Sunsets, Woods Fires and Peach Switches!

   Yesterday evening, the sky was ablaze with brilliance.  The setting sun had cast an eerie glow between the pines and I almost missed the opportunity to witness it.  On a whim, I decided on one last stroll through the Small Gardens.  Again, I was thankful for the camera giving me the chance to get ONE photograph before it had enough for the day.  (It seems that one is its limit for the day.)  

  The fiery glow brought back memories of "fire watch".  Whenever Pop would get word from a neighbor that a woods fire was nearby, we were all "put on guard".  As kids, we knew we had better be alert and let Pop know if we smelled or saw smoke.  It was of high importance because, not only would the house be in danger, but the barns, as well.  The farm animals needed protection, too.  With no fire department anywhere near, it was up to each of us to do our part.  

  There was one time that my brother and I disobeyed the rules about setting fires.  Before we were even school age, he and I decided to "boil" some chicken eggs that we found while searching for an errant hen.  Her nest was found near an upturned washing machine drum that had been used as a feed bin at some point.  We gathered pine straw and a few sticks to start our fire UNDER the tub.  Our eggs were in an old metal coffee can heating on the top (which was actually the bottom of the overturned tub).  Brilliant!   We were going to feast on those eggs!  Well, that did not happen.  We did not take into consideration that the eggs were rotten, that we needed water to boil them and that Pop would smell the smoke.    You can imagine the outcome.  Without water, the rotten eggs exploded and covered us with the most awful stench then...Pop came on the scene.  Oops!  Whew!  Were we ever in trouble!  For any city folks who have never had to suffer a whipping with a green peach branch, trust me when I say "IT HURTS!"  Was that child abuse?  Nope!  THAT, my friends, was discipline (which is something that is sorely lacking in the world today).  Our stupid act could have had a dire outcome for the entire family, the farm animals and our neighbors.  Thankfully, Pop caught us!  My brother and I never....NEVER lit another fire in the woods!  (We, also, learned the proper way to boil eggs.)  Crazy to think a simple sunset can evoke memories from back in the dusty corners of the brain.