I've often said that before moving to the east coast I thought one box of Duraflame logs and a pack of matches would heat us for the winter…that was southern California, and the Hudson Valley of New York state is worlds away from that palm tree reality! A few weekends ago we roamed our yard perfuming yet another fall-into-winter task (after stacking two chords of wood, that is). To avoid cracking the various pots and planters we have around the yard in the cold, harsh months of winter, we flip them all upside down or bring them into the garage for a warm winters nap (water eventually turning to ice in planters makes for a sad, broken spring when growing season returns). For a select few, I clean them up, making sure all summer residents have evacuated (you'd be surprised what tends to hunker down in these pots for winter) then I bring them inside and use them by the front door to hold wet gloves and scarves, in guest bedrooms to house warm, comfy slippers and by our fireplace to store kindling and wood for seven months of cozy fires. In the bone chilling grey days of winter, glancing over at lusciously bright colored planters often provides a ray of sunshine, and hope that warmer weather is on the horizon!
**while we use some pots to clear ashes from our fireplace, we dump them everyday outside in a protected area. We also use fire-safe galvanized trash cans for gathering hot coals..whatever you do by the fire, make sure safety is always first on the list!**
