Hearth of the matter

Brrrr! With freezing temperatures in Montreal and sunlight fading by four p.m., one of the things I long for is a wood burning fireplace. 
Here are a few hotties I’d love to be sitting by this chilly January evening.

You know what I’m talking about don’t you? The warmth and glow from the fire and embers bathes
you so that you feel you can practically get a deep bronze tan at close range. I can easily remember
the crackle of the well dried wood, the scent of smoky pine needles and roasting chestnuts makes me
 long for the the days when I lived back home where we did have a stone hearth.

On rare nights, when we’d lose electricity because of blustering winds, we’d entertain ourselves with
 idle conversation, all huddled on a warn velvet sofa, under wool blankets. I felt so close to my family
 on nights like that. It was actually disappointing when the electricity would come back. With a whoosh,
 the television would come alive and we’d all scatter to different part of the rambling house.

I do lovingly remember a few nights, where we just ignored the return of the electricity, continued chatting
 in the dark, roasting chestnuts and stoking the fire. We knew, this was special and we didn’t want to let
 it go. One of my favorite things, was dozing by the warmth of the hearth with my family close by.
 I miss that.

Today, it was minus 18 degrees Celsius with blustery winds and fat wet snowflakes being whipped
about the city.  Yikes!

 Makes me long for one of these hot babies. Instead, I am consoling myself by basking in the glow of my Ipad, gazing at the photos of a collection of hearths that make my heart pitter-patter.

Hope you're toasty warm wherever you are!