if you want to build a fire in the snow, start by finding a water barrier such as tarp. otherwise, the heat will melt the snow and you will soon be in a puddle of water.
there are many good ways to arrange the fuel. i prefer the cabin method for larger pieces, then paper or wood shavings inside. the idea is to get the fuel up off the ground, and leave room for air to filter in between the branches.
in books, people describe ways to start fires with just sticks, or sticks and rocks, or bits of flint. until i figure that out, i'll just keep a 50 gram lighter with me all the time.
like a fire, the body needs fuel, and like the body, the mind does too.
one of my close friends from virginia, randall chan, told me this, and i'll never forget it:
"the mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled!"
4 comments:
that quote from plutarch is great, I am quite fond of it...
are those photos from ohio? it looks fabulous up there, if not very cold...
wishing i could sit around a snow fire and watch the canadian geese!
As someone who has never made a snow fire before, this post was not only informative, but the five steps from snow fire fuel to mind fuel are beautifully scaffolded. Have you ever read any Dave Eggers? Something about your tone in this entry reminds me of him. Or maybe something about his tone reminds me of you!
Dude, you so should have been a boy scout! Miss you!
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