Patio+Fire+Smores

I wanted a patio for many reasons, but way up toward the top of the list was FIRE.  Ever since we sold the camper and halted our camping/fly fishing trips once the family started to grow, I've had an empty feeling deep in the pit of my soul.  I realized it was a lack of FIRE, a lack of outdoorsy campy settings, a lack of wood smoke, a deprived pyromaniacal urge.  And so started my relentless pursuit of patio fire.  Then the budget axe slammed down and severed my dreams of a giant stone altar of flame on the new back patio.  And so for the time being, I dragged out the old rusty outdoor firebox we bought at Lowe's when we moved into the new house and placed it on the patio where my massive stone hearth was to be. 

And tonight, after a few words of thanks to our ancestors that struck the first spark from flint, and shortly following a homage to the great and noble trees that sacrificed their boughs to feed the embers, and upon concluding a safety speech to Harrison about hot things and ouchies and 'only Dad makes fire' and stop-drop-roll, I ignited the first patio FIRE. 

I'd been talking up a campfire and smores to Harrison for about a week, and we finally got it together tonight and made it happen.  I even took both of the boys to the store to get our grahams, chocolate and marshmallow supplies.  With one raised eyebrow, Danza had asked me if I'd ever taken BOTH boys to the grocery before.  No, but it really went rather smoothly.  Probably because Harrison kept his eye on the prize...marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers.  Had he been forced to go on a veggie run, it would have likely been much more stressful. 

Back to the FIRE.  Harrison helped me build it, and we both sat back and watched it come alive.  It was one of those special father-son moments...we both enjoyed it tremendously.

Then I ceremoniously cut a sapling from the back yard and whittled a spear point with my pocket knife. 

Then we watched the fire some more.  Then mom came out after getting Henry to sleep and little Harrison soon had his first smore (after eating as many marshmallows as possible while I was preoccupied with the conflagration). 

Harrison is in the safety speech chair.  "Fire is hot and can burn you.  Burns hurt.  Only Dad builds fires."  Yada yada...Harrison just wanted the big bag of marshmallows.  That is a thank-you sticker he scored from the checkout lady after he paid for our smores ingredients.

It's ALIVE!  This is also a good shot of the big pergola on the new patio.

He ate a lot of marshmallows, before we even got into the grahams and chocolate.

I just love this one!  He clutched that bag like it was the last food on earth, keeping one eye on the blaze, and one hand near his mouth.

Mom sat close by to restrain the marshmallow glutton.

Finally content.  As I was putting him to bed tonight he said he wants to go camping and fishing, and 'more smores'.

The really good news is that we had so much fun tonight that I think Danza now agrees we need some type of permanent fire feature on the patio and some seating around it (you didn't say it, but that's what you were thinking, right?).  Thanks for reading.  I got wordy...but I haven't blogged in four months, and I was talking about FIRE.

Kelp's Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we took a trip out to Gnawbone (guhnawbonee for those in the know) to Kelp's Pumpkin Patch.  Kelp's seems to be just a family run pumpkin+ farm, except for one weekend a year in October they open it up to the public and turn it into a petting zoo and farm-style carnival.  Once Nana and Pop extended the invite, we thought it was a great way to spend an afternoon.  

It was fun to get up close to all the animals.  Harrison loved this guy, and we worked for a while at getting him to gobble. 

Harrison patiently waiting his turn to ride a pony.

He was thrilled to be back on a pony again, following his trip to West Baden.

Poor Henry just had to watch all afternoon from the Bob.

Hayride.  It was awesome dusty fun.  It went about 50 yards up a creek with about a foot of water in it, and Harrison thought that was about the coolest thing since he turned three. 

Like I said, it was a farm, but they threw in some carnival flare.  Here Uno was showing Harrison how to do it old-style. 

And we scored some pumpkins for carving and some gourds for ambiance at the house.

Mom & Dad, thanks for putting the excursion together.  It was a great way to spend a fall afternoon.