Joan on the Road...of Life

We've had several campfires the last few months, probably because in the public parks the firerings are there, sites are large and wood is available. Everybody's doing it :) Last night's fire was lovely. I got to thinking that campfires have always been a large part of my life.

I grew up on a "farmette"...Five Acres and Independence was the guidebook for my parents. My Mom is from a large family so often we had family gatherings and would end up around the campfire with uncles playing guitar to accompany family singing.

At our first home in Lindenhurst, Illinois we had an empty lot next door that served as the neighborhood party lot. Many's the corn roast and campfire that we held there. Now those are wild memories! Like the time the guys threw Big Russ in the corn soaking bin or the time we blew out the stereo speakers while playing dance music :)

We built a gas fire pit in the deck of our Irvine, California home and soon decided to just use the gas to start a wood fire. Gas just didn't have the crackle and smoke we liked :) How many times we had wonderful family gatherings around that fire pit for kids and then grandkids!

We took long trips in our popup camper with our teenagers and I recall huge fires, the bigger the better, so big that you burned the rubber on your tennies. Sometimes we had music but mostly just sitting, talking and staring into the fire.

What is is about the campfire? Peace, contentment and a sort of creative freedom. It seems that we put voice to thoughts, concerns and dreams around a fire that might otherwise be held in. Last night Jim and I were thinking about what it would have been like here in the Indiana woods when the Indians called it home and sat around the fire. And every time the fire dies down and we go inside it's just a little bit sad.