02 February 2008

Fire On Ice

A while back, I went walking with a friend along
the shore of Minamkeak Lake. It was late afternoon
as we walked on the ice with a cold breeze at our
backs. The lake and surrounding landscape was
beautiful as the late afternoon sun cast its reflection
over the frozen surface around us.

The sun had lowered to the treeline, when we
sought the shelter of a shallow cove, deep enough
to protect us from a steady breeze that blowed
from the northwest. As the weather was dry and
cold, we were quickly able to gather wood, and
soon had a fire built on the ice near the shore.

How nice it felt to sit near the crackling flames,
watching the sun move behind the trees, to leave
its yellow-orange glow on the horizon.

I've always enjoyed fire on ice and, when you think
about it, fire on ice would seem to be contradictory
and beyond the laws of nature. The opposite is
true, of course, and there are laws of the natural
world that explain how that can happen.

The temperature dropped significantly when dusk
arrived, and as the flames from the last of our
wood flickered and burned, we left that place and
made our way home.

Fond memories, indeed.

Bye for this time,
Laurie

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