Adorable photo by kidtrip
We’ve had a particularly cool summer here in Pittsburgh. Not many trips to the pool and it’s already almost the end of July. However, the cooler evenings have given us a chance to enjoy two at-home summer activities for the kids: (1) lightning bugs catching contests (the chillier weather seems to have brought them out in droves;) and (2) backyard campfires.
A campfire in our own backyard is an all-evening affair. We start by having the kids collect kindling as well as a few prime marshmallow-roasting sticks from the woods. Then my husband throws a few logs in the portable, metal fire pit, which we found at Home Depot, and gets a nice big fire a-blazin’. The kids are delighted and surprisingly quiet. Something about sitting around that fire seems to mesmerize them, transforming them into content and peaceful creatures. And finally, we complete the fun with some good old-fashioned S’mores.
If it’s been a while since you’ve made one, here’s the “recipe” for a S’more:
- marshmallows
- Hershey’s chocolate bars
- Graham crackers
- Damp paper towels (or a box of hand wipes)
- Bug spray
Directions: Place a square of chocolate on a Graham cracker. Roast the marshmallow to your “desired doneness.” (I like mine burnt to an unrecognizable crisp.) Then, with a second cracker, squeeze the roasted marshmallow between the crackers and chocolate. YUM!! You’ll figure out what to do with the damp paper towels and the bug spray.
S’mores in your own backyard. Life doesn’t get much better than that.
For other fun ideas for enjoying and exploring the outdoors, check out this terrific website: Green Hour.
Love Your Home,
Sue
Camp fires and S’mores are my absolute favorite.