This past weekend we visited a friend and hung out in his driveway with him and his wife, had a few beers and relaxed. He has a fire pit and so we all got to relax around a nice warming fire. After our recent camping trips it made my wife and I realized how much we enjoy sitting by a fire in the evenings. I recalled seeing fire pits at Home Depot over the weekend, so on Monday night I picked up a $30 bowl type fire pit, and the last two nights we’ve enjoyed sunset with a fire.

It’s amazing how a simple thing, like a fire, can make an evening feel just a bit more calm. Hearing the crackling of the wood, and the smell of the smoke, makes you nostalgic for simpler times. Making s’mores as we read, or type up blog entries, feels like the right way to relax on a Minnesota evening. Fire is soothing and warm, making the cooler nights feel more cozy. As we approach the impending winter, fighting it off with a fire feels like we’re winning the battle, even just a little bit.