Solstice Bonfire

New York State has banned outdoor burning with a few exceptions.  Religious observations are allowed.   In marking the Winter Solstice we had a fire.   As darkness fell the fire displayed true splendor.   Glowing ash was carried skyward by the rising hot air to the height of nearby trees. Occasionally a chunk of ash would break into pieces and the still glowing parts would fall earthward having lost the rising air currents.  Closer to the fire the burning ash would leave a visible trail of burning gasses.  These glowing threads snaked around each other as they shot toward the heavens. Some of those trails can be seen in the picture.   I have never seen a fire like this.   Standing outside as the temperature dropped into the teens is an activity that I seldom endure.   Is it possible that the light display was produced by a combination of cold dry air and the hot fire?   Whatever the cause, I stood and watched for a great while.   The constellation Orion climbed above the ridge that is our eastern horizon.    Coyote activity was heard nearby.   It was by all accounts a night to remember.

There are plans for the wood ash created by the fire.  We recently read that Madonna Lilies benefit from being planted in wood ash. If our lilies remain alive this Spring, I plan to enrich their ground with the wood ashes from our solstice fire.