Greetings from Hilltop. It’s another glorious Sunday afternoon here at Four Winds. The campers are all at the barn, enjoying our Sunday afternoon activity, Country Fair. They’re bobbing for apples, visiting the fortune teller, racing in sacks, and braiding horses’ tails. It’s another beautiful, sunny day. All is well on this little corner of Orcas Island.
About midway through the session, we’re in a bit of a time warp. On the one hand, it feels like we’ve always been here and will always be here. On the other, arrival day seems very recent, and as we look at the calendar ahead, we know the remainder of camp will fly by. Camp has that ability to warp one’s sense of time. I’ve heard camp people say before that the days here are slow, but the weeks are fast. I think it comes from the fact that at Camp, we tend to focus on the here and now. The worries of the outside world seem to fade away, and what we’re most concerned about is what’s going on with this group. We’re focused on planning a friend’s gypsy jewelry ceremony, on finishing a project in the craft courts, practicing for tonight’s Evening Fire, or on planning an upcoming trip. All the concerns of the outside world seem distant.
I’m always inclined to remind campers and staff that while they should enjoy that time warp, they shouldn’t allow themselves to forget that our time here together is precious. Having done this for a long time, and carrying around my boringly responsible adult mindset, I know that the rest of camp will go quickly. The markers are all there. On Thursday, the seniors will leave on their six-day trips. That will be a great adventure for them, and in camp, things will change up in terms of atmosphere for the juniors and intermediates. It will be over in the blink of an eye. When the seniors return, we’ll be into our final series of evening activities, the Carlyn will return, and before we know it, camp will be over.
My concerned hectoring of the campers to make the most of their experience is probably not necessary in any case. Even if they’re not doing so with checklists and planners, these campers know instinctively what to do. They’re enjoying every moment, deepening their friendships, having a ball in their activities, and fully living the spirit of Four Winds. This session so far has been wonderful, and I have no doubt that the second half will be just as great.
This past week, there’s been plenty to do. On Monday, we played Capture the Chicken. (Just like Capture the Flag, but with a rubber chicken. Sometimes it’s better not to ask.) On Tuesday night, we had Garbage Auction, in which cabins bid points won by picking up garbage on Sunday on prizes offered by staff. It’s a super fun evening activity, but even more so, it injects dozens of adventures into the community that will be enjoyed throughout the session. Wednesday was Gypsy Day, a tradition which began in Ruth Brown’s day. It’s a day that’s secret from the campers. The short version of it is that it’s an all-day scavenger hunt, done in character. Campers are separated into bands, and each band has a theme and goes on a quest of sorts. They play games, use their imaginations, and find buried treasure at the end of the day. It was a great day. It ended with a concert in the Garden, a well deserved, restful evening activity. Thursday we played Lord of the Rings, which is four-way, multi-flag, Tolkien-themed capture the flag on the sports field. Friday night we had silly songs and skits on Moonraker Point. Last night was Cabin Adventure. Today, as usual, is Evening Fire, and we’re all looking forward to it.
Thank you, as always, for sharing your children with us. They’ve built a wonderful community here in the first two weeks, and now they get to enjoy it for another two. Until next week, be sure to follow our daily updates on Twitter.