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Winter Nights, Camp fires, and Mars?

Mars

“Tis a strange wind that blows on the edge of the forest.” I quoted.

“Oh dad!” The future founder of Alaskan Seafood Guys responded.

Then he felt the chilling breeze sneak into the old growth.  We’d been climbing up Ravens Roost and finally made it to the clearing over looking Petersburg.  Pretty spectacular!  From this spot the fireworks on New Year's Eve would be shot, our Black Labrador meanwhile found a muskeg hole and rolled in it until he looked like a Chocolate Labrador.

The following winter my son and I walked the dogs on a rare crystal-clear night.  We walked up a less populated street, less lit by  street lights.  The black sky was a slash of stars.  Up Ravens Roost blazed a brilliant campfire on the clearing over-looking the town.  We marveled at the hardiness of the camp. It felt exceptionally cold and such a fire meant a lot of firewood.

With a “burr” we hurried the dogs home and jumped into the Jacuzzi.  We only uncovered half the tub to conserve heat. When my son was little he could sit on the corner seat and I on the floor of the tub keeping only our heads above the bubbling water. Smoke wafted through the air from the little “Pueblo Oven” incense burner my Aunt gave me.  The “Flute Player” candle holder threw his shadow around the gazebo. 

“Look dad!”

Between the gazebo and the house we could see a slice of the sparkling sky and the stars dancing in the steam arising from the jacuzzi.  And the campfire we saw?  It was actually the red planet Mars at its closest in a very long time.

 Author - William Moulton