A Little More
Everything is really going great… the girls are loving the routines of camp, so before things get stale we add a little more! Rafting, Overnights, Movies, Thunderhead trail riding all are new components of this weeks schedule. It spices things up, a delightful addition to a delightful place. Our first rafting trips will go out today, about 150 girls taking the trip to a rafting company run by an old Greystone counselor on the Pigeon river in Tennessee (a 90 minute trip). The whitewater rapids of this area are really amazing and the Pigeon river is a really fun one. This is the only trip that leaves Tuxedo and we keep doing it because it is so popular with the girls.
It is amazing what a difference it makes when a lot of girls are out of camp. Everything is quieter, more laid back, more contemplative. Combined with the overcast sky (no rain predicted, just a solid cloud cover) make this a day that just feels different… and it is wonderful!
The girls are wearing sweatshirts (it is taking longer for the temperatures to rise to the expected 80 degree mark), walking to class in groups of 2 or 3 (often holding hands), and there is an almost tangible sense of satisfaction with every group.
I love that warm feeling of contentment that comes occasionally in a year. As a very content person, I probably feel it more than most but even I only feel that good pang of emotion occasionally… and I always feel it at this point of a good session. All is well with the world. God is good. We are happy.
For those who live here, the world shrinks while at camp. If things are good at camp, they are good with the world. We don’t read the papers, watch the news, check facebook or instagram, and snap chats go unwatched for weeks on end. We don’t think about North Korea or the latest fashion news… everything that matters is right in front of us and very easy to appreciate.
We delight in a simple meal, an active schedule, an hour of quiet and rest. Cold water, crunchy pellet ice, cheese sticks, sweet watermelon, crisp apples, and savory granola bars are within reach. We laugh, we cry, we hold hands, we hug, and we talk like we have never talked before. We look forward to EP’s and anticipate snuggling under the blankets and whispering a prayer as taps blows.
It is hard to describe camp to people who aren’t here. Contentment felt deeply and completely is as close as I can come… and that is what we are experiencing at this point of the session. It appears that this summer is going to be very special. We couldn’t be more pleased.
- Breakfast was Waffles and bacon
- Lunch is Ham & Cheese sandwiches
- Dinner is Laura’s Pork Chops
The kitchen has been doing such a fantastic job and is now really hitting their stride. They are doing lots of little “extra’s” to make each meal delightful in surprising ways (the salad bar is spectacular… I could easily get every meal from the salad bar every day). Good food is a huge deal, quite possibly the most important program in a summer camp. Food is one of the biggest expenses of a camp, it is also the hardest area to do well. I am a bit of a foodie and delight in providing the very best for the girls. Every table has good Spanish Olive Oil and Italian Balsamic Vinegar, salt and pepper grinders, and local honey. We make our humus, cous cous, granola, and bread every morning. We buy local produce, local meats, local grains, and composte 90% of our dining hall waste. Gervais has run the kitchen for more than 20 years, and he has built a team that works together like a well oiled swiss watch. We rightfully celebrate their efforts!
Tonight we will take our first group (cabins 7-12) to our fantastic “Glamping” outpost at Bear Mountain. This is a 200 acre mountaintop property that has a super nice bunk house (for those who don’t want to “rough it” in the ten person tents. There is a huge mountaintop meadow, a firepit with 50 mile views, and the sounds of a couple nearby waterfalls thrown in for free. The temperatures at this 2,800 foot site are about 5 degrees cooler than camp, the stars seem brighter, and the food tastes better up there. We have prepared an amazing experience for a slam dunk overnight for the senior campers, we hope it will provide a moment that will remembered fondly many years from now. The girls in camp will be enjoying movie night EP (most of camp will be watching The Greatest Showman, my favorite movie of the year). It will be a nice laid back night!
Your emails (we printed over 1000) and letters (we delivered about 800) are a BIG part of the camper day. Those little things make camp better for your girls, so keep it coming!
Thank You for reading the blog and praying for a safe and happy summer! We are SO THANKFUL !