The fireplace

By Darwin Anthony of Trimont

I am THE FIREPLACE that is within the wall at the end of the Anthony living room. It is now late fall and I know what must happen. I must be made ready as I am something of winter. I wait to be cleaned so that I can offer cozy pleasure to those who care for me. Such pleasure comes from seeing the varied color of my fire and hearing the crackling sound as the wood within me burns. It is a sound that only an actual wood-burning fireplace can produce.

Fireplace season is upon us. Contributed photo

I am excited about seeing the chimney-sweep that comes to the farm and knocks on the door. I remember his procedure from other years. He will enter the living room and lay out a large canvas on the floor in front of me. This is something that will protect and collect! He will then return to his vehicle and bring in the “tools of his trade.” His huge vacuum, with its large pipe, will collect the dust that he makes. He opens my glass doors and removes the grate that holds the wood when I am burning.

I watch as he places something into my fire chamber. It is a large stiff brush that is attached to a long and flexible extension handle. He feeds the brush up into my chimney. The brush peels away a dark accumulated residue called “creosote.” It had loosened from my walls over the summer. The chimney­ sweep calls this “feathering.” This is what catches on fire if I am not cleaned. The chimney-sweep continues with the up and down motion with the large wire brush. I can feel dark chunks and fine dust falling! His large vacuum collects the dust and smaller pieces of black waste. I begin to feel different, cleaner, and more like myself. The chimney-sweep pulls out the large brush and replaces it with a different smaller brush. Once again, he forces this brush up into my chimney with the same long reaching pole. More black waste and dust falls. He then finishes with still another smaller and finer brush. He feeds it into the chimney until it reaches the top. The cleaning of my chimney is now complete. He scoops the larger pieces of waste and places them into a pail. I feel really clean and ready for winter. A sense of happiness comes within me when the chimney-sweep finishes. He smiles as he carries the tools for cleaning THE FIREPLACE.

Something very special now happens. They place pieces of split wood on my grate and start the first fireplace fire of the season. They will then comment on the beauty of the fire in

THE FIREPLACE.