After filling a huge bowl with the last few days windfalls I relented to Hermione's requests to light a fire in a rather careworn part of the patch.
Fuelled with leaves and sticks it was a very smokey affair. I hope no one in the village had washing on the line! The smoke stung our eyes as we hurried round the garden quickly gathering leaves to keep it 'fed'. Four of us, me, Nana, Hermione and Miles all working together for a purpose.
I think part of the appeal is the dichotomous nature of fire. A symbol of destruction, chaos and war. Yet then there are the purifying, cleansing flames. The eternal flames.
When we were done with gathering and fuelling Hermione poked around the remains for a long while, and at one point attempted to toast a rice cake on a skewer. Certainly not the sort of activity you see hailed in mainstream child rearing manuals of the day, but a rather wholesome and hearty way to spend an afternoon I think.
3 comments:
That was very brave of you!! I like the idea but not with my lot!!!
I supervised closely till it was almost out. I think it would be more dangerous if you had a few children messing around it - more likely to be pushing and shoving I'd have thought.
My two love to do this sort of thing, we have the occasional bonfire, but I think they learn how to respect it from that.
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