Ghost Fire

This past weekend we went over to some friends for a cook out.  I supplied the wine and the tres leches cupcakes and they grilled steaks with baked spuds and salad.  Since it was a very lovely day – not too warm with a pleasant breeze – we cooked and ate outside on their big deck.  After we were all stuffed to the gills they made a fire around their fire pit.  I have seen these before but never had the occasion to enjoy one.  It was pretty cool and as they live way out in the countryside when the fire was good and roaring it was pretty much the only light around us….and the stars were beautiful.  No city slicker lights to obscure them.

Warming our tootsies by the fire and polishing off the last of the wine we began to make jokes about going to camp and camping, bonfires, and so forth and so on.  They were amazed that I had never been camping – and I told them it was not in my immediate plans to do any time soon – nor went to camp as a child.  I am city girl hear me make hotel reservations!  We tried to sing Kumbaya (or however you spell it) and for a brief moment we were tempted to roast marshmallows or hot dogs.  Maybe the next time we get together we will after all as I previously stated – we were stuffed.

The fire was so warm and inviting it had me thinking thoughts of our ancestors in ancient times huddled around the fire for warmth and protection or of cowboys out in the wild west cooking a pot of beans over the open flame.  I could just hear the chuck wagon cook telling the hands to come and get it!  I think I may want one of these in our backyard one day; it was really nice.

This is one of the many shots I took of the fire that night.  Not having had much experience with shooting at night let alone a fire in the darkness, it was a learning experience for me.  This one I was playing around with and decided to see what it would look like in B&W.  It reminded me of an old film where the lost travelers were huddled up for the night in the forest while strange noises were around them hidden from view.  The flames put me in mind of ghosts dancing.