Strange though, as people get older they lose the joy of just sitting around a big fire, chatting, catching up, drinking a little. It's too cold, too uncomfortable, too smokey, too dirty, too much poo underfoot! For me, this is one of life's simple pleasures and and the absolute joy of living on normally high maintenance acreage. The usual crowd shuffles in to join us each year and have done for as long as most of them could hold a sparkler.
Great way to get rid of the rubbish that falls off gum trees all year round. Even better way to get your son to tidy up the back yard, wield a chainsaw and a whippersnipper and be motivated enough to pick up the debris that has fallen all over our massive 'lawn' (I use the term loosely) over the past month or so.
This is an illegal bonfire. It's supposed to be 2 metres at the base and no higher than 1.5 . . .'Bruce' at the Rural Fire Service was quite explicit about size and location . . if only he knew. But it's safe. There's a water supply, we mowed 20 metres around it and no trees above it. What you can't see is a further stockpile of fodder which was dispensed with throughout the night. We did have a visit from the police who had received a complaint not about the techno music emanating from Jimmy's souped up four-wheel-drive but because we'd lit a fire! Interfering bastards. I hate the encroachment of suburbia. They think our back paddock is public land and a group of people enjoying the warmth a bunch of vandals! Satiated that we had a safe environment and the appropriate permit . . the police went on their way to do what they should be doing . . .And thanks Sarge for pointing that bloody LED torch straight in my eyes, I'm still seeing red dots you prick!
It's the easiest night in the world . . no canapes or anti-pasto platters for this hungry hoarde . .
A few bread rolls and a few dozen snags with classy accoutrements such as Tomato and Barbecue sauce, American Mustard (yep, the yanks do some things really well) and sweet Chili Sauce. . no expense spared here my friends . . .. . .and of course a few nibbly bits and marshmallows to toast . . . .
Some bought their tents . . . .
Others their 'bean' couch . . . .
The boy took care of the barbie . . .and loves any excuse
to wear his hugely oversized orange pants . . .sartorially elegant to the end!
While friends discussed the nuances of sausage flavourings . . .
'Herb and garlic vs Italian tomato . . .'
After a petrol soaked trail of loo paper, sparklers and home made bombs
. . .(I know . .I know . . ) the thing went off with a bang . . literally . . .
Eskies and chairs at the ready . . it's time to have a few bevvies and catch up . . .
Warm the buns . . .
Pour a glass and discuss the state of the world . . .
Show off the latest fashions in the field . . . .erm . . .literally!
Girl talk with possibly the best pair of wellies I've ever seen . . .Bec . .I want them!
I love these evenings with the younglings. My bro, sister and I were the only attendees over 40! I just wish that friends my age didn't have this 'too cold', 'too muddy', 'too hard', 'not fun' thing going on. I'm beginning to think I am alone in my love of a snag in a bun, a glass of wine, trudging through the cold and dark in a paddock full of horse poo and enjoying a roaring fire and good conversation, shuffling your chair ever closer to the heat as the pyre diminishes . .God's country and the best night out. Thank you younglings for tolerating an old fart, cleaning up this morning and being such good company - I really enjoy these nights.
Now. I have the difficult task of convincing two ageing horses that it's safe to return to the BIG paddock without something exploding underfoot . . .they're not having a bar of it!
39 comments:
bonfires are great
who doesn't like playing with fire?
do gum-tree fires smell good?
I hope you don't mind if I shamelessly promote my latest blog post which is shamelessly promoting a new crafty charity project - please read it and if you feel able help advertise (or contribute in any other way) that would be FAB
I know I'm old and creaky but actually I still love a bonfire and if had a deck chair with my name on it and a rug ...I would have been there in a shot!
Hiya Baino!Wow,that must be great!I never sat by a fire,of anykind actually,lol.Yeah perhaps that's just not a french thing I guess..but I would like it I'm sure!Have a great day!
May I never grow too old for this sort of thing. But I don't think I will.
Oh MAN do I wish I'd been there, but since it is an annual event there's still hope!
Glad you enjoyed. You deserve enjoyment.
i think i scared the horses this morning... someone put two full coronas in and they showered me in glass this morning haha, and then a teensy weensy cracker accidentally made its way into the coals... oops :P
Nice gathering Baino! And my, what a large barbie you have! Love you did the fuse with the loo paper and petrol :) Such a great way to spend time with all and forget about some of the daily trials, if even for just a day or so, wot?
wow. love a good bonfire. prob would have been right there with the pyro. much to the poor horses chagrin. with megan in hoping i never grow too old...great pics. get some rest.
Ooooh, I'd come along, despite the aches and pains, especially if I could have the bean sofa! Of course, someone would have to haul me out of it every time I wanted to get up, but ... details, details. ROFL!
Looks like a good evening! Apart from the red dots, of course. I would have been angry about that. My eyes have enough in the way of odd dots and lights and flashes already, thankyouverymuch. :p
Love those orange pants! It sounds like a great night, and oh I miss camping and visits 'round a fire. I'm thinking I need to leave Ireland after all these years, and go back to where at least the summers are warm and dry.
The photos are magnificent. I hope today's recovery is just as good!
Sounds like a fun evening. The inner me would love it, but alas the packaging (body) would object and go into shock.
We had a Fireworks display a few weeks ago, run by our local Council. I was fortunate that it was directly behind my house and way below in the valley so I had a Grandstand seat at my dining room window.
Hi Baino- what good fun- nothing like a bonfire!
I am quite envious of your connection with the younglings- I am really struggling with this!!!
Nooooooooooo! Every bonfire I ever went to in Burnie ended with girls getting annoyed at crap boyfriends and singing Alanis songs and me ending up asleep and hungover on the back of a flatbed truck!
Good times!
Not my idea of fun, I have to say, I prefer more comfortable surroundings, but each to her own and all that. Of course there'll be bonfires a-plenty here in NI over the next month, even bigger than your impressive flare-up!
Thats one heck of a fire. If I tried that, my neighbour Mr Mustang Sally would have the cops around in a flash :(
Looks like lovely fun. Wish I could have been there. Sitting around the campfire is the ONLY part of camping that I like.
Sounds like a great night! And I'm not sure I get the "too cold" argument - erm, wasn't there a great blazing fire...???
I'm not quite over 40 but I would have been there in a heartbeat, with bells on, bringing more American mustard for you all!
I've not been to a bonfire since freshman year in college, and it was the most fun, amazing time.
Your bonfire was absolutely gorgeous.
Well, yes as people get old they are not so out-going. For example my parents need some comfort when we travel somewhere. A few years ago the accomodation wasn't so important to them but in the past years they started to be picky. Probably I will have our last common holiday this year. I have had enough of these lazy holidays when they mainly lay on the beach.
Looks great. People in New England love to have bonfires because we have alot of bugs in the summer nights and we love the cool Spring nights and crisp Fall nights. So you burn excrement or tp along with other stuff?
I'll definitely sit round for hours swigging and laughing sandy
Looks great to me!
Oh and I love sitting around a fire...reminds me of camp! Good times :)
xoxo
What a great bonfire! I love nights spent around the fire. There'll be two coming up soon - I'll be "home" in Denmark for the Danish Midsummer celebrations, and then I'll celebrate with my Scandinavian friends in Ireland when I get back. Can't wait! I'll try to take some pictures too, so we can compare :-)
I'm in Lettuce. I'll put it in the sidebar.
Maybe it's a 'country' thing Sarah
Candie, we're lucky that we have the space. It wouldn't be taken too well in the burbs!
Yep, pretty much June every year Megan when there's no fire ban and the weather's chilly.
Dammit Ryan. Now they come through the gate, hug the fence line, have a drink and bolt straight back up into Eddie's paddock.
Subby, that's pretty normal. It's a national institution barbecuing, no three legged plates here, they're all huge. Well the boys spent quite some time building explosives but it wasn't as spectacular as jut a petrol soaked line of toilet paper, quick, fiery and guaranteed to end with a bang!
Brian we often have smaller ones as well. One of the awful things about gum trees is their continual shedding of twigs and blankets so we're never short of 'fuel'. Of course, we can't burn between September and March.
Aw there's always some young thing to 'escort' you back to the house. Yeh, very rude I thought since I wasn't committing a crime but I did have my back to the fire so he prolly couldn't see my face. His partner was very sweet but he was particularly grumpy. No need at all.
Suze surely you could do it in your back yard? The kids love even a tiny fire where they can roast marshmallows?
Sadly GrannyMar we don't have much more than sparklers and the odd 'illegal' bunger to frighten rabbits before we light the fire. Fireworks require a permit and are hugely expensive . .
Cinnamon, many people my age do and I don't know why. I have many young friends and I find them more fun, intelligent, interesting than many of my older friends who have lost that sense of risk and fun.
Well this lot are pretty well prepared Miles, they bring tents or sleep in swags in the back of their Utes! Seriously! I believe Jack Daniels and Yagermeister were responsible for Sunday Misery for some.
Yeh but they're not nice bonfires Nick. No tyres burned on our pile just garden refuse. Yep one of my friends cancelled cos it's too cold and she's too 'set in her ways' Actually it was a smaller group than usual this year, fewer littlies. They all had the gall to grow up!
Well Ash, clearly one of my neighbours decided it was too much fun for them to bear and did call the cops! Bloody suburbanites.
Toasty Hokkie, very toasty! The walk back down to the loo is a bit cripply on the nipplies tho!
True AV but there's a long cold walk up to it. It's about 700 metres from the house! Maybe that's why the boys stay up till 4am!
Well good for you Leah. Yeh bit hard in a Bronx back yard although fire in a 44 gallon drum is just as warm.
It's true Ropi although depends what you want from a holiday I suppose. Hostels are a great way to meet other travellers. And I can understand you not being too keen on the beach. I do like my creature comforts as well.
Oh Cali! No we don't burn poo . .it's just there because we have horses. Adam mowed around the fire so it was poo free!
Sandy, swigging and laughing is about it! Then swaggering and swaying . . .
Good times indeed Marianna. Lily loves it too, lots of sausagy snacks.
Oh Dot doo! Unfortunately my camera battery died pretty early in the evening and I'm still strugglng with night shots but yeh, put up yer pics!
That's brilliant, Baino - I for one, would gladly sit in smoke, cold and poo in order to drink and chat in front of a roaring fire and your photos and description made me feel as though I was there alongside youse all.
What a lovely evening! I love bonfires and snags. Perfect time of year for it too.
Isn't it funny how the older you get the less tolerant of being uncomfortable you get!
What fun!! I love to hear about your shin-digs, Baino -- they look like a blast!
Looks like you had a great time. I thought your last post said you were having a break? I wasn't having a break but was away longer than you! lol
Great shots of the bonfire. I feel the heat from it!
never too much fun, but what's with the dumb cops always shining their damn brights into folks' faces? grr
Yeh we're kindred spirits I think Kath, Saphire would have loved it. Smores and Marshmallows.
Certainly is Rhona cold as a witches' tits!
Well Otin, I don't mind roughing it but I still like a chocolate on my pillow!
Yeh was Melissa. And it's such an easy event to cater for, the cleaning up isn't a big ask either! That's always the worst aftermath of parties.
My dear Thumbelina, a week of non blogging is an eion for me! I'm a daily poster . .and no I didn't get to go to sunny climes, just froze in front of my PC *sob* Then you probably have a LIFE! GAH!
Wuffa I had my back to the fire and it was dark so I guess he was trying to see my face but man it was a super bright light . . .pretty rude actually.
Baino... wow that looks like a great night.
Bloody huge fire though! :-)
I love a good bonfire too.
My favourite have been out in the middle of nowhere... almost desert with nothing but a beautiful night sky.
If I still lived in Sydney I definitely would have been up for it and I too am over 40 :-)
I'm a little envious of the fun that was to be had.
next time I'm there :-)
x Ribbon
45 and still love a campfire...though the hard ground is starting to cause complaints...man i wish i could get to the other side of the world for one of these!
I love sitting around a fire too but require the comfort of a chair and a proper bed at the end of it all. I've got a load to burn off too and quite like an early morning fire ... might have to try the toilet paper fuse technique. Glad you enjoyed yourself Baino *!*
A snag in a bun, a roaring fire, gumboots; what's not to love? Yes it's too cold, not too comfy, smoky and dark, but the beanbag couch looks great to sit on, it's a night away from tv, computer and phones. If I lived in your city I'd have been there. With a doona to wrap up in on that couch. And I'm definitely over 40.
Miles, that Alanis reference dates you, you know. ;)
Baino, I agree with you on identifying with the younglings more than my contemporaries - perhaps because I haven't followed the "accepted" path that most of mine seem to have done? That's an interesting thing to think about...
you know how to have fun, baino. that is one of the special things i love about you. the truth is you are OUT THERE in life, not whining or complaining about it. the good karma gods have taken notice, so let me just remind you you are safe and secure.
xoxox
Dear Helen:
Bad news, terrible news. Bella's husband died on Saturday.
Renee xoxo
Aww. That looked really nice.
Hi Baino!
Lovely party and I prefer younger friends myself, although you seem young at heart and full of fun and spirit, so it is no wonder they feel comfortable. Wishing you a great week.
E
Post a Comment