Solstice Bonfire

Don’t you love a good bonfire? The swoosh of air when the fire takes off burning upwards in a swirl of smoke and flames. The popping sound of the wood as it crackles in the blaze sending sparks out in all directions.

It’s just so satisfying. Every part of it.

Every summer solstice my friends and I gather ’round the bonfire to catch up, share our lives and burn what’s left of the holiday greens. We start off with a dry, crispy wreath. Once it catches fire, those combustible branches incinerate in the blink of an eye, crumbling into delicious chunks of red char.

We throw pinecones into the inferno and they, too, are overtaken by the controlled conflagration into an orange and gold and yellow mass of energy.

It’s beautiful. And soooooo satisfying.

The summer solstice bonfire is an old tradition going back to pre-Christian times, when pagans would light and jump over bonfires on Midsummer’s Eve–often on the top of a mountain or ridge– in an effort to keep illness and demons at bay and bring good luck to lovers. They would also dance, set large wheels on fire and roll them down a hill into a body of water.

Last Friday night, we joined together again to enjoy the longest day of the year, and I couldn’t help but photograph the beauty as it unfolded. I even slowed things down with the Slow shutter Cam (check out Deirdre‘s post), in an attempt to capture the illusive allure of the flames.

There wasn’t dancing or fire jumping, but I think we might have slayed some demons in discussion sending good luck our way.

And then the flames subsided, the fire more contained, and the calm of the night was as satisfying as the deepest burn earlier in the evening. Summer had begun.

I hope you all get to enjoy a good bonfire this summer!

Happy Summer friends,
Holly