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Location: Clearwater, South Carolina, United States

Thursday, November 12, 2009

A fire

Several months ago I purchased an odd looking torch, it was made for burning grass and weeds in the cracks of sidewalks and such. It has actually been used for that purpose but only in a minor part of its role. The major part of its usefulness has been in the control and extermination of a very annoying and painful species of pismire – better known as the fire ant. This process irritates them very much – but not for very long.

A new role has emerged for this tool. It is now also used as a fire starter, or sometimes in my case, a bonfire starter and has been used many times for this. Sometimes the fire comes from the burning of a pile of weeds, grass and pruned limbs – I wait until the pile is dry and no kindling is needed. But for the campfires down at Fort Gruntmonkey, kindling is necessary – it is split into small sticks and placed under the other wood.

My normal method of campfire prep is to place some larger chunks of wood on the ground, put kindling on top of that and build a sort of tepee over that with smaller sticks. Then once the lit torch nears the kindling, a roaring fire is just minutes away. The kindling I use under the wood for a quicker start of the fire is “fat lighter” – found here on the property in the stump holes of long dead and rotted pines.

The local gruntmonkeys are out of town this week but after my evening walk a couple of nights ago I got a hankering for a fire. I changed into bummy clothes, got the torch, a folding chair, some cutting tools and wandered down to the pond all by myself. In the lingering light of sunset I pulled some large fallen branches up from the water’s edge and chopped up part of these to put atop the pile of wood already in place.

As darkness began in earnest I unfolded the chair and placed it in the midst of Fort Gruntmonkey. The torch was fired off and shortly the kindling was ablaze with the rest of the wood following posthaste. Then the fire enjoyment started. I just sat and watched the dancing flames, soaking up the sounds and warmth of the fire. If I had been troubled with stress it would have been dissipated in the peacefulness of this ancient scenario.

I watched the sparks fly upwards with the breeze carrying them toward the pond that I could just make out in the darkness behind the fire. The crickets were giving a serenade all around me and occasionally I could hear a frog trying to break into the song with a bass note or two – even though it is a bit late in the year for this noisy critter. Soon all that remained were glowing embers so I gathered my stuff and headed back to the house.

It was a good time of reflection, pondering many things and communing with my very best Friend. How else can I say it but – God is good, all the time. ec

PS: The photo is of the ‘burner of grass in the sidewalk cracks/ant torch/bonfire starter’.

6 Comments:

Blogger ancient one said...

I don't think I've seen a fire contraption like that before... I've heard you speak of burning the fire ants before.. but couldn't imagine how...

11/12/2009 11:17:00 PM  
Blogger mreddie said...

I stumbled on it through the help of a salesperson at Lowe's - it works very well.

11/14/2009 04:04:00 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks, Mr Eddie. You have brought back memories of days past. I has been many years since I experienced a camp fire.

11/16/2009 07:42:00 PM  
Blogger mreddie said...

SSN - It was a really relaxing time with just me and the crickets. :)

11/16/2009 08:43:00 PM  
Blogger Jenny said...

Eddie, I always marvel at the ways God gives us to commune with him... as my hubby always says, it's an attitude of the heart and He is waiting at all times in all places.

God bless and have a wonderful Holiday Season!

12/05/2009 05:16:00 PM  
Blogger mreddie said...

jayleigh - I'm in constant amazement at God's creation and this seems to be one of the ways of communion for me. It is as though God made all these things just for me to enjoy - and I am very grateful to Him. May this be the best Christmas time ever for you and yours. ec

12/05/2009 11:00:00 PM  

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