Because I Said So!!! Mom Knows Best!

Snap,crackle, sizzle and Pop! There is nothing
like the roaring flames of a fire to not only set
the mood but keep you warm, entertain your
guests and all around relax you. I remember some
of the best times in my life started on a cool morning
and my Grandfather stoking the fire to get it really
blazing so I could lay in front of it. Our fireplace then
was used for heat though we had another furnace as
well but I don't ever remember referring to the fireplace
as a practical item or a utility. It was always the breakfast
table to me for Grandpa would make me big bowl of
Oatmeal and I would sit on a pillow in front of the fireplace
and just enjoy the heat. Later, in the evening it was where
everyone gathered in front of to play cards or read for
we, like so many other family's, would position our furniture
around the Fireplace for it was always the key focal point
in any house. A fireplace is just one of those things that will
never go out of style.
To cement my theory I can ask you to look around
at half the homes on the block anymore. Almost everyone
I know has an outdoor fire pit somewhere in their
back yard where they gather with friends when the sun
goes down and kick off the day. I live in a two story condo
and the houses behind me in the subdivision are all one story
ranches and I can look out my daughters bedroom window and
count at least a dozen out there that have people at
them more nights then not. I can hear their laughter and
watch the kids running around in circles delighted
to be out just a "little bit" past their bed times
for its not that their parents don't care what
time they go to bed its more the fact they are to
relaxed to realize what time it is! Now when I was
little my Grandfather had a pole barn to store his
wood in and would cut it off his own land and
spent a zillion weekends to chop it all up. Acquiring
wood was a huge deal and I remember one time we were
at a family friends for a gathering and I noticed
that my Grandfather and all the Husbands and men
were missing and feeling like I could be missing out
on something too I went off in search of them.
I located all the men in the garage where they were
taking turns playing with "Mr. Ed's"new toy. A wood chopper.
The things men do! Now this toy cost thousands of dollars
and all it really was is a conveyor belt that ran a log
down it to a blade. Then Bam, chopped wood. It also took
up a third of his four car garage so you really can't
carry it in your pocket. Now they were enthralled and
even as a child I could not understand why.
"What's it for?"
"Chop-pen some wood there, little girl."
"why do you have it?"
"To save money and not have to pay for cord
after cord of wood."
"Did you get it free?"
"Nope, this here was an investment to be sure!"
"So a Chainsaw is cheaper?"
"yes, but that takes a lot of work!"
"Do people come and put those big logs on it for
you?"
I could tell he was getting a little mad at my questions.
"No there little girl. I go cut them down in my woods!"
"Just like a chain saw?"
"I told you this was less work!"
"Oh, why don't you just buy the wood already cut?"
"Too Expensive!"
"Isn't the cutter thing expensive?"
"But it will last forever!"
Lucky for me my Grandfather also saw the silliness
of a man buying an item like this for a home fireplace
and chimed in with, "Until it breaks!" and I had
the chance to flee. To this day though I still do not
see the logic in paying all the money for something he
will only use once or twice a year. Now these men had
the luxury to have a forest out their back door so
they could collect wood for their fireplaces whenever
they needed without worrying about things like storage
or carting wood from a store to your home or even
locating a place that sells wood to begin with. Now
with the popularity of Fire pits I have noticed you
can get firewood at your local gas station or
7-11 now a days but that didn't used to always be
the case. Years ago we would have to travel out to
the country and buy in bulk and store it or have it
delivered and once again store it, and if you were
really lucky you could find it at your local hardware
store and what, you guessed it, store it. Now it
comes in pre-cut packages that are wrapped and ready
to go without the hassle of storing it or getting
your car or home all covered with pieces of bark or
other items that fall off the wood.
Durastax is one of those brands and i got a chance
to do a review for them and I really liked how it
turned out. We have an issue around here with Rats
and since I live so close to Detroit they are big
city Rats, not cute little field mice and storing
wood is a major problem. You have to have it so
high off the ground and there can only be so much
and it has to be covered due to city ordnance to
keep this problem under control. This makes it next
to imposable to buy wood in bulk or even by the
cord for the only place to store it is in your
garage or if you do not have one like I don't in
your basement. What a pain. The problem I have ran
into is two fold:
1. finding a pre-packaged brand of wood I can afford
that does not cost and arm and a leg.
2. finding one that is easily available
3. easy to store
4. quality wood that is consistent each time. I don't
want to buy something and have it burn slow one night
and get the same amount and it be gone in an hour the
next.
5. A name brand I can trust
6. A wood that is easy to use and I do not have to preform
circus tricks to get it to light.
DuraFlame gave me the chance to review their Duraflame Stax.
A remarkable firewood that was supposed to be answer to all
my issues and more. Best of all I would not have to break a
sweat cutting it myself ( as if!), pay someone a small fortune
to deliver it and drive myself nuts trying to store it or
remortgage my house for a Log Splitter that will take up half
my yard and scare the dog. The Package came and the logs didn't
look very large. They looked really tidy and I thought no way
were these puppies going to give off any heat. These are show
logs. You know, the kind the perfection people toss in their
never used fireplace to keep up the appearance they use it.
I decided to try them in the fire pit for the directions said
you can use them their, your fireplace or even in wood stove.
The were made to look like split wood and the perfect size
for the fire pit. Best of all one of my pet peeves about the fire pit
is you do not have a lot of room to stack a bunch like you
can in a fireplace and it burns so fast you are always tossing
more wood into the fire, these were meant to burn with two
so it was ideal for the fire pit. Plus they burned forever and
so long in fact I never even used the 3rd log for I lit the
fire at 6pm and at midnight I had to put it out for I was
going to bed soon and they were still burning strong.I could
not believe that for I would have went through a cord or more
with regular wood. Now I was impressed. Plus, wanna see me get
floored more? It is cold here in Michigan and I didn't think
I would be out there long. IT IS COLD! Even with the fire pit
roaring it can not toss off enough heat to keep you toasty so
it may be fun to sit by the fire on a cold night it is also
well, COLD. I don't care if there were 12 logs in the pit,
shiver me timbers. You have to sit right up on it too feel any
heat for unlike the house with the fire pit there is tons
of places for the heat to go. Straight up into the wild blue
yonder is a big one, so you pretty much have to kiss the fire
to get some of that heat your way. With the Durastax it was
like fire to the power of ten! Can one wood burn hotter then
another? Not a rocket scientists but I got to tell you it
sure felt like it did and by a lot too! Heck, add a few more
degree's and I could have taken off my coat and did a jig.
I loved these logs! I found a new home for them and I can
get all warm and cuddly all over.

I went and read through the literature and checked out
the web site for I was curious on why these seemed so warm.
I have used Duraflame many times and though they were my
preferred brand anyways, I don't remember them being this
hot, really, there is that much of a difference. What I found
out was they are specially formatted to burn solid and are
stacked to give off a more "real" appearance.
They even hit details like the charred edges and ashy-ness of a
real log.Just by the way they are built they give off 50% more
BTU then a normal log. Factor in both the regualr Duraflame
and the super awesome new and my favorite choice Stax, burn
cleaner and are greener and give off less emissions then regular
old wood and are made from 100% renewable resources to start with.
No cutting down a forest to heat your home. Lets see here, no
hard work obtaining the wood. No storage issues and they are so
affordable. No wood shake and mess all over your home. They
burn brighter, longer and hotter and are green and earthfriendly to boot!
Sign me up, I am in!

Duraflame Stax wants you to be in too! The send me two coupons
for free Duraflame Stax for they know that like me once you try them
there is no going back. To enter just head over to their site and take
a look around then come back here and post something you have
learned in a comment. The contest will start tonight and run to march
5th at midnight.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.

Duraflame Stax


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