Fire

It was a lovely day here and as soon as we got school done we headed outside. I was just wandering about the two acres doing little jobs here and there. I moved some sticks and dry things to the fire pit, pick up trash, let the chickens out, and resumed the epic battle I have had going with our vintage lawn mower.  I noticed the mums that I planted last fall are growing very well but that the old growth needed trimmed back so I asked Fynn and Rollin to help and they were happy to oblige. So I showed them what needed done and they set to work. I told Rollin we could take the old dry twigs to the fire pit. Where I had been piling stuff already.  I went to help Fynn who was having a hard time making the cuts with his plastic kid scissors. He asked if I would just break the twigs off and hand them to him. So I did. I looked over and saw that Rollin had finished his work on the bush he had been working on and had taken the pile of scraps to the fire pit. Then suddenly he came running to me. With Big eyes and a giant magnifying glass in his hand he said "I started a fire".  It was a fact but he said the words more like a question.  He looked worried. So I hopped up and as we walked toward the fire he said "It's actually burnin!"  
    Now starting fires with a magnifying glass is not a new skill here at the Douglas house. In fact i think it has been at least two years, maybe three since a friend of the family taught Tucker the ease in which the power of the sun could be harnessed.  However normally they burn a hole in a leaf, or maybe a pice of paper or cook a bug so it can be eaten for a mid morning snack. The skill has never been used to start a full fledged bon fire until now!