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To you and @Joshua Doležal (wow, crazy synchronicity that you both wrote about fire on the same day). "Fire" has a strange and powerful draw for me as does Norman Mclean's book that I wrote about here, since we're sharing posts: https://marytabor.substack.com/p/young-men-and-fire-by-norman-mclean Perhaps I'll do a repost of this one some day in the future.

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Yes, do.

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So evocative, and so strange that we both posted essays about fire on the same day. Mine is rather the opposite of yours in length and tone! For anyone interested: https://joshuadolezal.substack.com/p/mutiny-in-the-north-woods

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So strange. Going to read yours now.

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Wow.

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Jul 23, 2023Liked by Eleanor Anstruther

This took me back to my twenties. I remember such a forest fire many years ago. We had a mobile home on a campsite high in the Var region. The flames crossed roads to tear through the dry forests surrounding the camp until it reached the camp itself and burnt down all the properties on their plots. Awful. I remember the amber skies and the years of blackened hills as they struggled to survive the immense damage. I’m wondering if this may well be the same set of forest fires. Such a sad time and the impact felt for years.

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I remember that fire - if we are the same age (I think we are roughly). The sun an orange disc, the pool filled with ash. This one I describe in the post was the first of its size since that one you describe. It stayed with me, the fear of the adults, my sisters sleeping in makeup in case the pompiers turned up in the night….

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Jul 24, 2023Liked by Eleanor Anstruther

Yes, I’d never experienced anything like it. Genuine fear when we were evacuated near the local pharmacy in the early hours. Air choked.

Your words describe it perfectly. Such a strange state in which to live.

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founding
Jul 16, 2023Liked by Eleanor Anstruther

Praying Angels Abound!!!

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Juicy 👌

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