shooting star
 

Shooting star! Everyone make a wish!

Bone fires
 

Wishes wished! For Believe's dream to come true!

Definition of BONFIRE from Wikipedia:

A bonfire is a large controlled outdoor fire. The word is a contraction of "bone fire" (cf. for example "kostjor" in Russian - from "kost'" meaning "bone"). The practice is believed to derive from the Celtic festival of Samhain when animal bones were burnt to ward off evil spirits. Today the practice is still common in Ireland, with bonfires commonly lit for Halloween night, as well as Midsummer in some areas.

Maybe we better throw a couple of chicken or rib bones into that fire to make it more effective?!?!
I know, Bill, you called it a CAMP fire, but what's in a name ...

My wish was answered when we found a place to have our campfire. A place to stare 'fear' in its eyes and tell it that it is not welcomed here.

Guess my other wish would be to remove the BB's from Brends's BB gun....ROTFL....sorry, but that gun has me chuckling>>Believe51

The Campfire
 

Thanks for the information on campfires StephN !! I can understand the connection between fear and chasing evil spirits away.
Whether people come to eat at the campfire, release fear, or evil spirits, pray, play scrabble, sit in silence or wish upon a star they are most welcome at our campfire.

I love this campfire, or bonfire or whatever we want to call it. It is so warm here. So safe. No need for the BB gun, brenda - nothing can touch us here. Maybe a friendly little prank or scary story, but nothing that won't end with a comforting hug.

Perhaps it will grow at times, then at other times settle into a comfortable but warm ring of glowing embers.

Thank you all for being here. I love you all so much.

Alright, which one of you hung all my 'Believe' decorations all over that Mighty Oak tree?? Nice addition to all of its bare limbs I must add. How did you know that I would feel right at home bumping into my "Believes" all night?? I think this is wonderful for all to be reminded to ALWAYS BELIEVE.

Believe in whatever makes you get through the night, whatever sends you power, but most of all we must believe in ourselves and others. Whoever placed them so strategically upon the lifeless limbs surely knew what they were doing. The tree looks so alive now and it reminds me of many things besides to always Believe. It shows me that even when there looks like hope and beauty appears barren we must look deep within. There is always hope and beauty if you continue to Believe.

My only concern now is that I hope Brenda does not get alarmed with the sounds this once lifeless tree and think it is an intruder! LOL. I would not want to see her use them for target practice.


Now for the good stuff, I brought some of my famous Portuguese Kale Soup in two batches. One batch is for us vegetarians and the other batch has chourico, a Portuguese sausage. It is bitter cold and I am even colder since the tears of happiness have streamed down my face. Grab a bowl and a vacant blankie and let us huddle around the fire. Brrrrrrrrr.

Believe51

I am at the campfire now, sipping a bowl of Matie's vegetarian Kale soup. It is delicious and warm and nourishing. Thank you, Marie.
I come to the campfire to meet with my sisters and brothers and God. The embers burn brightly and hot, staving off sadness, doubt, and regret. I will spend the night here with all of you, in song and thankfulness for your love. PS. I'll keep a steaming pot of tea brewing and a bowl of fresh berries to eat at sunrise!
I love you all, Vickie

Vickie, I am a little busy right now so I need a favor. Mind?

On this flourescent orange "M-shaped" Post-It I have written down my fears. Wondering if you could throw this in the fire as you are brewing your tea??

Glad you liked the soup, the secret ingredient is "love" but let us keep that a secret!! Please save me some berries so I am assured I have snacks for this diet of mine.

I'll see you in a while. Tonight I have to take my male Maine Wave Coon cat, Mookie since he followed me twice here already. He cannot live without me (conceited huh?) and is always by my side. He has wonderous healing powers that Ed firmly believes has healed him thus far. He is looking forward to healing other family and friends. He is the cutest marmalade cat you ever want to see. Love and thanks to you my girl!>>Believe51

Ok, ok, ok - I'll put the bb gun away. But can I keep the pepper spray? Just in case the monster in the woods makes his-self known...

Lee, I just had a dark and crispy m-mellow with dark and melty chocolate. Amazingly, I am very much less afraid after my treat. Bill, can you pour me another dark choc cocoa when you are done putting that log on the fire. I love watching the embers fly up in the air... oops, that's from the corner of my fleece Snuggie - yow, gotta go put that out!!!!!

Whatever you want, Brenda, you got it. Quick!!! Nobody Read!!! (Here, Hucklebuck, take this little handful of BB's. May they serve you well) I'm getting a little hongry right now. I think I'll grab a mug of Marie's soup and a Cajun hot-dog and lay back agin' this log and smile quietly to myself and thank the stars for such a good group of friends.

Marie, I just threw that post-it note in the fire. It is burning brightly away (it lit up the sky) I threw in a few dozen of my own. I'm sitting here with many others and we're telling spooky stories and laughing. I almost overturned the bowl of berries (saving you some). I'm waiting for that gorgeous cat of yours, Mookie, to get here so I can cuddle with him. I love CATS! Love, Vickie

The Campfire
 

I dropped by to warm up by the fire and sit awhile with everyone on this rainy Hawaiian night. The vegetarian kale soup looks delicious. Can I please have a cup of it?

Little cold here this morning. I stoked it up for us. The birds are chattering like crazy this morning. I think they have some fears of their own they're bringing here. The squirrels are happy, too. "Don't touch that squirrels nuts, you'll make him crazy!" (Willy Wonka)

It's a cold night here. Let me stir the coals a bit and place another piece of wood onto the fire. Pinkgirl! Where are you?! We need your northern expertise, and possibly your sled dogs come Sunday. Hey! Talking about campfire stories, have I told you guys the one about the shape-shifter I saw at the campfire when I lived in Arizona?

A whole thread of stories ...
 

Yes, O Bill the storyteller, you DID tell us that one.

Here is the link, along with the rest of the thread that spawned some more great tales true and strange!

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=33190&highlight=shape+shifter

For a good read, click the above - no kidding!

Oh.....Thanks, Stephie, now I'm creeped out all over again. Thanks for backing up my memory. Have I told the one about encountering the wil'o'the wisp during a night hike in the Appalachians? Man, if I haven't, that would be a really good bone-fire story, m'lass.

The Campfire
 

Just stopped by to throw a log onto the fire to keep it going and sit with you guys for while.

I need to go tee-tee (thanks to Bill filling my cocoa about 50 times - but the last 25 cups with kahlua were mighty tasty, though I feel an eentsy bit woozy), but I'm a-skeerd to go into the woods alone... anyone wanna come along and be my look-out?

I'll let you carry my bb gun...

The Campfire
 

I think we need an outhouse and some handy wipes Bill.

I can bring a shovel, if someone else can bring a rope and some canvas to rig up the "outhouse."

(Actually a tarp would do!)

Let's go easy on the cocoa tonight till we get the Official Bush taken care of.

I just caught a fear wave tonight and got a great big laugh when I came here. Just what I was looking for. I'm gonna need that "oh shoot-house" tonight.

I threw my Christmas tree on the fire, noone's gonna be cold tonight.

OK, much better now. And all warm in my Snuggie and Dearfoams. Actually, quite somber tonight - lost a very dear friend over night to this dreaded battle. He had been fighting a primary that was never totally determined, but had over the last 8 years moved from kidneys, to bladder, to liver (got all those clear) - but last March to his brain... and could never get anything to work well on that one. He was one of the good ones. Sigh. God needed another angel.

Staring at those embers is nice... don't mind my tears. It feels good to let it out. Carry on my friend Jack, and keep a good eye on us!

The Campfire
 

Don't worry hutchibk. Your friend is with us at the campfire today.
By the way, I will bring some handi wipes for the outhouse Steph and the others are building. I commute from Hawaii, so I don't want to upset those TSA folks with heavy duty equipment in my luggage. Smile.
Good way to recycle the tree ----------helping to keep us warm.
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Bren, I'm sorry to hear about your friend Jack. Whenever I'm around our bon-fire, I feel closer to those that we've lost. I know that Jack and all of our other Angels are there with us. Now, as for the outhouse.....I'm sorry, but I cannot allow it. Any outhouse that is erected by day will become part of the bonfire the following night. If we have an outhouse, then everyone will want a light in it, and then running water to it, and then the next thing you know, people will be erecting small shacks around the campfire to sit in in case of inclement weather, and before long, some wise-guy will build a really nice shack on a cement slab and build a fireplace in it and nobody will tend to the bonfire and it will go out,,,,,,,,,,. I'm sorry, but no out-houses. I haven't mentioned this before, but there is a stream about 20 yards east of here. I have set up a small fishing camp along the bank at about 150 degrees on the compass. Another trail hits the stream at about 30 degrees. My idea- the ladies have the northern trail and the men have the southern trail. If you see a man on the northern trail, Brenda has my permission to "wing" him with her BB gun. Whenever a man has to answer the call of Nature, he must clearly announce, "I feel a need to go check our fishing lines" and then he simply walks down the southern trail. The women must come up with an excuse to take the northern trail, and do likewise. Maybe something like, "so-and-so, I think I dropped my lip-stick on the northern trail, can you please help me come look for it?" or something like that. If we allow an out-house, everything would change.

Actually, Bill, my idea of digging a hole with a tarp in front of it was much more primitave than a full-fledged "privy" with a crescent moon in the door and everything.
Just the next thing to that "dark place" my grandpa used to mention ...

Nothing that would start to take away from our atmosphere of warmth and love set in wild nature.

Man, it's cold this morning!! I'm blowing in my hands and doing a freaky-deaky dance to keep warm!

There is a big tree and some branches that fell after that ice storm last week. I need some help carrying them up here! After I get warm here, it will be off to the radiologist for my daily shake & bake!

The Campfire
 

Okay Bill. You are a man. You don't "get it".
I am not hiking along the river in the dark.
I am going to stay warm by the fire.
I am bringing my own portable fold up potty, either that or sitting near Steph and her "comfort station".
Smile.

roughin it
 

Don't be afraid ladies...that's why we're here!!! Besides, this is a VIRTUAL campfire. It doesn't have to be cold here if we think it warm. Heck we don't even have to go pee here if we don't think about it. All we need to do here is feel confident, caring and compassionate for each other and free from obstacles and suffering for these moments we're together by the fire. Our collective mind is a very powerful thing.

Well said, Freyja! It's always warm here and I've never had to pee (not here, anyway). Love, Vickie

Hey, if this is a 'virtual' campfire, can I have some 'virtual' common sense? Boy, that would be great. Then I could be vastly out-numbered by a large group of woman and realize that I wasn't going to talk them into or out of anything. Ok, ladies, I brought the shovel. I'll dig the hole and help string the tarp, if you like, but then I've gotta run down to the river and check my fishing lines. Keep the fire going!

The Campfire
 

Thanks Bill !!!
Nature calls even in the virtual world. Smile.
I am warming my hands by the fire. Humm. Nice !!

Bluegrass
 

One of my favorite bluegrass/country songs you might enjoy.

I've lived a lot in my time

I once had a mansion and lived in my glory but now I'm down to my last dime
I once had a sweetheart but I was unfaithful oh I've lived a lot in my time
I fought the grim reaper down in the dark valley I prayed when the sun wouldn't shine
I've looked through the bars of a cold lonely prison oh I've lived a lot in my time

I've been a soldier and I've been a rambler I once thought that everything was fine
I've put in the cornfields I've picked in the cotton yes I've lived a lot in my time
I've walked with our Master down in the dark valley and wonderful peace I did find
Someday I'll journey to Eden's green pastures yes I've lived a lot in my time

I think a hole in the ground with a tarp is a good idea for 'duty' - but I am a tree tinkler from way back... I just hate where the little twigs on the lower branches sometimes 'end' up, pun intended.

The Campfire
 

Just dropped by to make sure there are enough logs for the fire. Nice song
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Celeste, great song! You can sing it while Lee plays his six-string and I prance around and play my harmonica. (I once woke up with a very sore neck and couldn't figure out why. "well, you dumbass", Nicola said, "you pranced around that fire and played that harmonica for five and a half hours. It was an awesome show, but you should've taken a break now and then") And Hucklebuck, as we all know, you gotta watch out for the poison ivy. Without getting into too much detail, as a young man I once kissed my girl goodbye and went out on a week-long trip into "outback" and on day four developed an "inflammatory/burning/itching" problem. I tend to be rather chatty, believe it or not, but on day five I was quiet, too quiet, and 'twitchy'. One of my companions noticed this and inquired. I said, "man, I think I got something". "Like what, are you sick or what?" "No, I think it might be worse", I whispered. "you're not impotent, are you?" he said. "No, just the opposite.......I'm pretty sure I've got IT! and now I'm ruined!" "Man, what the heck are you talking about?!" I hung my head, and described my symptoms and fears, and my buddy busted out laughing, "You dumbass! Ya got poison ivy, that's all!" So, y'all be careful. I haven't seen any around here yet, but I know it's out there!

Yup, I can see it now. The HER2 band at the annual HER2 summer camp! Anyone have a good sight idea? Oregon's got great campgrounds, but someplace like Colorado is central to most states. Just a thought ;)

Hey.....that is not a bad idea, Celeste. An her2 site group campout. (and Steph, the more I read your post, the more I like it. "a hole with a trap in front of it". Who knows what we could trap and roast up!) A little cold here, I'm gonna chuck a few more logs on the fire....

Bill - get your eyes checked. That was "tarp" rather than "trap" - but have it whichever way makes you happy. The trap idea might not be conducive for Ms. Hutch to stow that pea shooter.

Regarding a camp site - I think in the current economy a lot of people will be taking cheaper vacations such as camping. Just mentioning that if we want to reserve something, ought to do it soon as the best ones fill up early.