The Fire

Starting a fire. 

You have the cabin in the woods, all the great snacks purchased. Something good to drink and someone to enjoy it all with.
You arrive at the cabin just as the sun is setting over the magnificent view. With laughter and smiles, you both get everything inside. A quaint wood stove sits in a corner with a stack of dry wood in the wrought iron container. Kindling and paper wait there as well. 
You have seen all the survival reality shows, you have this. There's no need for worry, a full box of matches sits on a shelf above the stacked wood.
Crumple the paper, place some of the thin pieces of wood on top the paper, and two or three of the split logs on top. That's when you notice a piece of paper taped to the wall above the shelf.
Ah, the handle sticking out of the pipe is the draft. It has to be turned vertical to make this work right. Oh, and there's a handle under the stove that needs to be manipulated.
You have it now. With the dampers open and the stove door open, you strike the match, light the paper and close the door. Piece of cake. The flames flare upward, and the edges of the logs blacken.
But after pouring drinks and a few kisses to celebrate finally getting away, when you look again there are no leaping flames in the stove.
With a frown, you open the door and get inundated in a huff of smoke. No flames are devouring the wood, just glowing places here and there. Your fire hasn't caught.
Well damn! An hour later you are hunched over in front of the stove with the last match in hand. If the sucker doesn't catch this time, you'll have to resort to using twists of paper lit by the kitchen stove.
The miserable logs are charred all around the edges. How come houses and forests catch fire so easy when you can't get these logs to burn?
The thing with wood stoves and logs is more complicated than you realize. If the wood is wet in any way; either because it's green or has become damp getting it to burn won't be easy.
What kind of wood is it? Some trees burn better than others. No matter what type of wood you are using, there has to be a graduation up to logs. And you must have sufficient oxygen for the fire to not only catch but keep going.
Exhausted. Out of kindling and paper, you give up. The beauty of the stars and the person you brought along is lost in a cloud of partially smoldering wood.
Your great grandpa knew burning wood wasn't that easy. Watch those survival experts a little closer next time. They are joyous when the fire starts for a reason. It's not as easy as you think.