Loose Ends

Friday, July 11^th, 2025

CHESS GROVE circa 3pm—I move my pawn to c5, to Niko’s surprise. “No one at my level knows c5,” he remarks, scratching his chin and staring intently at the pieces. I’m currently on a mission to avenge Chess Instructor Memo who was bested by Niko earlier this session. He’s proving to be a formidable opponent, opening with a solid London System. Memo emerges from the kitchen with two pitchers, one with ice water for the kids, and one with ice coffee for us adults. This exactly the advantage I need to win this game.

Capoeira Instructor Mniska Lamb pulls up in the Lake Shuttle, reminding me of a prior commitment at the Lake. Niko and I agree to adjourn our game, and I run to gather my tools. The last full day of Camp has arrived and seems to be speeding by.

LAKE VERONICA circa 3:45pm—“We’ll be done with our dominoes game in just a minute,” says Lifeguard Lucien Lamb. “Five seconds for each move!”

“I’m trying to count!” laments a camper, holding two handfuls of dominoes.

Lucien tires of waiting and tosses down his dominoes. We begin making our way up the hill.

“I was gonna win anyway!” chides Lifeguard Milo.

If you remember from Sunday’s Lake Lore post, Lucien and I were on a quest to find his grandfather Tinker’s initials in the concrete piers of the bygone waterslide. By chance, Mniska, Lucien’s dad—another of Tinker’s progeny—is driving the Lake Shuttle today, so he tags along for the excursion.

“Here’s the potential ‘JERRY’,” I say, pointing to a concrete pier with the letters E-R-R-Y visible through the dirt. Tinker’s government name was Jerry, so this might be the one.

Kneeling onto my kneepads I produce my wire brush and begin scraping away. I uncover an upper horizontal line with a downward vertical stem. It’s a promising start for a J, but as I continue downwards, the stem doesn’t turn at all. I wipe the last dirt away to reveal an unequivocal ‘T’.

The three of us burst into laughter while one camper looks on in confusion.

“Who’s Terry?” exclaims Lucien.

“I have no idea,” says Mniska. “But Tinker did sometimes go by ‘Blue Bead’.”

With this new information, Lucien and I continue search, but the beating sun doesn’t allow for much progress. Not desiring an episode of heatstroke I quickly dunk myself in the water and head back to Camp.

BACKSTAGE circa 9pm—Tonight’s evening program is the final dress rehearsal before Saturday’s Big Show. Campers who are about to go on stage mingle in the Tipi Circle with matching costumes. I’m using my backstage access to find how campers are feeling about the progress they made in their chosen disciplines this session.

“I didn’t get around to doing stilts last year, so this year I really went for it, and now I’m gonna be in the stilt parade,” says Stella, 13, Orange Tipi. “Next year I’m going to focus on juggling. I know the basics already, but I want to learn some tricks and how to juggle clubs. I think that people can come back year after year and always have something new to learn every time.”

“I wanted to do unicycle, but I had to do stilts,” says Lily “Next year I’m going to do more unicycle. I also wish I could have gone to the Lake more. Camp is magical. It’s not all fancy-schmancy, but it’s fun. There’s no other place like this.”

“I didn’t get to try everything; Camp went by so fast!” says Sage, 14, Orange Tipi. “I focused on Experimento this year, and I also learned the basics of juggling. For my last day here I’m just gonna hang out with friends and exchange phone numbers. It’s really respectful here. I liked a lot of the counselors. This place is really great.”

“I never made it to the Lake,” admits Fox, 12, Scarlet Tipi. “There were just too many other things to do during free time. My new addiction/obsession is balancing a stick on my finger. One morning I was doing it in the cocoa line and Memo showed me how to do it better. Ever since then I’ve been doing it all the time. I would say about 60% of my free time has been spent on stick balancing.”

“I really like that there’s more nature here compared to some other Camps I’ve been to,” continues Fox. “Here you sleep in tipis and there’s no video games. I feel like I’m connecting with nature.”

“I wanted to do aerials this year, but instead I did unicycling, acrobatics, improvisation, songwriting and stilts,” says Max, 12, Scarlet Tipi. “In my four years here I’ve learned a lot of cool stuff—stuff that I could never dream of learning somewhere else. I think the things I’ve learned at Camp will help me with life, whether or not I come back again. I mean, sure, I might not need to ever unicycle in my real life, but Camp is more than that. I learned how to take feedback, how to improve, and how to have a good time. I’m gonna miss Winnarainbow.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Creative Energy

Thursday, July 10^th, 2025

ART GROVE circa 4pm—Still pleasantly damp from a plunge in Lake Veronica, I stroll into the Art Grove, Camp’s hub for crafting and visual arts. The space is defined by a tarp floor, a large event shade, and an assortment of handmade furniture layered with decades of paint splotches and decoupaged magazine clippings. A portable speaker sits atop one such cabinet, contributing indie folk tunes into the studio atmosphere. Some distant forest fires have cast a haze on Camp today, slightly raising the temperature and lowering the energy. It’s a perfect opportunity to indulge in some nonstrenuous busywork such as the Art Grove has to offer.

“We’re making spell pouches,” declares Art Instructor Max Papes, gesturing at a tableful of curated supplies. “First, you pick the color of your fabric. This is important as each color is associated with a different energetic intention.”

“Ooh, I want to make one!” says Mina, 11, Maroon Tipi.

“Here’s the descriptions of the fabric colors,” says Max, sliding a document over to Mina. “Once you pick your fabric, then you get to fill it with different plants. We have bay leaves—those are good for manifesting—lichen, St. John’s-wort, pine, sparrow, wild mint, an a bunch of other choices.”

Mina opts for purple, calling in wisdom, influence, independence, power, and spirit.

“Here, have some black salt for extra protection,” advises Max.

“I was just chilling here and figured, ‘Why not?’,” says Mina, fiddling with a string that will be eventually used to close the pouch. “I’ll probably use it as a keychain. I don’t have any keys, but I like to put keychains on my backpack.”

At a nearby table, a group of crafters are fiddling with a different type of string altogether.

“We’re making friendship bracelets,” says Quinn, 13, Orange Tipi. “Basically you take these different color strings and braid it into pretty patterns. They’re called ‘friendship bracelets’ because you can give them to your friends and they last forever.”

As we chat, a new camper rushes into the Art Grove, making a beeline for the watercolors and a blank postcard.

“I was practicing at the Tightrope Site when I remembered I hadn’t finished my postcard,” says Paloma, 8, Maroon Tipi. “I’m gonna send it to my mom today. I’m gonna tell her I’m having a lot of fun—way more fun than last year.”

She dips an impractically large foam brush into the red section of the tray and begins working it on to the postcard with horizontal strokes. The postcard arches as it absorbs the watery paint.

“I’m painting a rainbow because this is a colorful place,” continues Paloma. “I like to use my hands to make things, and I like how the colors blend together.”

“The vibe of the Art Grove is vibey,” asserts Art Instructor Rose Moylan, tidying supplies as she moves about the space. “There’s lots of creative energy and no drama. Everybody has been making things up on their own. The morning class periods can be pretty serious, but in the afternoon my job is basically just to hand out scissors. So far today I’ve handed out four pairs. I’ve also noticed a lot of tape has gone missing.”

“Music is a key part of the Art Grove process,” adds Rose. “All the art teachers make up their own playlists to play during class. I made this playlist from all the clean songs on my Spotify. It’s nine hours long. The philosophy of the Art Grove is to wear shoes, stay out of the ‘ART TEACHERS ONLY’ cabinet, clean up after yourself, and to find inner peace.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Enjoying the Chaos

Wednesday, July 9^th, 2025

PUPPET GROVE circa 11:30pm—A pervasive skunk smell lingers over the Camp Kitchen and its adjacent groves. Counselors chit-chat and munch cereal in the darkness. Occasional vehicles broadcast their transit down the 101 with eerie wooshes that echo through the forest. Everyone is pleasantly fatigued from an evening of dusty madness.

The festivities began around 7:45pm when I addressed an audience seated at the fire circle.

“Welcome to Tipi Clean-Up Night!” I announced to the campers. Some giggle knowingly while others stare nonplussed. “Does anybody know what TSP stands for? Tri-Sodium Phosphate. Say it with me!”

“Tri-Sodium Phosphate,” repeated the crown.

“We’re going to scrub the tipis, the woodchips, and every surface in Camp until it sparkles,” I continued. “We have buckets, rags, and plenty of non-potable water. The last ingredient is the Tri-Sodium Phosphate. Bring in the TSP!” I exclaimed, motioning to Drumming Instructor Jeff Brown. He entered the crowd with a worried expression.

“I thought you said it was for Thursday,” he confessed. “It’s not gonna be here until tomorrow. It’s too late for Amazon same-day.”

“No, it’s for today!” I said angrily. “I told you, ‘Wednesday’! How are we going to do Tipi Clean-Up Night?”

“I’m sorry, man. There’s nothing I can do,” he said, leaving the circle with arms raised in resignation.

“There’s no TSP! Tipi Clean-Up Night is ruined,” I exclaimed.

“Nooooo!” responded the older campers, playing along.

“I guess we’ll have to go with our back-up plan, Adventure Night!”

The crowd erupted in cheers, elated to not be cleaning tipis for the evening. I went on to explain the rules of our carnival-style game night. I then beckoned into the circle the prize brigade. Nine counselors entered the circle with large boxes of chips, candy and soda held high above their heads. The crowd went wild with pure sugar lust, scream-cheering for nearly a minute straight. I then set the camper horde loose on the evening with a blow of the conch.

The campers proceeded to rage around the campus for the next hour, clambering through obstacles courses and competing in various challenges to earn Winnarainbow dollars. Once it became too dark for running, I blew the conch again, summing everyone back to the fire circle. It was announced that the winners of the coveted junk food were Orange and Flame tipis. The crowd reacted with passionate yells, some of joy, most of dismay. To settle the mood, we then enjoyed a calming story from Camper Advocate Lexi Takaki. For the grand finale, campers were treated to a display of fire juggling from our elite juggling instructors.

After the festivities had concluded, I camped out near the toothbrushing zone to garner a few post-game analyses.

“Something my dad says is, ‘Comparison is the killer of joy,” relayed Matthew, 10¾, Turquoise Tipi. “I enjoyed the activities, but the competitive element was frustrating. I don’t understand how my tipi didn’t win! We didn’t even make the top four! I think some of the sites were a scam.”

“My favorite site was limbo,” continued Matthew. “It kept going lower until I was literally lying on the ground. Then they put the limbo stick all the way on the ground, so I just lifted it up myself and squirmed under it. They didn’t say that it was against the rules! All in all, it’s just a game and the rewards don’t matter.”

“My job was collecting money from my tipi-mates and waiting in line to roll the dice,” said Eve, 14, Rainbow Tipi. “We did a team strategy, but we didn’t win. We won in spirit, though. I think I made my sprained ankle worse, but it was worth it. The Side Quest Wizard was cool. I had to serenade people with my favorite songs for my side quest. I sang the National Anthem and ‘Lunch’ by Billie Eilish because that’s all I could think of in the moment.”

“There was a Grim Reaper trying to tag everyone,” said Soleil, 10, Maroon Tipi. “If you got tagged you had to go to the Theater until your friends would tag you out. My favorite site was the spider web; it required a lot of skill. I went through once and got fifteen dollars. The obstacle course at the Aerials Site was fun—more fun than a roller coaster!”

“It was really fun,” said Kaia, 12, Scarlet Tipi. “It was exciting to be playing alongside all my friends. Some of our tipi was spending money on dice rolls, while some were spending money on renaming parts of Camp. We were kind of all over the place. I did limbo a lot because it paid pretty well, and crate ball was super fun too. The whole point is teamwork, having fun, and enjoying the chaos.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Teamwork

Tuesday, July 8^th, 2025

FIRE CIRCLE circa 9:30pm—Most of the camping chairs are in use at the Rainbow Theater, but I’m able to find a comically small child’s chair that was left behind here at the fire. I delicately squat into the seat, my knees nearly poking into my armpits. Tonight is Weirdo Talent Night, an evening where counselors display their zaniest skills. For example, Drumming Instructor Jeff Brown used his stage time to catch thrown marshmallows in his mouth—at least a dozen by my count. It’s a nice contrast to Teacher Talent Night, which is strictly meant to display teachable skills to the campers.

I’ve slipped away from the audience to warm by the fire while I wait for my own act later in the show. A trio of counselors are already here performing night watch fire-tending duties, all quite comfortably seated in adult-sized camping chairs.

“This session is pretty chill,” says Songwriting Instructor Vashaun Harris. “My tipi staff and I work well together. I’m not prepared for the end of the session, but I am looking forward to a day off. One thing I like to do at night is reflect on the day, and on how I can be a better counselor tomorrow. You have to enjoy Camp, make memories, and then give those experiences to campers so they can have the same fun you did.”

“Beau broke my chair, so Shakon has adopted it as a place to put his things,” alleges Singing Instructor Charlie Penfield. “It was a hammock chair. Everybody sat in it during staff training. Then Shakon threw it on the ground.”

“Yeah but it was already broken at that point,” clarifies Vashaun, defending Shakon.

“It collapses every time I try to sit in it,” adds Stilt Instructor Allie Kramer. “I’ve tried like ten times, and it keeps collapsing.”

“Every time I see it, Shakon and I argue about it; it’s causing a lot of conflict,” continues Charlie, clearly committed to relaying this inane story. “The chair saga has been going on since Session A. I tried to share something nice with my friends, and they ripped it apart like wild animals. Besides that, Camp is going pretty good.”

“Hey, dude, we’re up next,” interjects Songwriting Instructor Johnny Garcia. I wrest myself from the gripping chair saga and head toward backstage.

The act I’m a part of tonight is a live recreation of the full Abbey Road Medley, all the way from “You Never Give Me Your Money” to “Her Majesty”. With a total runtime of over 16 minutes, it’s a very ambitious piece to cover on short notice, and, honestly, I’ve always been more of a Revolver guy. But Camp is the perfect type of place where you can pull something like this off. There’s just so many weird and talented people here. Johnny pitched the idea to us last night, and 23 hours later it’s showtime.

I don my guitar and start wheeling a garden wagon that I’ve dedicated to a pair of amplifiers around to upstage right. The band sets up along the upstage span as stagehands arrange clusters of mics further downstage. As we play, a whole rotating cast of singers, clowns and jugglers make appearances on the stage, creating quite the sonic and visual spectacle. Our efforts are rewarded with raucous audible reactions from the campers throughout the set. We conclude our Beatles tribute, and the campers are released to bedtime. I return to the fire to garner a few more quotations.

“My session is going spectacular,” says Alex, 13, Ultraviolet Tipi. “I’ve learned many interesting and fun things in aerials, such as a 720 double star drop, as well as multiple two-person tricks. I’ve also been taking lots of stilts. I was always afraid of heights as a kid. Doing these activities up in the air has really helped. I kind of enjoy heights now.”

“It’s going medium okay,” says Lena, 10, Green Tipi. “I got rope-ified, which is where you get qualified on the tightrope. The mid part is there’s drama in the tipi, but the counselors have been talking to everyone and making everything okay. The counselors here are extremely nice. Tomorrow I’m going to make a crazy dancing party puppet. I think people can learn new things here even if they don’t know them yet.”

“For Teen Talent Night on Friday I was Gru in the Minions-themed dance,” says Teen Staff Jojo, 17, Flame Tipi. “That was a lot of fun. This session I’m thinking about getting ready to be on adult staff next year, but also just enjoying my last year of teen staff. I’m looking forward to seeing my campers in the Big Show. Hands-down the most popular skill in my tipi is diabolo. Some of my campers are into stilts, but it’s mostly diabolo and Magic the Gathering in there.”

“Today we did unicycle basketball,” reports Unicycle Instructor Mattias RowenBale. “It’s a really special tradition that only happens a couple times per summer. When I was a camper, this was one of the main reasons I got into unicycling. We made two teams, the Warriors and the Lakers. The final score was 3-4, but I don’t know who won because we never decided which team was getting which name. I’m just excited to be introducing this tradition to a new generation of unicyclers.”

“Never a dull moment,” says year-round Administrative Manager Mayahuel Montoya. “It’s the first two-week session of the season; it’s a circus marathon! The Tornado was really funny this session, and Tipi Clean-Up Sunday was revealing—literally.”

“Today I did the Beach Mop shift for the first time in like five years,” continues Mayahuel. “Being Beach Mop means going to the lake and making lists of swimmers. My whole job is making lists so it was no sweat. Plus I got to hang out with Annika and make a flower crown. I’m also really excited to be teaching dance again, ably assisted by Jojo here. I think the moral of this session is ‘teamwork’—for kids and for adults.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session B 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

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