A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Campfires and Memories


I was looking over the fence a couple of days ago and noticed that the kids next door had put a fire pit in their cleared wooded area. It is just a grouping of rocks around the fire pit. Camp chairs surround it. The night before I heard lots of talking and laughing out there. It sounded like fun. Looking at it brought back memories of campfires that I have had. The first one was at Camp Tu-endie-wei in Elgin Illinois. We talked about this camp at the class reunion this weekend. Many of us went there for a week or two during the summer. There we were... 70 somethings talking about our summer memories at camp. Later on, when my kids were small, campfires were a big thing. I took my daughter to a day camp and we made clay pots and fired them in the campfire. I wrote about the exploding pots a while back. It is a fun memory for us. Getting back to the kids next door. Audra was over and she invited me to their campfire. I might go over some night. Ernestine at http://myjourneytomindfulness.blogspot.com/ talks about her fire pit at her new home. She is a 70 something who has taken us on a journey with her...building a home in the woods. She did this on her own...what a challenge for a woman her age. She has kept us interested, by posting words and pictures all along the way. If you want to follow this woman...check it out. My daughter and grand kids have campfires up North. They sit around and laugh and sometimes set off fireworks. This is a memory that the kids will never forget. A campfire brings to mind many wonderful things: the smell of roasting marshmallows and smores treats, the warmth and coziness of the fire, the feeling of togetherness with those others who are around the campfire. In addition to these lovely experiences, the campfire provides a stage for all of us would be singers. Many songs are associated with campfires. If you're happy and you know it clap your hands, Kumbaya, Michael rowed the boat ashore, Coral bells, and Baby bumble bee. Do you remember any campfire songs? I would imagine that the old ones are still sung. Do you remember drinking bug juice? We called anything we drank, bug juice.I just thought of ghost stories and scary things...we always tried to scare each other. Maybe some night, when the weather is warm again, I will wander over to Audra's campfire and grab a chair and listen to an old familiar song...Kumbya...

Balisha

6 comments:

Barb said...

I have fond memories of campfires when I was young,then with my daughter and when my granddaughters were younger. Also my mothers side of the family have the yearly family reunion in a national forest every year and we also have campfires and visit and sing songs. I am so glad you are doing good. Love all your post I have been keeping up with them. I don't always comment because I read so many and don't have time to comment. I am still on medical leave don't know when or if I will go back to work.
Thank you for all your post. Lov them.
Barb

Balisha said...

Hi Barb, Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. It's nice to read the comments and know that someone is reading. Gives me the incentive to write tomorrow. I just went to the Dr. and the results from the MRI were good. Thanks for your concern and sweet comments,
Balisha

Ginnie said...

Thank you so much for commenting on my blog. Now I have found yours and like it very much. I love the picture that you posted of Pres. Obama and I, too, am happy that he was chosen. I can't believe how mean and small so many people can be. A simple
"congratulations" is just too hard for some sore losers to utter.
I notice that our blogs are quite similar...just vignettes of what comes into our minds. Great!
I'm so glad the MRI news was good.

Elenka said...

We have a fire pit in the backyard, too. We don't use it that often, but when we do, I wonder why we don't do it more often.
Glad you had fun at the reunion.

Balisha said...

Hi Ginnie...Welcome hope you enjoy reading my "stuff" and Elenka..thanks for your comments too. I always look forward to reading what you write.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Balisha, thank you for mentioning my fire pit. I love it and can't wait until this weekend when my little girls visit. We will have a fire - rain stay away.
I love it when my 7 year old granddaughter sings Kumbya. It truly calms me.
Continued healing prayers sent your way.