A wood goodbye
Afriend was glad to see me, mentioning the column about buying a gas insert after burning real wood my entire life, but he didn’t waste time before asking if he could relieve me of my wood.
“Do you think I can come by today and pick up your wood?” he asked.
He wasn’t asking about me, he couldn’t have cared less whether I lived or jumped into a fiery volcano, all he cared about was my wood. My ready-to-burst-into-flames, seasoned-for-two summers quarter-cord of olive wood.
I’m glad I didn’t die because he’d be after my stylish new pants, back scratcher and manzanita wood letter opener.
I learned something, not only about friendship but about fires after sitting on the back deck the last couple of nights in front of the rectangular propane fire pit. Smell is important, but less so than the sound of the fire, the flickering flames and the warmth.
A propane fire can deliver the last three and then maybe you have to snort some pine cones or chew some oak-flavored tobacco. Take my wood, you wood-burning shark. I’m moving on. Soon I will no longer speak of wood.
•••
Mark Glasser, an oldtime Racquet Club friend who now lives in Door County on Lake Michigan, what he calls one of the most beautiful places in the country, responded to the column on gas inserts.
“I enjoyed reading about your new gas insert. I especially liked your reference to the family camping trips. There is something special about sitting around a campfire in the woods.
“On my backpacking trip to the Sierras this year, we could not have a fire due to the restrictions, and it wasn’t the same. We had a beautiful campsite in French Canyon with an unlimited supply of wood, but no fire.
“Here in Door County, we do not have an indoor fireplace, but I have two campfire rings for outside fires which I enjoy. Because we live on Lake Michigan, the wind determines when and where to have a fire.”
•••
It’s no surprise that Pete Tittl, longtime Californian restaurant reviewer, English teacher and general multipurpose life savant, is miles ahead of the game when it comes to gas inserts.
“They are easier to use, produce cleaner air, there is no fireplace to clean out and no no-burn days to worry about.
“We got two from Econo Air years ago and they heat up the whole house.”
If Pete were in his 20s or 30s, he would be an influencer. Somebody who shows you the way. Where Pete goes, it is best to follow.
•••
How delicious is this fall? It makes you want to sit in front of a fire. Whatever kind of fire that is.
••• Shafter’s finest Dolly Hei responded to the column about visiting our two grandchildren in San Diego.
“I wrote to a dear niece about the joy she finds in being a grandparent, and then re-read your Halloween tribute to that station in life.
“I never guessed what being a grandparent would mean, but Katye taught me forty years ago, and Lindsay, Zack and Sarah clinched the deal. The purest love I’ve ever felt, bar none. It has almost nothing to do with the subjects, but more with some unexpected welling up of immense emotion that surprised and awed me! I wondered, (somewhat guiltily), if I had loved my own two children as much as I did these new ones. I was enchanted, entranced, relaxed, free to enjoy their genius and beauty and entertaining qualities for all the reasons you note.”
Well said.