The Bonfire: Take 1

When we bought our land, there was a dead cottonwood tree laying at the base of the hill our house sits on. Nobody likes a snake hideout (especially me) so Corey and my grandpa moved the wood pieces away ... far away ... to the brushy area at the other end of our property. The plan was that once it was cold and snowy, we'd have a bonfire to burn it off.

Hello cold, snowy day.

After some research, Corey decided that December 20: winter solstice/full moon/lunar eclipse day would be perfect. We planned for guests (who also are conveniently helpers and former boy scouts) and spiked warm beverages.

Corey was kind enough to clear us a trail.

Have you ever tried to snow-blow a field? Apparently it can be quite difficult.

(Corey completed the path.

... all the way to that dark mass on the upper right side of the photo)

It was a mighty fine path.

That is, until it got snowed in the next day.

So, moving on to the day of the bonfire:

We got down to the wood safely, but later than we had planned, so it was already quite dark.

The men used diesel to try to start the fire.

Then they used gasoline.

It started.

Then it died.

Then Corey resorted to the brandy-schnapps mixture for fire starter.

Then we cried.

Then we decided to try again another day.

Since there was so much snow all around the wood, as soon as we got the fire going and it got warm, it also got very wet ... killing the fire.