Banking the Fire

Since my early days of childhood, I was fascinated with having fires in our living room fireplace. I remember my father teaching me the principles of building a fire from start to finish. I learned that splinters from yellow pine would ignite medium-sized logs without the use of paper as a fire starter. Then, the larger split logs were added, and soon there was a cheerful blaze that lit up the living room with a warm golden light.

Then, the fireplace would be filled with glowing embers. Additional logs were added as needed, and those would quickly begin to burn. I recall so many wonderful evenings seated around the fireplace with family and friends as we recalled times past and shared laughs over humorous memories from our lives.

I remember the first time that I heard my father refer to banking the fire. He explained to me how, in former times, the fire would be banked before going to bed.

A good layer of ashes would be shoveled over the coals, and in the morning, the ashes would be raked away exposing the preserved red-hot coals. More wood would be added, and the day’s fire would quickly spring to life. In those times, the home’s fireplace or fireplaces were the centers of activity. The fireplace provided heat for the home, and it was where the cooking was done.

It was a serious matter if the fire was allowed to go out. I recall stories of children going to a neighbor’s home with a bucket to “borrow coals” too bring home and restart the fire.

There is an old saying that states, “He lit out like he was borrowin’ coals!”

– John Coykendall, Master Gardener