Anticipation... a big week ahead

This is going to be such a great week… the ingredients are all there.

Weather: Sunny with virtually no chance of rain all week (gives classes consistency, amazing overnights on Apple Hill with tons of shooting stars sited from the hammocks, and we are doing some special event surprises that only work if it doesn’t rain). Weather is a big deal, I like this kind of start, let the rain come later!

Time: It takes a week to settle in, for that reason we help with a very active and full schedule for the first days of camp. Last night we introduced a quiet EP, Opening Vespers… the gears shift and the perspective changes. Lovely, lots of tears, deep appreciation for the gift of Greystone. We don’t know how many years we have with my mother, this year has taught us to appreciate the people that are so much a part of camp… EP’s like this are wonderful and we all know it. This time thing is one of the best aspects of Main Camp. My Grandmother always said that it takes 10 days for camp to settle, she was and is right. August Camp is frantic paced, June Camp tastes the joy of a slower few days, Main Camp gets the full treatment. Wednesday will mark that magical ten day point and we will celebrate the moment with Challenge Day, I can’t wait!

Routine: This week fully establishes the camp routine. We changed tables in the Dining Hall for breakfast, picking table numbers from bowls at the entrance. New places, new counselors, new friends. Everyone LOVES it. It is a simple thing to do with a major effect; that simple change just freshenes our day more than you can know. The noise level will drop by half as the girls actually talk to each other, probing to find the points of interest that they share. Great friends will be made around the table this week… there is a power to breaking bread together that bonds effectively. Counselors start taking days off this week, which really boosts their energy and morale. And we will have our second slow EP, Council Fire… where my mother inspires and the departments reward excellence.

I will be introducing you to some changes on the news blog too… soon I will only be posting updates at this spot (the news page of the website). The combined effect of the highlight pictures with the synopsis of what is going on is just better on our website than on the other site. Start with the News, then log in to check photos and email your camper. It is FAR better to read the update before you write and see the pictures of the day. I do this update first thing in the morning, so it is the first content of the day… hope you will comment as well (it is an encouragement to all parents… the community can build in this virtual setting just like it does in the camp setting).

The Opening Vespers really was special. Jess Parrot took the pictures that I am featuring today (remember to click the right hand picture to scroll through the set).

Jimboy