Sky Candles

Happy New Year everyone!

Jeremy & I said goodbye to the last of our family yesterday afternoon and we were quite ready to sit around watching movies or reading or napping or doing nothing in particular - but of course we had to work on some project (more on that later) and we couldn't not celebrate New Year's Eve!

Our friend Elise had invited several people to help build and launch sky candles over the lake. So we headed down with Elise and Frank with sky candle gear in hand.


(heading down the slippery stairs to the lake)


(the frozen lake, all lit up)


(heading out on the lake)

We walked over the frozen lake to the island where there was a bit less wind. We were joined by several other neighbors. Elise attached little bits of wool and cardboard (soaked in alcohol) to the big tissue paper lanterns. It took several people holding them until enough heat build up, then they were released into the sky.











The first one took off beautifully and sailed high in the air to cheers and shouts from us, and from the ice skaters nearby. We fell silent, some making wishes for the new year, as the air candle floated higher and higher and drifted away.

Then we all started to realize: it was still burning and it was going to come down eventually. Would it land on a park building? In the dry trees or brush? Would it start a fire? A few people offered to run over and catch the lantern wherever it fell. But in the end, it drifted right to the edge of lake and landed safely.

The second lantern rose up into the air, burst into flames, and came crashing down. The opening was just too small and too close to the flame.



The next two lanterns just wouldn't get up into the air. We're not sure if the wind was bad or if the lanterns were just too big. Oh well: a good time was had by all! Several folks read poetry in between launchings and we ended the old year with a lovely pyromaniac show.