As some of you know, Donna and I are currently living in a tent. One of the high points of our adventure is the experience of finding that after all these years I can still build a one match campfire. Granted, that skill means little in today’s world of modern technology and city living, but once upon a time people needed to know how to build a fire; and the ability is serving us well right now.
This is a skill I learned almost forty years ago when I was in the Boy Scouts ( Troop # 1 – Unadilla, NY ). I hope Jim Poole and Al Gurney (the Korean War veterans who were my scoutmasters back in those days) are smiling down from heaven at the length which their teaching has lasted.
The assortment of materials used -- from right to left in the first picture – are: tinder (shredded pieces of wood ranging the thickness of string or yarn) the next is a pile of kindling (pieces of wood ranging from pencil to finger thickness) then a collection of thumb thickness, then two fingers thick, then three and then four fingers thickness.
I start with two of the thumb thick pieces placed in a V-shape.
Then place the tinder on top of the narrow end.
The pictures tell the rest of the story.
I had to use a lighter to light the match as the darn things got damp.
I used a square lay for the initial build.
Then I switched to a teepee build.
Wrist sized pieces of wood were used once the small fire had started.
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Comments: 45
Great job!
My son too is living outdoors. He called up and said he has a good thing going.
Is this a camping trip, something that you wanted to do, have to do? I have been gone from gather for a while.
Full of questions that are non of my business aren't I?
I told my kid he has to get onto that journal he has been wanting to write!
Yes you certainly are full of questions. Luckily, I don't mind answering them at all. Our camping is something we have to be doing; although it's not something we really mind doing. The only things that are truly bothersome would be the cold of our uninsulated tent and the dampness that gets everywhere when it rains. We here that there may be snow flurries where we are this weekend, so waking to snow outside the tent will be a new experience for us; well, new to Donna more than I. I camped in snow both as a Boy Scout and during my Air Force Survival training days.
Journaling is something I am definitely doing; blogging about it here on Gather is something both Donna and I are going to try and keep up on. It's a bit challenging with a max of two hours per day computer time for each of us. We both have lots to do on the computer regarding trying to find work and keep up with our non-Gather writing projects.
I hope that's not more information than you wanted.
1 - winter.
2. the same.
3. that I hope you don't become so accustomed to it that you lose hope...
We just finished buying a new heater for our tent at Home Depot so we expect to be warmer tonight than we have been so far. I had purchased the heater Donna and I were using several years before I met her, which means it was over ten years old. It gave up the ghost on us last night. The tent was cold, but we were warm and snug under our many layers of blankets. We expect that the new heater will work way better than the old.
Don't worry about us losing hope. Donna and I are both devout positive thinkers and we both have options we are working on for our future. We fully expect to be living indoors before the middle of next month.
Thank so much for caring. It means a lot to us.
Donna and I have decided to blog as often as we can about the experience. We'll both be sending out notices via the Gather Broadcasting group when we post things.
Well Met, fellow camper.
put some light tinder on the next morn... One fire was good for the two weeks we were allowed to camp in each spot. I have two of those small pivoting heaters from home depot..they are good to heat my entire house here in florida. really good for camping! Stay warm, my friends...:)
Those little heaters are the bomb. ours doesn't pivot but it sure does keep our tent toasty warm simply on its medium setting. Last night we actually had to turn it off as the outside temps were above forty.
PETER! =O
Well, it certainly is warmer here than on the UP of Mich; so that's in our favor. LOL
Although I grew up with all the comforts of 1960's small town living I can say that after spending three month blocks of my childhood summers in campgrounds with pit latrines I also developed a great appreciation for the ability to flush.
Interestingly, I don't miss watching TV one bit; even though there were/are some great shows this season whose premieres I really liked.
I hated the damp.
(and bugs)
Winter camping was brutal (but we had no heater).
Hot chocolate helps - but boy does it cool down fast in the mug.
ha ha
I liked camping because it got me away from the farm. Cooking over the fire was fun. I caught on fire once and my jeans went up (probably from all the tractor grease on them - boy did they do up fast!!!), but I was wearing long underwear so I didn't get burnt at all.
I have to chuckle at all you've said. Camping is definitely not for everyone. I don't remember ever setting my clothes on fire, but we used to get damp clothes steaming up pretty good. I melted the soles of my shoes quite regularly. I wasn't happy with frozen toes.
Actually I am usually standing too close to the 'fire' in one instance or another!!! Sometimes I've melted more than my tennies!
The good part is you smell like wood smoke - I like that.
Peter - I absolutely agree about the smell of natural wood smoke getting into your clothes. I LOVE it !!!
Yup, it all just depends on where your life style is at; and ours is in a place to make use of these things.
Thanks for commenting.
I had to get my own firewood, and wash clothes in town. I remember it well.
Had to open the lid to the spring with a rake to kill the water moccasins.
Yeah, I have both friends and family members who say much the same thing. They also grumble about things like having to walk a block to use a restroom and having to use water from a jug, rather than a spigot.
Roughing it is definitely not palatable to everyone.
The biggest downside thus far is that the bathroom is not heated....YIKES!!! on a cold morning.
Yup, She does; although we both hope to be living indoors come November.
But, to be honest, I wouldn't wish to have to camp forever. I'm pretty spoiled!
I'm glad you like where you are and make do. That's true courage.
Thanks for posting to my group, Anythingwriting
Personally, I'd love to camp forever; providing I had the wherewithal to move around the country chasing the warm seasons. I've often dreamed of landing a writing job that paid for blogging/journaling of such adventurous living.
Thanks for accepting this to your group.
Glad you've got some of those very neccesary old world skills to get you through. The way the economy seems to be going, it seems many more may need such skills.
Best of luck to you and Donna. Bless the courages heart, and the bold spirit.
Stay safe. I'll keep you both in my thoughts.
Yup, those skills are coming in handy right now. Donna and I are both thankful that were are not (yet) faced with living in one of the many tent villages that the news agencies report have been popping up all around the country.
Thank you so much for your blessings and your thoughts.