Warm Blankets, Ghost Stories, Marshmallows and Memories...

Ahhh, campfires.

The smell of wood burning, the crackling logs, and the fire dancing along under the stars..

it's magic.


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The absolute best part about moving to this home was that we were heading to cottage country..
 to live!
Our last home here (several years ago) included a simple pool,
and we had visitors every weekend -
our city friends called our house "The Cottage".

When we were back in the city,
 we managed to spend a large part of out summers at a family cottage.
In exchange for using it, we became the old girls caregivers.
Packing up the car every weekend and heading north was a lot of work, 

but maintaining the cottage property was even more.



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D and I, and the kiddies,
decided that we would rather buy a larger property close (5 min) to the lake, and LIVE there.

We can dock a boat just down the street, and head out there every day that the weathers allows.

Now the fun part, planning the backyard retreat we have envisioned for so long..
the kind of place that we don't want to leave on the weekends..
the kind of place our friends and family will enjoy with us.

Eventually, there will be a pool, hot tub, and fire pit - but we plan to do this over a few years.

This summer we will fence about 400' of the property, to contain our adventurous pup, and add a fire pit.

This is where the difference between D and I is really evident:

When I think fire pit, this is the image that springs to mind:

And this is what D is thinking:

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You see, he is a city boy, who dreams of a bug-and-dirt-free, flick-of-a-switch type outdoor fireplace.

And I, well, I love roasting marshmallows on sticks :)

This hippie vs. city struggle makes life interesting, on all fronts!

So a compromise is in order... I say, "how about this?"

He says, "how about this?"

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I say, "how about this?"

He says, "how about this?"

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and on we go..

 This is one of my favourites.. 

just add pillows and blankets... really, it's perfect!

He says, "Won't there be bugs living in those rocks? I'm not going to be leaning back on those."

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Me: Hon, it's like being in a house - what's the point? I want to see the stars..

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Me: This has walls..

Him: What is that path made out of? Mulch?

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Him: Oh, that's a good one - no roof.  And the tiles are mortared together, no bugs!

Me: Wouldn't this kind of take over the yard? But I like the chairs.

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Me: Too big.

Him: There's stuff growing in between the rocks. But I like the chairs.

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Him: That firebowl is cool! And it's probably gas! That furniture looks uncomfortable, though.

Me: I like the furniture. Those cauldrons are a bit much for our yard!

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Me: How about this?!

D: I think maybe we're backtracking here..

Me: Okay, I love the chandelier idea, and the decor on the mantle.

Him: I do not understand that at all. Won't the legs of the chairs end up in between the stones?

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But wait, what is this?

Comfortable seating, check

Simple firebowl, check

Easy maintenance, check

D: Pea gravel?

Sigh :)

Do any of you guys have an outdoor fire area?
What have you done?
If you have any ideas/pics, please send them my way!!

D has formulated a plan to build a deck with an inlaid stone area for a fire pit to rest on..

I'm thinking flagstone with some landscaping around it.

and the beat goes on...

til next time..