Reply #7: I grew up in a house built in the late 1700's [View All]

[skygazer]

It was a beautiful house with lovely exposed beams and a huge, massive central chimney. In the front family room was a big fireplace with a large dutch oven on one side (plenty big enough for pizza and bread though we used it primarily for baked beans :9 ) and there was another fireplace in the formal living room. In the winter, we'd put a wood stove in the large fireplace (you simply seal the opening with a heatproof shield and run the stovepipe through it) and heated the house with wood. I've never minded cutting, splitting and stacking wood - it's hard work that makes you feel good and gives you satisfaction when you kick back in front of that roaring fire.

My friend has a circa 1888 (I think) combination gas/wood cookstove - it's beautiful. It doesn't get real cold here usually but we heat with wood when needed. It's a comforting heat.