This time of year is always strange. The change in season, the daylight saving time change and the holidays are a lot to take in. See, I have a love-hate relationship with change. While I know it’s necessary and always for the best, I fundamentally dislike the initial discomfort it brings. So when all of these overlapping environmental changes affect my routine, I have a hard time catching up. With chores, holiday plans and invitations and ultimately with my own thoughts and feelings. This ‘weirdness’ in the context of the festive holiday atmosphere makes for a bizarre experience. I guess this is what some people call the ‘holiday blues’.

Late summer of 2016, I came across an image of an outdoor fireplace and like I do with so many idea images, I shared it with Mike. I’m not sure if it was my insistence on how cool it would be to have an outdoor fireplace or Mike’s love for a challenge, but for some reason he took on the project with the lofty goal of finishing it for that fall. Perhaps as a sweet birthday present to me.

Once Mike began building the structure and we finalized idea, the project had substantially grown beyond the initial intent. So, here we are over a year later…