The Charm of a Backyard Firepit

I've kept this image in my "dream house" files for quite some time. Something about the idea of gathering the family around an outdoor camp fire setting (without the actual camping) is so appealing to me! Last fall, we went ahead and bought a cast iron Chiminea, after seeing a similar one in action at a friend's house. This summer, I'm hoping for a few family "s'more fests" around our little fire pit.  If we end up loving it, maybe we'll even invest in something more a bit more substantial, more along the lines of one of these lovely set ups....

Images via: Houzz and HouseBeautiful