Very good!
https://damatoschicago.com/

"Our coal burning oven has been standing since 1912. Everyday we feed the hopper with coal and get it ready for the next day and so forth."

DanHolohan

Ahh, but it’s the chat that matters most. 

Henry

A very good story! That is why I have a gas 60,000 BTU firepit on my deck. It is for friends to sit and talk in front of a fire!

exqheat

It's in our DNA. I grew up with central coal heating. Tending to the coal fire was a fundemental as cooking. Before central heating, fire places were a constant watch for heat, cooking and safety. How often as a kid did we sit to find illusive shapes of animals and objects in the fireplace. How much time did we spend gathering fuel as a family, cleaning up wood after storms and being grateful fr the new supply for cooler times. The fire provides comfort for the group gatherd, an if you have experience, well warmed marshmellow treats that did not go on fire.

SlamDunk

Jamie Hall said:

......... we simply can't avoid it, even for those unfortunate folk in suburbs and cities who have never experienced it. (of course there are always those who complain about air pollution... they have my sympathy).

@Jamie Hall . What!?!😂
My parents raised us in the Bronx; We experienced bigger and more frequent fires than most country folk. Sure, it was peoples' homes but still....fire. And homeless people, everwhere, had trash can fires to stay warm-still do today. Car fires, dumpster fires, people on fire...... Why do you think cities have hydrants on every corner? 😅.

Now, if city folk were unfortunate for anything, it would be never seeing stars! I was shocked,at 12 yrs old, to go camping in MA and seeing stars for the first time! That is unfortunate!

Rusty2

SlamDunk said - "Now, if city folk were unfortunate for anything, it would be never seeing stars!"

We used to go camping in the High Sierras. You would see from horizon to horizon belts of stars, clouds of stars. The first time you experience this it will leave you speechless when suddenly dawns on you that we are IN the stars. But now the stars are almost "all gone" and now there isn't even a chance to experience that gut realization of where we are.

SlamDunk

I asked my scout master, while sitting around a campfire (Oooo - Fire!) why didnt we have stars like this in NY? After a lot of laughter, he explained light pollution to me. Then, soon after, for the only time in my life, I saw stars in the NYC night sky.

We had a total blackout. While people were looting below my fire escape ( more Fire!), I was looking up. If anyone ever gets bored looking at stars, they are dead inside.

hot_rod

Come to Utah for some dark sky locations. We have 9 dark sky parks!

https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/astronomy-holidays-stargazing-tour/10-dark-sky-parks-in-the-u-s-you-need-to-visit/

Rusty2

Wow, that photo is stunning.