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Post by fanuidhol on Dec 10, 2020 8:46:15 GMT -6
Ok. Heavy stuff is over for now.
Steve and I figured that we'd facetime Christmas due to Covid, while the kids got together and opened gifts. Would have been the first year ever since we got married that we wouldn't be actually with kids. We had two of Steve's kids with us the first year. (I had a fantastic time that year. We made all of our decorations and those memories hold an extra special place in my heart). We normally do a bonfire for Brett's birthday at the end of the year. So Steve and I were looking forward to that.
The kids decided to do both at our house at the same time. They plan on either the 21st or 22nd. The 21st would really be perfect as that is the Winter Solstice and Yule.
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Post by fanuidhol on Dec 20, 2020 16:00:36 GMT -6
We have the bonfire ready to go. Mowed around it well. The weather is supposed to be good and not windy tomorrow evening/night. We'll have a hose out there to dampen the ground around it. Keep your fingers crossed.
Today, I moved one of my St. Francis* statues to the labyrinth. The walk was interesting. My favorite prayer is the Prayer of St. Francis, so I recited it as I started the walk. The gleaming glass shards became points of light that I need to strive for. I thought about the prayer and how I can do better. Amazing where the mind goes on any given day...
*It's larger and heavier. I dare you, raccoons!
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Post by Andorinha on Dec 21, 2020 8:51:19 GMT -6
Ooo, St Francis, the guy that got along well with the other animals? Yeah, that ought to stop the raccoons! Have a grand, but nicely controlled fire!
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Post by fanuidhol on Dec 21, 2020 20:05:49 GMT -6
If your neighbors don't come, then you didn't do it right.
Two sets of neighbors came to make sure we were ok, and that the house wasn't on fire.
I'm too tired to post pictures tonight. But, it was fun and we saw the conjunction. So very cool!
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Post by Andorinha on Dec 22, 2020 9:00:07 GMT -6
LOL -- glad you have concerned neighbors! After ogling the conjunction, we turned to the NE -- a very faint glow up there, and with binoculars we could just make out some smallish flickers of orange and red.
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Post by fanuidhol on Dec 22, 2020 10:04:49 GMT -6
Well hmmmm. Thought for sure you'd get a better view of this: Right after this was taken, we moved the propane tank. Good thing.
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Post by Stormrider on Dec 22, 2020 11:01:13 GMT -6
Wow! That's a huge bonfire! Nice!
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Post by Andorinha on Dec 22, 2020 12:22:51 GMT -6
Yes, WOW! That is a conflagration! Surprised they did not make youse get a special permit, and have a firetruck on hand. I was thinking four foot flames. Great photo, lots of action!
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Post by fanuidhol on Dec 22, 2020 12:52:27 GMT -6
I really wanted you to get a good look at it in Tucson, Andy. Actually it burned that tall for just a short time. 15 minutes at most. Then it calmed down. We couldn’t have done it if the wind was just a little stronger. This pile was about 2 years old. Tree trimmings. Nothing larger in circumference than my wrist. So, yes. Burned hot and fast.
About half way through the evening, Stevie said to me “You didn’t tell me that parenting was going to be saying the same thing over and over until I die.” The boys needed constant reminders to stay away from the fire and fireworks, to stay off off the rocks in the labyrinth, and to use their flashlights while they ran around.
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Post by Stormrider on Dec 22, 2020 12:55:36 GMT -6
LOL! Kids say the darndest things! LOL!
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Post by fanuidhol on Dec 22, 2020 12:58:54 GMT -6
What’s a permit? Seriously. No such thing here. Even though neighbors came, no one called the fire department. People burn brush all the time, let alone fields from Fall through early Spring.
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Post by Andorinha on Dec 22, 2020 23:02:56 GMT -6
LOL -- "Permit? We doan need no eschtinkin' permit!"
Yeah, I do remember my farm cousins, back in the 60s, burned all their refuse/ field litter (occasionally a rubber tire or two). "Country Ways."
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Post by fanuidhol on Nov 28, 2021 17:55:21 GMT -6
I have not posted anything here in a while. I sent Tokly pictures similar to the ones below, and he was very intrigued, having never seen anything like them before. Never saw them in NJ. Only here. I did a little research. Frost Flowers
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Post by Stormrider on Nov 28, 2021 19:13:47 GMT -6
Cool! Very interesting. Do you know which of the three flowers yours came from?
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Post by fanuidhol on Nov 29, 2021 5:53:37 GMT -6
There are more plants other than those pictured, but I have all 3 of those. What makes my property conducive to them is that the property has a steep drop of about 25-30 feet from the flat-ish high ground. And in this area is a marshy center. It stays cooler and wetter there. The area is not manicured, only paths wide enough at some points for our truck but some smaller paths just fit the tractor. There are woodsy places and the margins between paths and woods support the plants.
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