Mary,

You have described the scene very well! A wood stove puts out a very comforting warmth and offers the opportunity to move in close if you really need to warm up. I've never implemented a rotating schedule for getting the wood, but we do have a rule that no one comes back in the house without at least one stick in their arms. Our stove burns through the night and I can usually count on a few embers in the morning to ignite the next day's fire. (That's always been my job. I'm usually up at 5:15 and my boys won't get out of bed until the thermostat in the living room reads 75.) We, too, keep a pot of water on top of the stove to keep the air moist. Next to the stove is a big, overstuffed leather recliner with a pile of winter reading. (I'm in the middle of "A Voyage for Madmen" at the moment.)

Although the recent cold spell has been a big part of conversations up here lately, I do love winter. I break it up with an annual trip to Stuart, FL to visit in-laws, and a month or so in Mexico and Belize to lead sea kayaking trips.