The Key Is Having Fun

Monday, July 7^th, 2025

COSTUME BARN circa 9:15pm—Lil Mama’s 2007 hit “Lip Gloss” comes rumbling out of the Big Top’s sound system, clearly audible here on the opposite side of downtown Camp. I’ve taken refuge in the abandoned Costume Barn to review my notes from tonight’s Costume Dance Party. Two 20’ by 30’ event tents comprise the shelter with a patchwork of duct-taped tarps serving as flooring. The abundance of dirt and leaves are a testament to today’s high volume of foot traffic. Two hours ago, the whole space was swarming with campers and counselors rummaging the many clothing racks in search of festive attire.

The Costume Barn is a dense Tetris formation of clothing racks and dressers. Around the perimeter of the tent roof, rope lights illuminate dozens of absurd hats that dangle from a continuous clothesline. I’ve found a nice writing desk in the oil-cloth-covered counter that spans the long makeup mirror. To my right a jumbled pile of face paint trays sits alongside a Sysco cup full of drying brushes.

Suddenly Teen Staff Suleimon enters the scene, sparkly pink makeup covering his face. He works quickly and vigorously with a handful of wet paper towels to remove his disguise, squinting through the mirror’s layer of dust to scour the tenacious pieces of glitter.

“I’m taking my face paint off because I’m about to do a shift in the Nurse’s Dome, and I want to be taken seriously,” he explains. “Alright, I’m going to catch the last few songs!”

Not long after his departure, an announcement from Costume Dance Party Honcho Cass Smalley alerts me to the transition to lullabies. I make my way out of the Costume Barn, passing by the night watch’s fire on my way to the Big Top.

“Dance Party was always my favorite as a Camper,” says Cass on the microphone to the throng of campers, now seated on the carpeted floor of the Big Top. “I’m so excited and grateful you all had a good time tonight. Now I’m going to pass it off to Phaedra who has some shout-outs.

Phaedra assumes the microphone and proceeds to acknowledge some of the notable costume categories such as “Fanciest Sea Creature: Mara as a crab prince” and “Best Dance Battle: oldest boys in drag vs. Barbies”. The campers show their appreciation with snaps and ASL applause.

“And now for a lullaby from Johnny and Adriana,” says Cass.

The two songwriting teachers proceed to perform an original song with dulcet harmonies and lyrics saying something about butterflies et cetera.

“JACK, FOR MAYA AND ANGEL,” accidentally blares a walkie talkie over the quiet scene, causing chuckles. The singers sing on. Cass begins calmly dismissing tipi groups two at a time as the song continues. I notice only now that the colorful, moving dance lights have been left on, creating another amusing contrast to the tranquil scene. Soon all the campers have frittered away to toothbrushing.

Earlier, during the height of the Costume Dance Party, I spent some time among partygoers to document their various fashion philosophies.

“I’m Ralsei from Deltarune; it’s a videogame,” said Percival, 13 in August, Flame Tipi. “He’s the prince of darkness with no subjects. He usually has healing powers, and he wears glasses.”

“And I’m Kris from Deltarune,” added Kayla, 10, Purple Tipi. “Our friend is dressed up as Suzie from Deltarune, but I forget their name.”

“This dance party is kind of like ‘Summer-ween’ from the show Gravity Falls, but if it were clown-themed” said Cal, 13, Purple Tipi. “It’s strange and I’m a little over-stimulated, but it’s fun. My favorite costume I’ve seen is Kanoa dressed as a murderous unicorn.”

“My strategy for being over-stimulated is to just scream through it,” cheerfully added Izzy, 12-ish, Purple Tipi. “There’s lots of bros and princesses, possibly inspired by Mars and Bucky’s skit on Saturday, or perhaps just the general appeal of gender-swapping costumes.”

“I’m dressed as Goofy from Mickey Mouse if he were disguised as a unicorn,” said Kanoa, 15½, Indigo Tipi. “What better character to spread love and positivity? This is one of the best dance parties of all time—probably top three.”

On my way toward the Costume Barn, I encountered Camp’s costume department team, Lilah and Hex.

“The destruction in the Costume Barn is widespread, but we’ll recover,” said Costume Princess Lilah Cottrill-Pelletier. “The whole community has really come together to help tidy—well, some of the community—I guess like two people helped. There’s some really classic costume themes tonight: drag, Shrek, clown, pirate, cowboy—there’s just really good vibes and no drama.”

“It was messy,” said Costume Goblin Hex. “It was a learning experience for the oldest campers who were helping out today while the Teen Staff had their day off. They really got a taste for how crazy it is to work in the costume barn.”

“I think the key is having fun,” added Lilah. “It’s about taking care of each kid individually, even if only for a few minutes. It makes them feel special.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Lake Lore

Sunday, July 6^th, 2025

LAKE VERONICA circa 4:00pm—“Who’s here for Lake Master?” announces Waterfront Director Annika Crowley to a busy shoreline. Nearly a dozen campers clamber to respond, raising their hands and talking over each other. “Let’s sound off starting here with ‘ONE’.”’

“ONE,” declares the foremost camper. “TWO,” goes the one behind. The rest of the throng intuit their own numbers in succession. A quick recount confirms a total of nine participants.

“You think you can handle nine?” asks Annika of Lifeguard Bella.

“I can go with her; nine’s kind of a lot,” offers Lifeguard Jojo.

Before long the group of eleven is waterborne, the sound of their voices fading as they circumnavigate the lake’s perimeter buoys. The shoreline is quiet, perhaps for the first time this afternoon. In this chlorine-free aquatic setting, there’s so many natural aromas that are discernible—hints of pennyroyal, notes of graham cracker. The cattails create flickering diamond patters as they rock out of phase in the warm breeze.

I take the opportunity to snag some flippers and a pool noodle for a quick visit to the raft which floats in the center of Lake Veronica. There I encounter Lifeguard Milo Costello, standing alert with a large red floatie.

“The lake is great! Is that a good quote?” says Milo. “Today has been very busy, probably fifty kids or more. It’s good to see our lake regulars—our lake-ulars. My favorite station is at the platform because you can see the whole lake with the patterns the wind makes on the water’s surface.”

I paddle back to shore where I encounter Lifeguard Lucien Lamb. I ask if I can take a photo. He agrees without moving, his eyes trained on the campers playing in the shallow water.

“There’s been an insane amount of Lake Masters this session,” says Annika. “I think the challenge is appealing to them. It’s mostly tons of fun. Anytime I get in the lake I feel like a new person. It refreshes you like nothing else at Camp can.”

While commiserating with Annika, two teenagers appear, brimming with all the enthusiasm of underpaid gravediggers.

“I didn’t choose to lead the lake walk; I was assigned,” says Teen Staff Bean. “I have a lot of things to do and now that I’ve been to the lake, I have to shower on top of all of that.”

“It was between this and K1, and I hate K1,” says Teen Staff Trixie. “But I liked lake walk as a camper, so I feel like I should give back.”

“I am looking forward to our Teen Staff day off,” adds Bean. “It will be nice to have a break and bond with our peers.”

I depart the shaded picnic table to pursue a tip from Lucien. Apparently, his grandfather, the late-great Tinker, had written his name in one of the concrete piers that held up Camp’s waterslide when it was installed in 1986. Tinker is a ubiquitous name in the Camp community, as a longtime handyman for Camp as well as an original Hog Farmer.

With the waterslide now gone, the piers are easily viewable along the dry, grassy hillside. I scramble upward through a corridor of madrones, my socks amassing burrs as I go. Soon the piers reveal themselves like dinosaur footprints, ascending in a regular zigzag. There must be dozens. Some indeed bear insignias, though they are hard to make out through the dirt and moss that has collected on them for 39 years.

The waterslide came to Winnarainbow as a donation from Marine World Africa USA in Redwood City as it planned its relocation to Vallejo in 1986. The slide itself was one of four slides that comprised the Tiger Mountain Rapids feature. It was 350-feet long, clearly visible on satellite mapping. In the picture below it is the slide on the far right.

Arriving at the top-most cluster, I find something promising: an ‘R’ followed by a ‘Y’. Tinker’s government name was Jerry, so maybe this is it! I kick at the dirt to try and reveal the rest. Another ‘R’! An ‘E’! But alas, for all my kicking I can’t uncover the first letter. I resolve to return with some wire brushes another day. In any case, there is definitely more than one “Jerry” in the Hog Farm family, so the results for now are decidedly inconclusive.

I scramble back to the shoreline to assist with the lake walk. The group of campers was just barely too large for the assigned number of staff, so my presence is accidentally helpful. A group of about fifteen, we stroll down the easement back to Camp, stopping at water stations along the way.

“The lake is beautiful,” says Atreyu, 12, Blue Tipi. “It’s got great views and lots of animals. There’s fish, and sometimes you can see frogs sitting on the lily pads. My favorite thing to do is jumping off the platform. I like to do long jumps, pencil dives, bananas, and cannonballs. The water at the lake is soft; I can’t really explain it, but when you jump in it barely hurts at all.”

“The lake is nice, big and fun,” says Maya, 11, Red Tipi. “I like jumping off the platform. We play the game called Fork-Spoon-Knife. That’s where when you jump off, someone yells out one of the things and you have to do the hand motion to match it.”

“People say there’s a bus at the bottom of the lake,” continues Maya. “Then there’s the Kraken, of course. My theory is that campers who don’t get picked up at the end of the session are fed to the Kraken.”

“The lake is cold like microwaved ice cream,” says Dalila, 11, Red Tipi. “In order to get Lake Master, you have to swim one lap around the lake. Then you get to use the floaties and you can go anywhere in the lake, not just in a straight line. My favorite part of the lake is the water. Otherwise, it would just be a hole in the ground.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Something About Something

Saturday, July 5^th, 2025

PUPPET GROVE circa 10:30pm—No crickets or frogs can be heard tonight, just the hum of refrigerators and murmurs of counselors. Rope lights illuminate the nearby Chess Grove. The smell of campfire has settled deep into my sweater.

Tonight we enjoyed the second installment of our Fire Circle talent show where campers and counselors shared songs, stories and poems. This was also the second installment of tipi groups visiting the Labyrinth. Camp founders Wavy Gravy and Jahanara Romney led the Labyrinth ceremony, explaining to the campers the Labyrinth’s spiritual significance and pointing out certain decorative elements that have been added over the years.

Weekends at Camp Winnarainbow are a break from the normal, hum-drum circus activities we typically offer, and a chance to do something different. That something different came this morning in the form of Camp being invaded by fantastical creatures. Today I spoke with some witnesses of these improbable events.

“Milla came out as a ringleader; they were very outgoing,” said Zoe, 14, Rainbow Tipi. “They introduced the gnomes, robots and dinosaurs, and each category of being had different activities to do. I made flower crowns and received my new gnome name, ‘Willow Sunshower’. We put some new rocks in the Labyrinth to reform the path. After that I got my face painted at the Costume Barn. I got a vine with pink and blue flowers from my forehead to my cheek. At the end Milla sent all the beings back to space through a portal.”

“I think the moral of the day was acceptance for all types of people no matter how they look or act,” continued Zoe. “I think all different types of people bring quality into your life. Overall it was nice to have a break from the normal routine.”

“I hugged trees,” said Chaise, 10, Green Tipi. “It was calming. I did it with my bestie. I could feel the energy in the trees, like they were alive. People should try hugging trees; it’s like you’re making a new friend with nature.”

“I lost my voice from having too much fun,” said Raven, 12, Red Tipi. “We were screaming Taylor Swift songs, so it was worth it. I was into the gnomes, personally. Gnomes are happy-go-lucky, they’re demure, they have no sass. The philosophy of being a gnome is to be respectful, kind and peaceful, and to not get caught. The number-one rule for gnomes is don’t touch dandelions; you could get blown away.”

“As you can see, I did face paint,” said Naomi, 8¾, Yellow Tipi. “I made a box with tin foil on the outside for mechanical robot parts. Bucky ate some of the robot parts out of the box for breakfast. My favorite creatures were probably the gnomes or dinosaurs because they’re natural. If I had to pick though, I’d go with gnomes.”

“This random person came who looked like a magician,” said Lilah, 11, Maroon Tipi. “There were three groups: gnomes—I’m a gnome! I’m a gnome! Tee-hee!—dinosaurs, and robots. I helped write a verse of the gnome song, warning gnomes about dandelions. The dinosaurs were being very dinosaur-y, believe it or not. At the end each group performed songs and dances.”

“The moral was, I don’t know, something about something,” continued Lilah. “Everybody is fascinating the way they are, whether you’re small like a gnome, big like a dinosaur, or programmed to do stuff like a robot. Everybody is amazing in their own way.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Follow the Wind

Friday, July 4^th, 2025

PUPPET GROVE circa 3:30pm—Upbeat oldies from the kitchen’s radio mingles with the pleasant mix of sun, breeze and tree shade. In this region of Camp, every area that is not regularly walked on is covered with a dense layer of fallen bay leaves. These leaves display a range of yellows, oranges and browns, evoking an autumnal setting. Across the road in the Chess Grove, a small group of chess players ponder their game while, in the neighboring Art Grove, a handful of artists joke as they paint. Though the bustle of downtown Camp can be heard in the distance, the Puppet Grove itself is a quiet sanctuary for now.

This summer Camp acquired a new geodesic dome for the use of our medical team. The metal bones of the old dome were moved to downtown Camp, near the Big Top. As of this session, the old dome has been fitted with a ring of misters, creating a brand-new opportunity for people trying to beat the heat. Today I spent some time with some people affected by these new changes.

“I’m glad they found a use for the old dome; two Nurses’ Domes would be overkill,” said Camp Nurse Mirabai Troll. “The dome shape is absolutely necessary for us. A regular rectangle would be less appealing. The dome is inviting, mystical even.”

“It’s a friendly shape,” agreed Camp Nurse Ashley Lee. “It’s almost womb-like. You come here to go back to simple things—tea, relaxation—it’s a comforting space.”

“We should play a heartbeat on a speaker!” joked Camp Nurse Sarah Rapaport. “I really like the taller door on the new dome, although the biggest change is the addition of air conditioning. The dome is always a work in progress. We try to make it comfier year by year, session by session.”

“It’s really cool to come back to Camp and feel the throughline of its core values,” added Mirabai, who has returned to Camp after a 17-year break. “As the outside world becomes more chaotic and uncertain, Camp stays the same. I’ve also seen a lot of updates to important things that make it even safer.”

“I remember the old dome being more stuffy,” said Camp Physician Danielle Sears. When asked if we should combine both domes to create a Nurses’ Sphere she said, “How would we walk in it? Would we float in the middle? If you can figure out how to make us float, I’m in full support.”

“We’ve been brainstorming on the rain storming,” quipped Operations Manager Angel Herrera. “We came up with this idea in the off-season. This mister kit just hooks up to a hose and then we zip tied the water line around the dome. Here we did some a little lower for the short kids. And check out this rainbow!” he said, pointing at the ground.

“The direction of the mist is operated by the wind,” explained Angel. “Sometimes it goes down, sometimes up or sideways. Hopefully it encourages some more grass to grow. It doesn’t use a lot of water so you can just let it run.”

“If it’s hot like today, it cools you off,” said Ezri, 9½, Gold Tipi. “It’s fun to run around in it. You’re not supposed to climb it because you can mess up the hoses.”

“It’s nice to just walk around in it too,” added Ellie, 9, Gold Tipi. “It looks like a snow globe!”

“Ironically it was used as a drying rack for our towels during session break,” said Teen Staff Beatrix, 16, Yellow Tipi. “This area used to be called the ‘Shady Grove’. Now that there’s no shade, it’s good to have the dome. It gives it a sense of utility and purpose.”

“We want eventually to do an art project with the kids to add some shade to the dome,” added Angel. “We’ll make canvas triangles and have people paint them or use fabric markers.”

“The middle of the dome is NOT the mistiest part, contrary to popular belief,” continued Beatrix. “You’ve got to follow the wind.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Everything Is So Perfect

Thursday, July 3rd, 2025

RAINBOW THEATER circa 3:30pm—Two campers sing Rihanna’s “Umbrella” into the Theater’s large PA system, seemingly summoning a rare moment of cloud cover on this otherwise sunny afternoon. Tonight is the Tornado of Talent which means that us Performance Coordinators, aka “Perfcos”, are spending the afternoon screening acts. We screen the acts for appropriateness and duration, but also to help campers sharpen their routines.

“Stop the song please!” says Senior Perfco José Garcia. Head of Tech and Co-Perfco Momo Calfe-Smith pauses the track. “Do you enjoy singing? It doesn’t look like it! Let’s have some fun with it!”

José starts dancing while singing into an imaginary microphone to demonstrate. The pair of campers giggle at his display. The song is restarted, and they sing again, this time with more swaying and arm movement. As acts are screened, more campers arrive to sign up for the show.

“You give the Perfcos your name and act title and then wait for your name to get called,” explains Ella, 14, Rainbow Tipi. “I’m waiting with excitement to rehearse my act. I’m gonna sing ‘Home’ by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. It’s okay if you mess up while performing here; this is the most welcoming audience you’ll ever find. This is a performing arts camp. Everybody understands the creative process.”

“If I get really famous with a band in my 20’s, I’ll run with that,” continues Ella. “My mom did that, so it’s not out of the question. Now she’s an aesthetician, but she still answers my singing questions.”

“I’m just performing a little song I wrote called ‘Polaroid Picture’,” says Sparrow, 11, Maroon Tipi. “Polaroid pictures are always the same, and everything is so perfect at Camp I want it to stay the same. I like Olivia Rodrigo and Sierra Ferrell. Their music is kind of slow and acoustic; I like that.”

A dance, a skit, another song, another skit—the acts keep coming, each one requiring different pieces of equipment, props and costumes. Momo is in a constant state of motion, moving mic stands, untangling wires, and adjusting the sound board. José alternates his attention between campers on stage and the growing line of sign-ups. As the third Perfco on duty, I help where I can, moving set pieces or finding missing performers who have drifted into some other free-time activity. The sun’s angle creeps lower and lower.

I leave on a mission to print lyrics for another pair of singers. On my way I pass a group of stilters and their spotters returning from a kitchen walk. When I return to the Theater, I find a group of teenage boys backstage clustered around a drum kit.

“I’m not in an act, but a bunch of my friends are,” says Desmond, 14, Ultraviolet Tipi. “I’ll support them by clapping, I guess. I did my first aerials class today, but I don’t think I’m strong enough. I’ve mainly been focusing on improv.”

“I know everyone in my tipi from previous years,” continues Desmond. “I’m looking forward to seeing Oliver’s drum act. I definitely want to learn to play drums one day.”

Glancing over to the stage I notice a camper riding a unicycle while solving a Rubik’s Cube while also reciting the Gettysburg Address.

RAINBOW THEATER circa 8:30pm—Six hours since sign-ups began and the Tornado of Talent is already underway. The aroma of bug spray is strong in the Theater. On stage three campers pass clubs in a feeding pattern while a sultry EDM tune grinds away on the speakers. The next act appears to be some sort of skit making fun of lice checks, gravy and Elon Musk. To conclude the skit, all the performers turn to the audience and yell, “Live from Laytonville, it’s Thursday night!!!” Next up the “Umbrella” duo has returned, this time with an actual umbrella which they dramatically open during the first chorus.

Three acts down, thirty-five to go.

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Each Step a Prayer for Peace

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025

TIPI CIRCLE circa 8:30pm—A lone bird high in the canopy is repeating a long trill while a trio of counselors near the firepit perform a song of their own. A guitarist and a banjo player strum and sing in harmony while a flautist interjects with flourishes and counter melodies. The audience of campers and counselors listen quietly from the large circle of benches. A breeze from the west guides the campfire smoke up at an angle. The song ends with a long trill of the flute and the audience gives its enthusiastic applause.

“Turquoise Tipi!” shouts a counselor from near the Costume Barn. In the brief transition between acts, the members of Turquoise Tipi leave their seats to gather for a group Labyrinth walk. Another performer is introduced to the fire circle as the counselors of Turquoise count their campers and lead them away. I tag along to document the excursion.

We slip outside the Tipi Circle and to the left of the Costume Barn where we find an earthen staircase supported by boards and stakes. The descent to the creek bed is lit by a rope light woven through the posts of the handrail. Crossing a small plank bridge we enter a dark wooded area. Here the path zig-zags for about 100 feet, the sound of the fire circle fading as we go. The path then opens out into the palatial Sports Field, home of Camp’s labyrinth.

Another tipi group is preparing to leave the Labyrinth as we arrive.

“Welcome to the Labyrinth!” says Camp Founder Wavy Gravy. He sits on a camping chair next to his wife and Camp Co-Founder Jahanara Romney. “The Labyrinth is a sacred place; it goes back centuries. Think of each step as a prayer for peace.”

The Turquoise campers and counselors remove their shoes and enter the sand-filled path. Wavy rings a singing bowl as each person enters. Clowning instructor Riley Soloner stands nearby holding a burning bundle of sage in an abalone shell. As Turquoise Tipi members reach the center of the Labyrinth, they sit to admire the central garden of crystals and flowers.

Wavy then labors to his feet and, with the help of Riley, walks a short way into the entrance so that he can address the campers over the garden. He gives a short spiel about the Labyrinth’s history and some of the features of the garden. All the while a steady stream of saccharine, new-wave, world music floats out of a small portable speaker nestled among the rocks.

Wavy returns to his chair and Turquoise begins to make their way back out. Wavy again rings the bell as each person exits. As Turquoise puts their shoes back on, another tipi group arrives for their turn in the Labyrinth. In this way all the tipi groups will get an opportunity to participate in this Winnarainbow rite, half of the tipis tonight, and the rest on Saturday evening.

I follow Turquoise back downtown and continue to my blog lair to review today’s notes of camper quotations.

“The best part of Camp Winnarainbow is the socialization; I have monophobia,” said Edgar, 12, Blue Tipi. “Friends are awesome. This is my first time at Camp but I’ve already made friends with all of Blue Tipi, plus four extra ones. For example, this guy,” he said, motioning to the camper sitting next to him. “What’s your name again?” he asked.

“Liam,” said Liam, 11, Blue Tipi. “I laughed really hard with Edgar today. And I played Magic the Gathering. I mostly used Eldirazi. They’re like alien creatures—very powerful.”

“I’m an alien; I’m a Martian!” added Edgar.

“Today I took silks and it’s a lot harder than it looks,” said Alex, 10, Lime Tipi. “I weigh 54.6 pounds, and it was still hard to pull myself up. I really liked climbing and doing tricks. Even the simple ones look really cool. Overall, just a great day.”

“I did silks and stilts and acro and unicycling,” said Indie, 12, Purple Tipi. “I got a little tired, but it was worth it. The first day was really overwhelming but by the second day it all made sense.”

“I’ve always wanted to learn front and back walkovers,” said Eleni, Red Tipi. “I love anything that improves my flexibility and stamina. My dream job is to be an animal prosthetist. I used to make wheelchairs for my barbies. It’s the intersection of my craftiness and my love of animals. When I go to college, I’m going to study animal medicine during the school year and go to Camp Winnarainbow in the summertime.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Cool and Chill

Tuesday, July 1st, 2025

PUPPET GROVE circa 11:30pm—An hour since lights-out, our campus is swaddled in cozy quietude. The night’s pitch black darkness is gilded with rope lights demarcating certain important walkways. Silhouettes of counselors can be seen travelling between the Kitchen and the Tipi Circle, a route which passes by my impromptu writing station. The kitchen emanates soft murmurs of commiserating counselors who get to enjoy some time off until 12:30 curfew. Until that time a night-watch crew attends the Tipi Circle and its central campfire.

A rustling immediately to my right startles me. I whip my desk lamp in the direction of the noise to see a small skunk heading my direction. Just then one of my chair legs sinks into a gopher hole causing me to slam the table with my knee as I grapple for balance. The skunk is startled by the noise and scrambles away to the dense foliage surrounding the creek.

The second day of Session B was heralded at 8am by a series of impressive thunderclaps. By 8:30am a light sprinkling of rain raised the question of whether to initiate our full rain protocol. Fortunately, the sprinkling subsided before such measures were necessary. The clouds, however, did remain for the entire day, casting a dream-like atmosphere.

Today I asked children how they spent the first cloudy day in Camp Winnarainbow history.

“I played lots of ping-pong,” said Zo, 12, Blue Tipi. “I think I’m quite the competitor. I had like 23 wins and only 18 losses. The weather definitely helped my game. If it was really hot my hands would get sweaty and I wouldn’t be able to sustain that level of play. When you come to Camp, it’s good to make lots of friends and try everything. I had never even played ping-pong before coming here last year. It’s great because you don’t have to worry about people judging you.”

“It doesn’t feel like Camp if it’s not hot,” said Brook, 14, Ultraviolet Tipi. “Once the sun comes out I’m gonna play some ping-pong. The heat is gonna give me a huge advantage over Zo.”

“Well it was certainly a change,” said Micah, 11, Turquoise Tipi. “I liked it being less hot and the thunder was exciting. When it gets hot again I’m gonna make sure to get sprayed with the hose. I’m also looking forward to Teacher Talent Night. If I see a cool act, I’ll be more likely to take that class tomorrow.”

“I was a little fun,” said Amira, 7, Yellow Tipi. “I got to do art and drink cocoa. The weather was a mixture of good and bad. I couldn’t even feel the weather. My favorite part of Camp is everything—the rainbow, aerials, tightrope—it’s all fun!”

“Today I mostly didn’t do much,” said Cal, 13, Purple Tipi. “I woke up too early, walked around, and drew like 10 cats. I’m looking forward to puppets, but I’m not sure why. I think I’m going insane but in a good way.”

“Today I wrote a song, but it’s a secret,” said Shy’a, 13, Orange Tipi. “It’s gonna be a big reveal when I finally perform it. It’s almost better than the French-fry song I wrote last year—but nothing could be better than the French-fry song. The rain today made it less dusty, which was nice for my allergies. Today was really chill, and Camp is just cool and chill in general; no advice needed.”

“Today I got re-giraffe-ified,” said Boon, 13, Orange Tipi. “That means I am qualified to ride the tall unicycle. Normally I’m five feet tall, but on the giraffe unicycle I’m like seven feet tall! Then I went to the creek and got some henna on my left hand, just some spirals and stars. I was sad that the lake was closed but the temperature for classes was nice.”

“I woke up late, like usual, and then I just stayed tired all day” said Nick, 13, Indigo Tipi. “Not in a bad way, but like chill and relaxed. I started writing a song about nature: the breeze and the trees and the sunlight—things like that. The weather reminded me of my home in San Francisco.”

“To be honest, it was just like any other day,” said Quill, 13, Indigo Tipi. “I didn’t realize it was thunder at first. I’ve never heard thunder that loud. It was literally unreal. It was the first day; what can I say?”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Big Upgrades

Monday, June 30th, 2025

TIPI CIRCLE circa 9:30pm—The dwindling daylight has cast a blueish pallor over Camp’s living room, causing the typically dust-colored tipis to appear like marble reliefs in our pantheon of oaks. The Tipi Circle is mostly empty except for a pair of counselors strolling through. The nearby Rainbow Theater is brimming with lights and sounds as campers participate in the traditional first-night activity, Tipi Skit Night. “Up next, Purple Tipi!” announces Clowning Instructor Riley Soloner over the large PA system which subsequently blasts out an upbeat song for Purple Tipi’s walk-on.

I’ve positioned myself strategically apart from the evening’s festivities in order to garner a few quotations for the first blog of Session B. My first subjects are the aforementioned strolling counselors.

“I’m really excited about my co-staff, Wynne,” says Acrobatics Instructor Adelina Babbit. “Wynne and I were campers together in the same tipi for like three years, and now we’re co-staff in Maroon Tipi, aka ‘The Tipi of Friendship, Courage, and Love.’”

“Can you help me with the back of my shirt?” says Tightrope Instructor Tashi Liem who has begun cropping a T-shirt while wearing it.

“Yeah I got you,” says Adelina, taking over the scissors. She continues, “I really feel connected to the land and the magic. People here really bring out the best in you. I love hanging out with my friends as a job.”

“My tipi is super chill,” says Tashi. “We took ‘UV Tipi’ and turned it into ‘Under-Velmed Tipi’. Ve are from Berlin and ve are ‘under-velmed’ vith zis Kamp Vinnarainbow,” they joke, affecting a German accent. “I’m glad it’s a two-week session. I like being able to get to know the campers better because they open up and feel free to be themselves. With two weeks you can really develop a rapport.”

The light has dwindled beyond the point of writing unassisted, so I abscond to my tent to fetch my headlamp. When I return, a cozy campfire has been lit, somehow urging on the dark of night even faster. I cycle through my settings for the red light so as to not blind my fellow fire-watchers.

“Today I was painting rules on the lifeguard stand so that kids can read them—at least the ones who can read,” says Waterfront Director Annika Crowley. “Before it was just on a little piece of paper so this is a big upgrade. One big difference is that they finally took the waterslide down. It was too much work to keep it in operation. But it had a good run. It had been here ever since I was a little camper, and long before. I have many fond memories of riding it as a kid, and many stressful memories of supervising it as a lifeguard.”

“The lake is beautiful this year,” continues Annika. “There’s new shades and a new picnic table, and there’s pennyroyal blooming everywhere! Redwing blackbirds have been busy making their nests in the cattails and today there was a deer keeping me company eating leaves off of the beach.”

Hearing that Tipi Skit Night is nearly over, I relocate to the toothbrushing area to collect some camper quotations. Before the campers arrive I encounter one final adult, Head of the Stilt Department Nova Platt.

“The kids responded great to our stilt field orientation skit,” says Nova. “Pita and I were really in sync. He’s training to become a certified stilt teacher. This year we have new stilts that were lovingly hand-crafted by our own Irik Larson. It’s very exciting. It’s the first new batch of stilts we’ve had in decades! It speaks to how well the last set were made. I think Irik used the same design to make this new batch. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

Freshly dismissed from the theater, the campers descend on the bathrooms in a great swarm.

“Camp is awesome,” says Kayla, 10, Purple Tipi. “My mom showed me some videos of this camp, and we both said, ‘This camp was exactly made for me!’ The giant rainbow was a green flag. My counselors are really nice.”

“It’s really fun,” says Vela, 10, Green Tipi. “I’m gonna take Calvin and Hobbes and dance. My tipi is nice and roomy.”

“I’m really excited to get unified,” says Simón, 11, Turquoise Tipi. “’Unified’ is when you get certified on a unicycle. It means you get to ride off the track around Camp. I’m also looking forward to stilts and juggling. I think about Camp during the school year, and now that I’m back it feels just the same.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025