Spring. A time for renewal. A time for all that was laid to rest last Fall to be fresh and new.
It's a time we always look forward to every year, the burning of the pastures. The girls especially love to help but it's not long before Grandpa Wheat yells at them to get away from the fire. They have their rakes and spray can in tow, just waiting to be called in for needed help.
The crackling of the fire. The sweeping wind that rushes the fire along the tall grassy field. The smell of smoke on your clothes.
It's been a part of our lives just as much as Christmas or a birthday. My dad is always the leader, the one in charge. He knows when it's time to burn. He knows when the wind's just right, or if it's too wet yet for the grass to catch on fire.
And before long the entire pasture next to our house is ablaze.
Everything old will become new. The rock bench beside our garden will be surrounded by green grass once again. I love to sit here and watch the grass grow.
I'll soon be shaking my fists at those deer that love to run through my gardens and nibble on the first sprouts of the season. Their tracks always give them away.
The big, flat rocks will become overgrown with vines and will collect rain water for the birds to drink. They'll also be home to snakes that we watch for carefully every summer.
The rock wall that Eric and my dad built last year will become a perfect spot for some new bushes and creeping vines.
All that is old will become new. The black will turn greener every day. The Spring rains will bring new grass and flowers. The budding trees will be full of leaves soon. It's a time I look forward to every year. I am so thankful for this wonderful place we live.
Note: Cathy Zielske has a
great post today about taking photos and journaling from our blogs and adding them to scrapbook layouts. That's exactly what I plan to do with today's blog post. Thanks for the reminder Cathy that our blogs are great tools for recording the memories.
It's a time we always look forward to every year, the burning of the pastures. The girls especially love to help but it's not long before Grandpa Wheat yells at them to get away from the fire. They have their rakes and spray can in tow, just waiting to be called in for needed help. 
The crackling of the fire. The sweeping wind that rushes the fire along the tall grassy field. The smell of smoke on your clothes. 
It's been a part of our lives just as much as Christmas or a birthday. My dad is always the leader, the one in charge. He knows when it's time to burn. He knows when the wind's just right, or if it's too wet yet for the grass to catch on fire. 
And before long the entire pasture next to our house is ablaze.
Everything old will become new. The rock bench beside our garden will be surrounded by green grass once again. I love to sit here and watch the grass grow. 
I'll soon be shaking my fists at those deer that love to run through my gardens and nibble on the first sprouts of the season. Their tracks always give them away.
The big, flat rocks will become overgrown with vines and will collect rain water for the birds to drink. They'll also be home to snakes that we watch for carefully every summer. 
The rock wall that Eric and my dad built last year will become a perfect spot for some new bushes and creeping vines. 
All that is old will become new. The black will turn greener every day. The Spring rains will bring new grass and flowers. The budding trees will be full of leaves soon. It's a time I look forward to every year. I am so thankful for this wonderful place we live. 
Note: Cathy Zielske has a great post today about taking photos and journaling from our blogs and adding them to scrapbook layouts. That's exactly what I plan to do with today's blog post. Thanks for the reminder Cathy that our blogs are great tools for recording the memories.
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12 comments:
How exciting! I love it! I live in Wamego and was just telling my husband not to long ago that I love when the fields are being burned. It is just so much apart of living in Kansas in the rural areas. It wouldn't be home without it!! And knowing that the grass and other plants will be made new again is just a great reminder to me how awesome God is.
I love to burn too!
Oh the glories of living in the country!
It just makes it that much easier to do the cleanup necessary to get ready for the next season.
I totally agree with you about the journaling thing.
Wishing you a most joyful Spring!
Wow, obviously you all know what you are doing but for myself (I live in the suburbs), I would not want to be anywhere near a fire. Thanks for sharing these awesome pictures.
I to love the burn! I think when the grasses come up after a burn, they are SO much more green. It's such a pretty green against the harsh black ground.
It may not surprise you then that I also like the smell of freshly turned dirt when the hubby discs up a field in the spring. Bliss!
What a beautiful description!
Oh Mish, I could smell the smoke as I read your blog! LOVE! Growing up on a farm we know and understand the cycle. I am sure I told you, I grew up in Frdonia. Last week a lady from there was burned when she, by herself, tried to put out a little up-start fire. She was so badly burned, she later died. She was too elderly to be doing anyting like that by herself. So sad. But the burning of the undergrowth is necessary. I hope you will share the new, green life as it emerges!
Thanks for bringing a little reminder of home!
Susan
I live just south of you Mish, and a few pasture fires have set the night sky orange already and soon more will follow. I love to see those rows of blazing color against the Kansas night sky. It is the ritual of Spring that we Kansans know so well! TFS!
~Shari
What a fantastic group of photos! I can't wait to see them on a page. And I am so glad to hear there are other kiddos out there with their rakes helping burn in the Spring. My boys LOVE to help their dad. It all just makes me way too nervous. :0)
We don't burn off our pastures, but I do look forward to all the green popping out each spring.
I guess I am too much of a city girl. I do not have any good thought of fire. I equate fire with death, ruin, you know what I mean. You have shown me that even fire has a good side. Thank you for taking the time to share your pictures and thoughts.
Sharon L
I grew up on a farm in IL and although I don't remember burning fields, I loved the fall leaves burning, and raking and keeping the fire going. I saw an area that had been burned on our vacation this month that was turning green after a burn. I enjoyed your pictures and thanks for sharing.
Oh Michelle, What a heartfelt commentary on your beautiful pictures! It is truly amazing that green can come so abundantly from the black of fire. I live in the foothills of north-central California. Our forest fires accomplish the same thing as your burns. In fact, there are species of pine & fir trees whose cones are opened by fire so they can reproduce! Definitely a miracle arranged by God. HE is awesome! HE has given us SO much beauty. Thank you so very much for sharing your feelings & flicks with us. You are beautiful, inside & out.!!!
Loves & Hugs
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