The furnace is going to be a good thing to keep the floors and the bathroom warm, but an open fire of dry, crackling wood is the only rational source of heat in a home.

You must watch for the fairy dances on the backwall, Ruth, and learn to trace goblin faces in the coals.

Sometimes there is a panorama of temples and trees, and you will find exquisite colour in the smoke.

Dry maple makes a lovely lavender, soft and fine as a floating veil, and damp elm makes a blue, and hickory red and yellow.
I almost can tell which wood is burning after the bark is gone, by the smoke and flame colour.

When the little red fire fairies come out and dance on the backwall it is fun to figure what they are celebrating.