...we could hear in the wood burning stove one morning in the middle of summer when we awoke. There was no mistaking the sounds it made in its fright and distress as it repeatedly attempted to go back up the stove pipe which would have been quite impossible.It was an older two story house we had remodeled. One of the things we added was a chimney to accommodate an old fashioned wood burning stove. It was a no frills chimney made of plain block surrounding a clay chimney flue pipe.We placed the stove in the living room on the first floor. The stove pipe came out the back of the stove, linked with an elbow, went straight up about three feet, another elbow, and went through the wall into the chimney.I disregarded John’s warning, cracked open the stove door, peered inside, and sitting in the flakey ashes from the previous winter sat a bird staring at me with dauntingly sad eyes.Never fear, I’m here to rescue you I thought as I told John, “It’s just a little bird. I’m sure I can reach in there and carry it outside�…�Don’t you dare do that! It’s not a tame bird, Sherri! It isn’t going to let you pick it up!� As our two oldest children who were just toddlers at the time stood watching, as John continued to try to stop me, our two cats became interested and moved closer. Slowly, I reached into the stove with my right hand, cooing soft tones to calm its fears and just as I was about to touch it, the bird flew up along my arm, into my face and out into the living room.As the bird flew wildly around the room hitting the walls in every direction, the two cats ran upstairs; the two kids hit the floor screaming; one in hysterical fear and one in joyous laugher. John was yelling, “I told you that wouldn’t work�, and I was ducking and yelling back, “I see that!�We both began opening the five windows in the room hoping the bird would find one and leave. What seemed like an eternity probably only lasted for a couple of minutes.Looking back now, it was like a scene in a movie that ends because you can only laugh at something so idiotic for a short time; the bird found one of those windows and was gone.I never tried that again:-)I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.- Thomas Alva Edison

Although I don't like the cold weather I always look forward to fall. There's just something about the cool crisp air in the mornings, putting on a nice sweater, and eating some good food to warm you up.