Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The The Burning of Our Yard, (well, a small section anyway)

My peaceful afternoon was interrupted by Abbie running into the house yelling "The yard is on fire!!!!!" I took out running and sure enough it was. A certain child had completely misunderstood what I said and I misunderstood what the child said and therefore a fire in our burning barrel was started. And said child filled it to the brim with newspaper, which then flew off and caught the very very dry grass on fire. Before the child knew it things were out of their control. Hence the yelling and screaming.

The kids ran to fill up buckets with water and I tried my best to put it out. When one of the little trees close to the hen house caught fire I began to get worried. I was seriously debating whether to call the fire department when things began to calm down. We got it put out and no one was hurt, but lets just say that if I catch said child even rubbing two sticks together it ain't gonna be pretty.

After I had calmed down all this made me think of my great-grandmother Sallie. She looked like a Granny. She had long gray hair down to her waist and everyday she put it up in a thick bun. She loved to work and thought everyone should be working all the time. To sit on the porch and relax was lazy. She could always think of something else to do.

Another thing she also loved to do was burn limbs in her yard. She would collect any limbs she found throughout the day, put them in a neat pile, and set them on fire. She loved to stand with a stick and poke at the fire.

Well, Granny lived to be 100 and after about 80 she began to slow down a little bit. But she did not realize that. And she would continue to set the fires in her yard which began to "get a little away from her." Sometimes my grandaddy (her son) would see the fire and run down the road and put it out. Sometime the small community volunteer fire department would have to be called. And then called again. And again.

Finally, some of the fireman asked "Ms. Sallie" (everyone called her that, except for us, we got to call her Granny, and that made me feel special), if she would please call them BEFORE she set the fire. They knew they could not make her STOP starting the fires so they were trying to be preventive in their measures. She agreed, and she would call them. They would come down to her house and watch the fire with her.

At least the new guys got plenty of putting-out-fires practice.

13 comments:

  1. Sorry about the yard, but it did make for a great blog!
    That's so sweet that the firemen let your Granny keep starting the fires & just watched them for her, don't think that would still happen these days!

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  2. I think we come from a long line of crazies...

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  3. Oh. My. Goodness. I can imagine how your heart must have been pounding. I bet said child was terrified! I'm glad it turned out okay!

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  4. Dear Mamahen,
    Wow! I have nighmares about situations like this... I hope said child learned a powerful lesson. Glad it turned out okay!

    Love,
    All Fired Up in NE

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  5. Oh my goodness - you posted that as if just another day on the farm! If I had a fire in my yard...I know I would be all kinds of citified crazy!! and probably burn the barn down running around yelling for somebody to do something! Sad but true.

    And, what?!? no pictures!

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  7. I am so glad everyone was okay. I have a feeling that child will NOT be starting any more fires until he is grown! Never a dull moment with boys around, is there? ;)

    Once when we lived in a parsonage the neighbor's yard caught on fire and we called the local volunteer fire department. The fire involved a chainsaw they had been using to cut up wood being set down hot in the yard. Thankfully, all was okay then too. :)

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  8. Oh my, I bet that was really scary... glad nothing happened...

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  9. It was in October a few years ago that I started a fire and freaked out because it was getting out of control, ran to get the water hose, fell, and dislocated my elbow.

    I am more careful now.

    I loved the story of Ms. Sallie. I could just picture her!

    Glad all was well in your own yard.

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  10. Such a great post! Sorry about your yard, but at least it brought back a funny memory!

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  11. Wow... you are quite the brave Mama to get the yard put out! And the story about your granny - that is priceless!! I bet all those young firemen really rolled their eyes when she would call....

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  12. how scary, but I am glad it turned out well in the end! I am sure two sticks will never come close together again in your yard - LOL :)

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  13. Love the story of your Granny! I can fully relate. So glad your own fire adventure turned out well. Thanks for sharing with us!

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