Wild Fires - Living in Idaho

(Picture swiped from Google images) 

As often happens in August, Boise is engulfed in smoke from surrounding mountain wild fires. It is something that I am totally accustom to, as I have lived in Idaho most of my life. The past two summers seem to be worse than usual, but it's nothing that seems too out of the ordinary. Unless you just arrived here from Africa.

Brenda was in my car the other day and we could see a huge plume of smoke over the horizon of the nearby foothills. We commented on how big it was and noticed a helicopter in the same direction. I couldn't make out if it was a fire fighting copter or life flight, but began to explain to Brenda how the helicopters are used to fight fires. 

Then I realized that she didn't know about the forests. She has never been outside of the urban area of Boise. I have explained to her that most of the surrounding area is full of trees and mountains, but she has yet to see it herself. I told her about how the hot temperatures, combined with lightening storms cause wild fires every year. 

She looked up at the helicopter and said, "That doesn't make the fire?" "I thought it makes the fire."

Me, "Nope. It helps pour water on the fire." 

Brenda, "America is so hard!"

Me, "Do you mean that it's hard to understand things here?"

Brenda, "Yes."

So once again I am enlightened about just how many things in Brenda's daily life don't make any sense. She is so adaptable and independent that it is easy to take for granted that she "just knows" things that she has no experience with or context for understanding. She amazes me.