Absolutely Gravy

Saturday, August 3rd, 2024

PUPPET GROVE circa 7:00pm—The afternoon heat has dissipated to the pleasant level of a freshly-dried garment. Setting sunbeams cast golden patches on the forested hillside overlooking the Camp kitchen. A hundred-odd staff members and ranch residents shuffle in a long line that snakes among several buffet tables, loading up precious plates of extra fancy dinner fare. “The Feast”, as we call it, is an important end-of-season tradition that celebrates all the hard work we put in to make this summer possible. Tomorrow we will begin the arduous process of take-down, but tonight is for relaxing and sharing in our community, which many of us would claim as our chosen family.

Here in the Puppet Grove, I sit at Facility Manager Sindi Petti’s old desk, an austere mid-century piece that wouldn’t look out of place any time after the Protestant Reformation. This year, as Sindi prepares for retirement, she gifted her desk to Puppetry Instructor Milla Blackwelder who has put it to good use in their outdoor workshop, as evidenced by the matted web of hot glue residue that holds my clipboard quite still as I write. For me, this desk serves as a reminder that Camp is a sharing community, one with history and legacy, and one in which all that is old may be made new again. As we contemplate packing away all our equipment of merriment, this thought comforts me.

Camp Winnarainbow is a place where we strive to bring joy to children, but pick-up day is special because we get the opportunity to rekindle childish joy in all the visiting grown-ups. Today I camped out at the merch table to gather thoughts from anyone who looked like they were alive during the World Series Earthquake (and a few kids, just for good measure).

“I tried to ride a unicycle but my kid said, ‘Thats not for adults!'” said Greg from Martinez. “I liked when the kids came together and sang. It was my first time here; I’ll definitely be back.”

“The emcees were great; they really shepherded us parents along nicely,” said Erin from Fairfax. “I got goosebumps even in 90° weather.”

“The show was rockin’,” said Matt, also from Fairfax. “The first song, ‘We Are the Children of Camp Winnarainbow’ was really touching.”

“I like Camp Winnarainbow,” said Porter, 8, of the Lime Tipi. “I liked doing puppets. I already knew about them before but I got to get more into it at Camp. I love it.”

“As an amateur juggler myself, I really liked the juggling act,” said Sam from Santa Rosa. “I loved the ending with the band and the kids pounding on the metal rainbow.”

“The show was so good I want to come back next year,” said Michael from Berkeley. “You take 69-year-olds right?”

Camp does in fact have a session for adults, Adult Camp as we call it. It typically occurs in the third or fourth week of June.

“The show was definitely vibey, certainly wavy, and absolutely gravy!” said Mac from Oakland. “My favorite part was the ‘Old Town Road’ remix. The kids were vibing it. I was impressed.”

“It was super special to be able to read the blog on our roadtrip,” said Sarah from Asheville, North Carolina. “Our kid is a total misfit and this is the perfect place for it. I love Camp’s approach to childhood; you all know how to harness the craziness and keep kids busy. Clearly no one is afraid of kids here.”

“My favorite part of the show was all of it,” said Liz from San Francisco. “‘Camp Town Road’ was great. You can’t go wrong with Lil Naz X.”

“I love clowning for the makeup and the miming,” said Sidney, 12, of the Blue Tipi. “I’m definitely coming back.”

“You could tell there was a lot of joy and happiness,” said Nancy, from Oakland.

“The show was a nice capstone,” added Shimon, also from Oakland.”

“My time at Camp was incredibly crazy and all-over-the-place, but totally fun,” said Teen Staff Gabby. “It’s the people that make Camp. Everyone is so warm and welcoming. You can walk up to anyone and have a life-changing conversation. I’ll you next year!”

“The kids in the group singing really brought the heat and the energy,” said James from Sebastopol. “And the Foo Fighters? Come on! So good.”

“The blog was a nice lifeline,” said Dor from Santa Cruz. “The show was eclectic and hilarious, especially the puppets and clowning. I loved the short experimental piece in the river. The theme was ‘home’ and it really communicated a lot about Camp and the feeling of going home.”

“Camp was good,” said Tashi, 11, of the Ultraviolet Tipi. “It’s really fun and the people are nice. Ok, here’s my quote: ‘The same hot water that makes an egg hard makes a potato soft, so don’t let your environment dictate you.'”

“The show was awesome, especially the stilts,” said Chanelle from McKinleyville. “It was a beautiful experience for the kids. They seemed so happy.”

“The tunnel the stilters made for the unicyclers was really impressive,” added Bonnie, also from McKinleyville. “The collective singing brought tears to my eyes.”

Thanks everyone for reading along this session! Have a safe journey home, and, as always…

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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An Ode to Lake Veronica

Friday, August 2nd, 2024

LAKE VERONICA circa 3:00pm—Stern sunbeams bear down at a steep angle from the immaculate sky, a perfect robin’s egg. Campers scuttle down the dry, grassy slope from the easement where Camp’s Kia Sedona has deposited them. “Don’t forget to check in with Beach Mop!” chirps Singing Instructor ‘Iron Jaden’ Larson, brandishing a yellow legal pad. Hopeful swimmers line up to check in and receive buddy assignments. A linked pair of dragonflies buzz from one clump of cattails to the another, navigating through the members our human congregation. The final lake day of the summer has arrived, bittersweet as the aroma of wild pennyroyal that permeates the shoreline.

“How many goggles are under the lake?” asks Miles, 5, sporting a yellow lifejacket and squinting in the sun through wet bangs.
“Probably a hundred,” I estimate.
“Well now there’s one hundred and one,” he says after some quick math.

The shallow water entry zone clouds with silt as the first swimming buddies enter the water. A corridor of lily pads guide them toward the deep center. Soon the floating raft structure is swarmed with squirrelly campers who jump off into the water, swim around, and ascend the mounted metal ladder in a continuous cycle. Some more adept swimmers continue to the far end of the lake were stands a 10-foot lifeguard post that doubles a jumping platform.

“The platform is fun to jump off of,” says Lucas, 12, of the Scarlet Tipi. “The lifeguard says an animal when you jump and then you try to make the sound of the animal before you hit the water. Most people don’t know this but at the bottom of the lake there’s a bus, a car, and a $600 remote-controlled submarine.”

“It’s scary when you look down because it’s so deep and there’s nothing to see,” says Quin, 7, of the Lime Tipi.

“If you look down at different parts it can be shiny,” adds Talia, 7, also from Lime. “Sometimes the water is cold, sometimes warm. The lake makes me feel like I can do anything because I passed the rafter test and then I passed the platformer test.”

“Every day it seems like people are having a good time,” says Lifeguard Whitney Royall. “You get to cool off, swim around, and most of all you get a break from the rat-race of downtown Camp. It’s very peaceful. Yesterday before the kids arrived I saw a school of fish swimming around.”

“My favorite is sunbathing on the raft and eavesdropping on campers’ conversations,” says Lifeguard Meadow Wilde. “The lake in general is really enjoyable, even more so than last year somehow. I think the water quality is better, more clear. The lake teaches us that you can have fun but you have to be safe about it. I’m sad this is ending, but I’m glad it happened.”

“The lake is the best part of Camp,” says Lifeguard Bodhi Cedar. “Most of Camp is dry and hot, but the lake is not. I became a lifeguard because of my aunt Kitty. She helped me with my swimming training. I just love the lake.”

“Absolute quiet for buddy check!” bellows Waterfront Honcho Kitty Green. “Begin count!”
“One!” yells a pair of swimmers, raising their hands, “Two!” yells another. The count goes on until all twelve buddy pairs have made themselves seen and heard in this manner.

“I wrote an ode to Lake Veronica,” says Kitty. “I was inspired by Pablo Neruda. Do you want to hear it?” she asks. Opening her Notes app, she begins,

“Ah, Lake Veronica
You swim in my soul with your wonderful coolness

In my barren land, you are the final refreshment
As the smoldering summer heat beats down

Ah, you body of water holds me like cool arms of wildflowers and a lap of rose
Yes, you who are silent, save for the smiling laughter of splashing children and human beings

Lake Veronica you are the one still and deep, who captures the spirit of summer“

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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Cheer-O-Meter

Thursday, August 1st, 2024

STILT FIELD circa 8:30pm—A veritable mosh pit has erupted in the auspices of Carly Rae Jepsen’s 2011 single “Call Me Maybe” which blasts out of the Big Top PA at a volume likely fatal to anything smaller than a breadbox. Campers and counselors alike dance about in all manner of bizarre costumes in the spinning patterned lights that are at once green, then pink, then blue. The fading sunlight has painted the surrounding woods into a continuous black silhouette that hugs our little electric oasis of revelry. Session D’s Costume Party is in full swing.

Much too chaotic to garner any sensible quotations, I snap a few costume pictures and retreat to my notes. Last night’s evening program was our final Fire Circle of the summer where campers and staff performed for each other poems, songs, prayers and jokes. For the grand finale, a team of professional fire jugglers dazzled the audience with their daring craft, accompanied by a West African drumming ensemble. Earlier this afternoon I spent a few hours at the creek to gather feedback on the event, and on Camp in general.

“The ending was really cool where they were juggling fire,” said Kaliah, 11, of the Rainbow Tipi. “They were juggling torches that looked like marshmallows on the end. I was mildly scared, but it looked like they knew what they were doing.”

“Today in songwriting I was writing a song about California,” continued Kaliah. “Summer movie nights, stars in the sky, things like that. California is very chill—except in terms of forcing kids to learn cursive—but otherwise very chill. That’s probably why Camp is so chill.”

“Fire Circle was fun and scary,” said Aiyana, 9, of the Gold Tipi. “I thought they were gonna catch all the campers on fire! The drums during the juggling had a really cool beat; I felt like was hypnotized. The whole thing was entertaining, and I’m hard to entertain. This one time, at my cousin’s house, they put Mulan on the TV and I didn’t even watch it.”

“‘If You’re Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands’ really slapped,” said August, 12, of the Scarlet Tipi. “I was inspired by the fire, especially the fire poi. And the low beat and high beats of the drumming, it was ceremonial.”

“I learned a new clown trick,” said Oscar, 9, of the Yellow Tipi. “You pull a balloon out of your pocket, tie a string around it so it doesn’t deflate, and then you move it around and pretend like it’s lifting you up. It’s good for a laugh, but it’s not just about being silly. Clowning is about showing emotion and being vulnerable. People relate to that. And then you hit them with the silly face and they’ll probably laugh medium to normal hard.”

“I made up this thing called the ‘Cheer-O-Meter’,” continued Oscar. “The more people laugh and cheer, the more excited and stupider I get! Camp is a good place to be stupid.”

“Fire Circle was chill,” said Johnny, 14, of the Red Tipi. “The flowersticks were lit, literally and figuratively. It was cool enough that I almost paid attention to most of it. I really liked Dinklefritz’s song. The solo was sick.”

“The best part of Camp is the free time,” said Haydn, 11, of the Ultraviolet Tipi. “Classes are rigid, but free time is so fluid. I love walking around with no plan. Today I got my nails painted completely spontaneously. I do have a plan for the Costume Party, but I’m not telling you.”

“I love Camp a lot,” said Issa, 10, of the Maroon Tipi. “There’s a lot of things you can do here, the classes, the creek, meeting new people. I feel free to be myself. It’s like a home away from home.”

“Fire Circle was amazing and impressive,” said Aria, 10, of the Turquoise Tipi. “It was cool that staff performed too, not just the kids. The fire juggling was my favorite, and I liked that they sang us a lullaby to calm us down afterword. Every day at Camp is the best day. It’s really nice to be in nature and the staff are really nice.”

“I like the creek,” said Sarafina, 7, of the Lime Tipi. “I like how one end is deeper and one end is shallow. And I like creek walks. We saw lots of deers, clay and blackberries. I sculpted the clay into a little doll named Lily. She lives in my tipi now. I ate blackberries, a green one, a red one, and a black one. We saw a whole family of deer, including the baby. I named the baby horse Lilyon.”

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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Choosing a Major

Wednesday, July 31st, 2024

TIPI CIRCLE circa 7:00pm—Except for a northern strip of sunlight sneaking in over the Stilt Field, the whole Tipi Circle is shrouded in the soothing shade of early evening. Camp’s downtown is completely still with only a faint clatter from the distant kitchen to disturb the quietude. Soon the area will be teeming with campers, freshly energized from tonight’s burger and pudding dinner, ready to obliterate calmness wherever it can be found with improvised acts of hyper-active hijinks. For now, there exists a few minutes of serenity to review my notes.

Last night’s evening program was Teacher Talent Night, which provides campers with a sampling of the classes we offer at Camp. As today was the first full day of classes, I decided to take a campus tour to hear what campers thought of their teachers’ talent, and how it is affecting their choice of classes.

“Improv was pretty fun; we got to do some acting,” said Henry, 8, of the Yellow Tipi. Clowning was cool too; we learned the mime wall. The clown teachers taught us a lot of miming tricks. In improv we learned about setting the scene, relationships, flaws, et cetera. The clowning act last night was so funny. The improv act was good too—not the funniest—but funny enough. It’s all about making people laugh.”

“I went to unicycle because I want to get better,” said Asa, 8, of the Lime Tipi. “The unicycle act was hilarious. Lucas was the baby and Dinklefritz was David Bowie. They played ‘Dance the Magic Dance’ as the song and they did an eight-person pinwheel. I think a lot of people were inspired by the act to go to unicycle class because the track was very busy today. Honestly, it’s just fun.”

“In capoeira I learned a special type of squat with one hand on the ground and the other on your cheek,” said Ellis, 14, of the Red Tipi. “We combined it with the ginga where you put your foot back and oscillated like that. It was cool; I had never considered the idea of dance fighting. I’ve taken karate before, and that has more swift movements. Capoeira is more fluid, sort of like using dance as a weapon. Yesterday I was wandering around confused, not knowing what to do. That’s when I saw Mniska playing an instrument and a bunch of kids following him. I started following too, thinking we were going to learn the instrument. Once I realized it was a martial arts class I thought it would be rude to leave, but I actually ended up liking it.”

“I took tightrope because I saw it and it looked fun,” said Ada, 11, of the Turquoise Tipi. “They act was really funny. They set a record for ‘World’s Lowest Tightrope’, but it was just a piece of tape stuck to the stage. Today I worked on walking without a spotter and walking backwards. When I’m up on the tightrope I feel like a graceful ballerina.”

“I went to Experimento because I really like theater,” said Sigrid, 10, also from Turquoise. “Tucket taught us about stage presence: ‘You need your mind and your body.’ The act was cool. One person recited a fast monologue while other people were singing and dancing in the background. It was intriguing.”

“I took tightrope because I want to be able to keep my balance and learn how to get back on balance,” said Meilyn, 10, also from Turquoise. “I also took unicycle because I liked their act last night. I liked how they did the choreography. It was joyful. Balance is important in case I’m ever in a spot where I’m falling over I can stop myself from falling and regain balance.”

“In improv we did scenes and stuff,” said Remi, 9, of the Gold Tipi. “We used the three-line technique, then we got our surroundings, and then we made a story out of those, mostly about gnomes. The teachers were really funny and made a bunch of jokes, but they were really nice too. It’s like pumpkin pie: I like pumpkin, and I like pie, and one fits the other.”

“The act last night was awesome,” continued Remi. “It’s one of the reasons I went to class today. Right now I’m painting a scene from our gnome story to make a card to send to my parents.”

“Diablo just seems cool,” said Chris, 10, of the Ultraviolet Tipi. “When Brian did the act last night he was throwing it in the air, between this legs and he even did a 360. I never knew diablo was a thing, but once I saw it, I knew it was for me.”

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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