Three Fires

Around Thanksgiving time, the students and staff at Three Lakes Academy had a harvest gathering called "The Three Fires". The Three Fires are meant to represent the three Manistique Lakes that surround the community of Curtis, and perhaps invoke an indigenous peoples flavor to the gathering.

There were three bonfires set up on the lawn of the Academy, at each point of the triangle.  There were tables set up on the lawn with homemade placemats taped to the tables.  It was COLD so the fires were a welcome treat.

 Will was "Keeper of the Flame" and he ran from fire to fire to light them, signifying the start of the feast.

Interestingly, that day was marked also by a Detroit Lions vs. Patriots game.  There were many comments on Will's hat that day that floated over our heads until we found this out.  The Patriots "whooped butt", but that may not be saying much given the status of the Lions.

The kids each wrote a "legend of the Three Fires".  Three of the stories were to be chosen to be read at the ceremony.  Lila's was one of the three stories read, and hers was a legend of a Native American girl who was captured by pilgrims (read settlers here) in Copper Harbor.  The story was about how she was chosen to be a sacrifice to the Fire God and how she willingly endured this sacrifice for the greater good of nature and her people.  I feared that it was too Grimm grim to be chosen, but the school administrator shows pluck and good taste!  (That is him holding the megaphone).

The event culminated in a meal of beef stew (made with donations from everyones garden and farm), home made muffins and cornbread, and a dessert of cranberry Jello- Cranberries harvested from the shore of Lake Superior.  It was a lovely gathering, though the wind was howling (and the placemats didn't stay on the tables because the tape was too cold) and it was COLD (did I already mention that?)!