So We Took The Boys To The Lake...

It's hot,

but we've discussed that.

So we thought we'd take our boys and some friends from church, out to the lake.

Just an ordinary, ho-hum day at the beach, right?

Except not.

Look behind them, in the first photo.

While the boys were doing their usual boy things, like jumping off the dock and paddling around in the canoe...

... this was going on just behind them.

I knew there was a fire out on an island (nobody lives there, but there were some campers evacuated), and there are some big fires up in Canada, so everything was smoky this morning.

But as of midday, there's a new fire...

right across a creek drainage and up the the hill behind my parents' house.

Fortunately (for them) the wind is currently driving it away from their home,

and it's not threatening anyone else at this time.

So as the boys were boys... pushing each other off the dock

and doing stunts in the water...

the first helicopter was dipping into the lake behind them about every five minutes.

My dad estimated that to be about a 200 gallon bucket, just to give you an idea of the size.

But we're just guessing.

Meanwhile, just more boys being boys...

I don't think I've ever seen that canoe remain upright for more than about five minutes.

Because obviously the funnest thing in the world to do is to tip it over.

Next to, maybe, shoving each other into the water.

We couldn't see the fire from where we were, but the first helicopter was soon joined by another...

... and we were visited about every two to three minutes,

making for a very noisy afternoon!

This guy must have wanted to make sure his bucket worked,

because the first time he filled it he promptly dumped it and filled it again.

It works.

Wyatt went out with the windsurfer, staying clear of the area where they were dipping the bucket.

Meanwhile... more canoe tipping,

... and more swimming it back to shallow water to right it and empty it.

Some of our friends :D

We finally had to call it a day,

but it was hard to leave the coolness of the lake

and our ringside seats.

We decided to take the long way home so we could get an idea of how big the fire is.

Here's the first helicopter (the white spot) coming in for a drop...

.... and here's the second, just starting to release his water.

And both of them, coming and going.

  

They were pretty quickly joined by a third helicopter,

but they had to quit at sundown.

Apparently there are crews on the ground up there,

and the fire is "only" about five acres.

Hoping and praying they can get it contained and out!

No official word on a cause yet, but there hasn't been any lightning over here.