One of the things that truly sets spending time around the fire pit apart from the other experiences of your daily life is the fact that it engages all five of your senses. In today’s chaotic world, it’s easy to find yourself distracted, with your senses pulled in all different directions. On an average evening, you might have one eye on your toddler and one eye on the screen of your phone as you half-listen to the news on TV and mindlessly pick at a microwave meal, wondering vaguely about whether or not you like the scent of your new air freshener. When you give yourself a break and spend an evening around the fire pit, your senses can converge around the single experience spending time around the fire. Read on to find out exactly how a fireside experience truly engages every one of your five senses--and how you can optimize your experience in each area this summer.
Smell
It’s no secret that one of the most distinctive aspects of a fire is the aroma. In fact, the smell of the smoke from your fire pit can make or break your summer fire pit experience. It all depends on the type of firewood you use. When you choose kiln-dried firewood over seasoned firewood or store-bought wood, you’ll spend the evening basking in the nostalgic notes of a truly authentic forest smell, so you’ll almost feel like you’re in the woods yourself. That’s especially true if you choose kiln-dried hickory or cherry word, both of which are described as being among the best-smelling firewood. You can also add a coniferous nuance to the smell of your fire by adding heart pine--which also, conveniently, works as a great fire starter.
Sight
They say you’ll never get bored watching a fire burn, and that’s true. Whether you’re talking to friends or enjoying a contemplative evening alone, it’s simply relaxing to watch the flames of the fire over the course of a night. In order to optimize your visual experience, you’ll want to choose a firewood for sale with a high level of brightness. Hickory wood burns the brightest, but oak and cherry also burn brightly. Not only can this brightness keep your eyes occupied, but it can also light up the faces on the ones you love--a summer memory you’ll truly cherish forever.
Touch
Of course, you won’t be touching the flames, but your sense of touch will still be constantly engaged throughout your fireside experience. For instance, you may be sitting on a rustic firewood seat, which can make you feel like you’re in the woods. You may also be tending the fire with a fire iron or firewood tongs, and there’s nothing quite like feeling the smooth, warm metal in your hand as you move the logs around and watch the sparks fly. In addition, your sense of touch will inevitably be impacted by the heat coming from the fire pit itself. Hickory burns the hottest, while the warmth from an oak fire is slightly less intense. Larger sizes of firewood--including oversized oak and hickory, as well as uncut rounds--are also known to burn slightly hotter than their smaller counterparts.
Taste
When you spend a night around the fire pit, your sense of taste will be engaged by whatever you decide to cook up for your evening meal or snack. Maybe you’ll go for something casual, like hot dogs or s’mores roasted over kiln-dried firewood. Or if you’re looking for something more healthy and hearty, you could make meat and/or vegetable kebabs on your roasting forks. If you’re a more advanced chef, maybe you’re burning firewood for cooking in order to grill steak and vegetables directly on your grill grate--which will likely give you one of your best meals of the summer season. No matter what, these unforgettable fireside flavors will always remind you of the good times around the fire pit.
Sound
The sounds you’ll hear around your fire pit will inevitably depend on who you’re with and how you’re spending your night. Maybe the dominant sound will be the laughter of children or good conversation between longtime friends. Maybe you’re musically inclined and you’re playing old folk songs on your guitar around the campfire (or streaming them on your phone to get the same good vibes). Or maybe you’re alone and just listening to the crackling of the fire as you watch another summer night fade away. No matter what, these are the summer sounds you’ll want to hold onto as the season fades to fall.
Clearly, spending a night around the fire pit will truly engage all of your senses, and we at Cutting Edge Firewood hope you’ll savor the opportunity to embrace the experience this summer. To get all of the supplies you need to have a great time around the fire pit, visit our order page now. And don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us how much fun you’re having this summer!
