Fresh air, fabulous morning

Those sleeping bags sure felt cozy this morning with the humidity and heat cleared and a cool breeze wafting through open windows. One thing I love at Camp is the sound of dozens of happy voices headed to the Lodge in the morning for breakfast.  Instant community! This slow-moving teacher arrived after the announcements and morning song to tables full of children digging into eggs, sausage, potatoes, fruit, four types of cereal, and milk. There were choices for all dietary needs and preferences.


Camp splits into two halves today. Half of the field teachers will be leading their students on the "all day" hike, typically 2.5-5 miles round trip depending upon the stamina of the group. They pack their lunches and learn along the way about habit, watersheds, survival skills, and more. Most students have a great sense of accomplishment and teamwork at the end of the day, tackling a new goal for many.

The other groups will be closer to camp engaging in both lessons and fun in and around the site. Some groups will do a river study, learning how the presence or absence of certain invertebrates and small vertebrates can indicate the health of a water source. Other groups will work in the extensive Camp Garden, putting into practice the cycle of decomposition and renewal that is critical to plant life while sampling some of the tasty items right off the plants. Additionally groups at camp will have a chance to swim in the beautiful, heated pool and tackle the "low ropes", a series of team challenges.

Mr. Rousseau has arrived to the rock star status greetings from his charges.  It's wonderful to have him join the kids on hikes building on the strong connections that he already has with many of our fifth grade students.

We hope things are as pleasant weather-wise back home as they are up here.  On a quieter day, I might hear birds and insects, but at the moment excited voices are overpowering any other sounds.