Wood Cook Stove Days

 Outside, the weather has been cold...

in the single digits and teens. 

 Beautiful, 

 but frigid.

 Some don't mind the cold at all, they are well equipped....

Caspian for instance...

 

Or Little Bit here.  

Little Bit has a lotsa warm fuzzy hair to keep him warm 

and adorable as ever.

Inside, 

we have a wood cook stove 

that adds the extra warmth the lodge needs in this kind of weather.

The lodge is so very big, with high ceilings which make it challenging to keep heated.  

In the cold weather, below 20 degrees or so, we really have to keep the cook stove going all day

 for adequate heat through out the house.

Therefore, we are doing a majority of cooking on and in the charming cook stove. 

One can always find tea water, and often some pot of soup or sauce simmering.

Today we are making cheeseburger soup for lunch.

(no recipe, we just made it up)

                         
                        After a while, you get used to the rhythm of stocking the firebox with fuel.
                                                                   This I have enjoyed.
                                          If you a country gal who relishes in those little moments, 
                                                                   like baking by smell, 
                                                          then you know just what I mean.
                                                                                smile.

It has taken me some time to get the hang of kindling a good hot fire

 with a thick coal base

 that will enable me to close up the dampers

 and heat the oven to a cooking temperature.

And, I am still learning how to keep the oven an even temperature while baking. 

Smaller chunks of wood are used for a hot fire.

  Small logs have not burned well for us.

The boys are sure getting good exercise keeping the firewood split for the cook stove.

Now, I know it will be cold in the morning,

 so I like to have the wood all ready and inside,

 making the warming up of the lodge quicker, and....my cup of coffee prepared sooner.

The wood cook stove has been a real blessing, adding cozy warmth to our country home.

Now that we are using it every day, I cannot imagine life without it.

Today, as I look at the thermometer that reads 16 degrees,

the wood cook stove is going on my Thankful list, 

right after I have a bowl of that soup.