Chimney and Fireplace

Last weekend Paul patched the hole in the chimney 

where the stove pipe had once been.

We used the mortar that Mike had used in his

glass furnace - now it's good to about 3000 degrees.

Bill and I had a long discussion (argument) about how to use a beehive

oven.  We couldn't find the flu but I knew you had to build a fire

right in the oven to heat it up.

I pulled out a piece of tin in the front of the arched door and found the flu.

There was probably 80 years worth of dirt, soot, leaves and I'm assuming

decomposed critters in the flu.  It fill almost an entire trash barrel but was all

worth it (even though cleaning it out was kind of disgusting).

Saturday afternoon I built the first fire I'd seen in this fireplace since sometime

in the 1970's - Bill had never seen it lit before.  We were impressed with how

much heat this one throws.  Good thing, the room is huge.

The goofy frogs on the mantel are something I made for the garden a

couple of weeks ago - figured they can wait until next spring.