As a Texan, I just spent my first winter in Northwest Illinois where temperatures drop well below zero. Anyone who has spent any amount of time in the cold knows the comfort that a warm crackling fire can bring to the soul. One must admit how captivating it can be. Whether it be a bonfire after cleaning up trees in the fall, sitting around a fire pit with friends, or at your own wood stove that must continually be stoked, it has a way of holding your attention.