Fireplace facts

Things I have learned in the short time period of having a working fireplace in my house:

• No matter if they are actually on fire, or even black, don't move the logs with your bare hands. They will still be hot. I wish I could tell you I've learned this lesson by doing it once. That is simply not true. I still keep doing it.
• The black metal 'thingy' the logs sit on.... yeah... that gets mighty hot too. When reaching for logs with your bare hands, be sure to miss that one. (I have a square shaped black mark on my hand as I write this)
• When you start said fire.... ALWAYS make sure the flue is OPEN first!!
• When you lean in to blow on the fire, for goodness sake, please hold your hair back. There's this time (today) when I was blowing on the embers to restart the flame and there was just smoke, smoke smoke..... then POOF! Large, large flame. Hair was awfully close.... yikes.
• Don't wear a white long-sleeved shirt while carrying logs into the house, playing with the logs with your bare hands, or leaning over the hearth to blow on the embers.
• DO enjoy the sound and crackle of that beautiful fire you made.
• In fact, throw your feet or your tush, or your hands up by the flame to warm them. Feels amazing.
• Eat dinner by fire light. Incredible.