A Controlled Burn Brings New Life
A controlled burn purges unwanted vegetation and brings new life, wildflowers and birds.
The Northwest Georgia January air was crisp, the temperature in the 40’s as we raked dead grasses into a pile. It was late afternoon, and I had bundled up in a hoody and a heavy parka with gloves and a hat. We’ve been letting our neighbor plant corn in our field for the last couple years, but have decided to reclaim our land and plant wildflowers, vegetables, elderberries, fruit and nut trees.
In the section of the field we raked, we have decided to grow wildflowers. They will draw in pollinators for our nearby crops and orchard. They will also add a splash of color that will be seen from our front porch.
Since there wasn’t a breeze and it had rained recently, Dave suggested this evening would be a good night for a controlled burn. The soil was still very damp, but the dead grass had dried enough to burn. After raking the grass into a pile, we used a shovel to create a barrier of dirt so the fire wouldn’t spread out of control.
I’ll admit, I was a bit nervous about burning. We live a half-mile from the main road. If a fire gets out of control, we would be in trouble. Yet, Dave is the son of a forest ranger. He has built plenty of fires and knows how to do a controlled burn.
After we burned the first area, Dave lit another area outside the circle. This made me nervous, and I scrambled to dig another trench around the new area. Soon, I realized that the ground was too damp for the fire to move swiftly. The evening was still. The air was heavy with moisture. We were okay. The fire wouldn’t be jumping.
Between the exertion of raking and shoveling and the warmth of the fire, I felt nice and toasty. I removed my parka and felt quite cozy with just my hoody and my hat.
I’ve always loved fires. There is something primal about them. The combination of the earth, the fire, the water (in the mud), and the cool winter air brought together all the elements in a way that felt both meditative and invigorating.
The fire burned, slowly inching out as we guided it to the areas we wished to burn. By the time we wrapped up, there was an almost full moon out. This simplicity of life is what I love most about living in Northwest Georgia and being married to my soul mate. A night like this intersects our love for the earth, our love for each other, and ignites it in a fire that warms our souls, makes us think about the deeper meaning of life, and unites us as a couple.
In many ways our love is like this fire… cleansing, rejuvenating, fertilizing and passionate. It’s an even controlled burn that grows, spreads, but never leaps or consumes where it does not belong. It cleanses and opens up possibilities for new growth.
I am blessed!
