Appalachian Word of the Week -- CHIMLEE

Spring is showing itself in short bursts. Of course, we mustn't forget about our periods of winter that stick with us a bit longer. Here in Atlanta, we just had Dogwood Winter. I expect it will hit my Kentucky hometown in about two weeks.

Until all our winters are complete, we'll still need a bit of warmth in the house, especially at night.

One of the best ways to warm up our houses on a chilly day or night is to light a fire in the fireplace. I love being outside and seeing the smoke rise from the CHIMLEEs and breathe in the woodsmoke.

Yep, where I grew up, most of the folks referred to a chimney as a CHIMLEE.

At Christmas, Santa came down the CHIMLEE to deliver toys.

Santa couldn't fit in our CHIMLEE

I panicked the year I realized Santa wouldn't be able to come down our CHIMLEE because it was connected to our stove. He would end up in the fire or stuck in the stovepipe. I bawled. Mom tried to explain that Santa knew not to come down our CHIMLEE, but to enter through the door. What a relief to know we wouldn't be responsible for the demise of Santa--and all those gifts he would be bringing to put under my tree.

Of course, I made sure the front door was unlocked on Christmas Eve before I jumped into bed.

After a winter of coal fires, the CHIMLEE was full of coal dust and ash. When spring finally gave way to summer temperatures, Mom's job was to clean out the stove pipe and the CHIMLEE. We didn't have a CHIMLEE sweep to do it for us. It was Mom's job.

I thought it was hilarious to watch her. There was a lot of stuff in that CHIMLEE. It would pour out and cover her up with black dust, poofing all around her and making her look like a coal miner straight from a day at the mines. What a mess!

Good thing she had a vacuum cleaner to suck most of the gunk out of the CHIMLEE and off the floor, stove, window ledges, and anything nearby. It still took elbow grease to get that black smudge off of everything.

Sure glad I don't have to do that.

I love a stone CHIMLEE

CHIMLEEs aren't all the same. Ours was brick. I've seen others that were stone, covered in stucco, or even aluminum siding. Our house had only one CHIMLEE. Some houses have more. Those huge manor homes they show on British TV have too many CHIMLEEs to count. The thing is--the number of CHIMLEEs in your house determines how warm the other rooms in the house will be.

My bedroom was the furthest room from the CHIMLEE. That's why I had a heap of blankets and quilts on my bed. It was almost like sleeping outside on the porch. At least it was dry and the wind didn't howl through the walls.

Did your family call it a CHIMLEE? Do you? Do you remember having to clean out the CHIMLEE each spring?

I'd love to hear your stories.

Karen Lynn Nolan (Bell)