Don't you love a bonfire! I always think there should be two fires so I can stand in between the two and never have a cold backside. Come on now, you've thought the very same thing! I've also thought there has to be a neater way to make s'mores, but I guess the gooey, stickiness that is the concoction is what makes it fun. Who can resist a tasty hotdog with just a little char and just the right condiments, your mouth is watering right now, I just know it.

Looking at a fire at night brings a whole new appreciation to the beauty of the dancing flames and the glowing embers. A fire in the daytime doesn't hold nearly the same ambience as one at night.

Isn't it amazing how something so necessary that we enjoy can also be something we fear. Forest fires destroy over 3 million trees every year, endangering lives, homes and the well-being of families and businesses. Our National Forests urgently need trees! Because funds are diverted to battle the ever increasing forest fires, replanting has taken a back seat to controlling the fires. Currently, there is a backlog of 1 million trees and that number continues to increase with every fire, not just through the actual loss, but through the loss of dollars that would be used to replant.

Check out the Arbor Day Foundation for ways you can help preserve our nation's forests. http://www.arborday.org/

Enjoy your bonfire, be sure you safely extinguish it when you are finished and think about where that tree came from. Take a little, give a little. It's all about balance!