Backyard Fire Pit

When I grew up, I always wanted a backyard fire pit. Backyard fire pits, however, were not on my parents agenda. We did not see eye to eye on fire.

Always follow your dreams - even if you fall down on the way.
Author: Goofy

Most little boys, in fact, do not see eye to eye with their parents when the topic is fire. You see, I have met very few young men or even old men for that matter who are not somewhat obsessed with fire. From the sulfurous scent and sudden flare of a match, to the great explosions of fireworks and bombs, boys love anything that glows, burns, or blows up. The backyard fire pit, however, seems the ultimate luxury to the young man. It is a way to worship the fire god in the privacy of your own home.

Building a fire pit is so easy, in fact, that once we made our own without our parent's permission. Needless to say, they were not thrilled. Whether or not they secretly admired our ingenuity in designing and building a backyard fire pit, gathering scrap wood, and having a fire while they were gone is something I will never know.

I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying.
Author: Michael Jordan

All I know is that I was grounded for a month for that backyard fire pit. I learned my lesson. I didn't get caught next time.

When I finally had the resources and time to have a permanent backyard fire pit, I was a little bit less do it yourself about it. Do it yourself landscaping is all well and good, but something things should be manufactured if possible. My first backyard fire pit in my new house is made out of stones, but I quickly tired of that design. It is difficult to clean out backyard fire pits that you can't remove. I decided on getting a metal backyard fire pit. When it was lowered into the ground, it looked just like any other one. It was surrounded by stones and filled with flames. When cooled down, however, you could remove the whole backyard fire pit, leaving only a hole in the ground. You could dump out the ash, clean it out, and put it back. It greatly simplified the process.

I'm not saying that there is no place for building an outdoor fire pit. A backyard fire pit has to start with a hole in the ground and a ring of rocks, and you do that yourself. Buying something to fit inside it, however, is a really practical solution. It will last forever, and it will make your backyard firepit cleanups much easier.

As you travel on life's journey, be sure to take a friend.
Author: Kim Renton