This old wooden box sits out on the back porch and now holds ‘home made firelighters’ – otherwise known as bundles of sticks.

In preparation for winter, this morning we went out and collected pine cones and smaller sticks under the pine trees along the drive. We filled up 2 small wheelbarrows and brought them back to the house. We stored all the pine cones in an old basket ready to use.  Then we tied the sticks into small bundles that could easily fit into the lounge room fireplace.  We put them into this old wooden box under the cover of the back porch.

I think they look great sitting here in front of the brick kitchen chimney and next to the cane chair with the Ikea pillow.  In some ways it will be a shame to use them all up.

But they are super useful.  Some newspaper and this little bundle is all that is required (apart from the larger logs obviously) to start a blaze on a freezing morning (or night). We made about 30 bundles (that’s a month of winter sorted already).

Maybe tomorrow we will make some more. Winter … we are ready when you are.