We are having a fire in the chimnea - the first outdoor fire of the 2010 season! The night is dark and somewhat cloudy, but the temperature is a mild 68. There is something about the first fire that gets the whole family excited: Rebecca put marshmallows on the shopping list; Matt gathered firewood; and Patrick volunteered to put out any sparks that might be a fire hazard. The snap and crackle of last year's wood are a lovely symphony when combined with the low drone of cars on Route 50. The glow of the fire flickers on the floor of the porch while eager flames reach out of the top of the chimnea for the sky. There is something so mesmerizing about the flames in a campfire. In an instant I am on Skyline Drive - or just much closer to nature than we live every day!