Color Theories

Tuesday, July 23rd, 2024

TIPI CIRCLE circa 7:30pm—Faint, wispy clouds slowly rotate in the ovoid canopy opening. The sun lazily metes out its rays horizontally like spilled orange juice on a long table. Campers amble or commiserate in the pleasant evening air. A fierce group examination of Magic The Gathering Cards takes place on a nearby bench. Diablos are spun, a pair of sprinters sprint by. The Rainbow Theater’s PA system rumbles to life as counselors sound-check for tonight’s show, the aptly-named Weirdo Talent Night. The show will begin around 8 o-clock, but for now the business of free time is entertainment enough.

“You can’t describe a color!” blurts out Simón, 10, of the Orange Tipi, chaotically crash-landing into the seat of a nearby chair. “Describe this color!” he demands, pinching the shoulders of his royal purple T-shirt.

“Halfway between an eggplant and a radish,” I venture.

Set aback, but not nearly defeated, he refines his demand, “Make up a new color!”

“Ultra-orange,” I say.

“Humans can’t see ultra-orange!” he laments at the top of his lungs.

“Yes they can,” replies Nora, 10, of the Green Tipi, cooly entering the conversation. “It’s a very hard process,” she explains. “You have to hold your breath, and then you have to shake your head a little, like a shiver.”

Nora demonstrates, staring intensely into the air and shuttering like a wind-up toy. Simón mirrors her movements, nearly losing his balance.

“See? I Can see it!” Nora exclaims.

“We can see ultra-oraaange!” yells Simón, trailing off as both he and Nora fritter off into the distance with their new-found ability.

The conch blows, calling campers to the Theater. I look up to notice the orange juice sunbeams have faded to a milky ambience. After a brief flurry of running and shouting, all of Camp is assembled, leaving the Tipi Circle eerily uninhabited.

“Can MJ use your guitar?” asks Performance Coordinator Bayla Jaffe, holding a pencil and presumably the show’s running order. I retrieve my dreadnought Martin from its hiding place and return to my backstage perch.

“I am an old woman,” begins Kitchen Manager MJ Stamper, covering John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery” in her raunchy alto.

Sitting in the abandoned Tipi Circle, I’m forced to reckon with a decorative element I often take for granted: tipi signs. At the beginning of every session, counselors and teens spend dozens of minutes crafting colorful signs out of cardboard and acrylic paint. This is done so that we can distinguish between Camp’s 15 tipis, which, though named after colors of the rainbow, are all in fact the exact color of dusty canvas. I’ll take this opportunity of diffuse lighting to do a quick roundup of this session’s tipi signs. I asked our resident art historian Jack Crawford to provide her analysis:

“Tipi signs: this pun-laden tradition provides an opportunity to assess the artistic skills of the Camp Winnarainbow staff. This session’s offerings showcase a host of paint handling techniques; UV and Scarlet’s signs demonstrate a quite free handling of paint and almost Expressionist gesturality. A vehicle motif is present in a number of signs this session, most notably in Scarlet and Orange tipi’s renderings of cars; props to Scarlet tipi for the application of foreshortening. While Sky Blue’s banjo and Indigo’s intricate graffiti inscription signs are clear standouts, Purple’s lack of sign is perhaps the biggest statement. In its singularity, the absent sign nevertheless achieves the sign’s function, denoting the tipi and articulating its point of view.“

RAINBOW:

MAROON:

SCARLET:

RED:

FLAME:

ORANGE:

GOLD:

YELLOW:

LIME:

GREEN:

SKY BLUE:

BLUE:

INDIGO:

PURPLE:

ULTRAVIOLET:

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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Just Throwing It Out There

Monday, July 22nd, 2024

GRASSY KNOLL circa 8:30pm—The Stilt Field and Big Top swarm with fanatic campers who dance, juggle, or run with reckless abandon. The cool of the evening mixed with the fuel of dinner have created a sustained explosion of activity. The mania which was naturally present immediately after dinner was subsequently catalyzed by the onset of blaring pop music over the PA system, surely audible for miles around, and which will continue until after nightfall. Camp’s Dance Party is in full swing.

String lights hung about the stilt poles glow orange in the encroaching twilight. Juggling rings and diablos fly in every direction, hitting the ground spinning and bouncing off in unpredictable directions. A set of light-up juggling clubs are produced, dazzling rainbow tones as they rotate through intricate patterns. Campers take turns standing in the center, clubs whizzing inches away. I find myself perched on a log bench at the so-called Grassy Knoll, a good vantage, yes, but also the site of today’s topic: juggling. Earlier today I met with a sampling of Camp’s juggling community to learn more about this quintessential circus skill.

“I first heard about Camp in 2003 at the Pittsburg Juggling Club,” said Head of Juggling Memo Gosnell. “At the time I was teaching juggling at a home for abused and neglected children; I think that’s why I got the job! 20 years later I’ve been teaching juggling at Camp ever since—and I feel like I’m starting to get better. My main reasons for coming to Camp were to work on my kid skills and connect with other do-gooders, and that’s exactly what happened.”

“I’ve taken my juggling around the world,” added Memo. “I worked with street kids in Mexico City, kids of workers at La Chureca landfill in Nicaragua, and with families in Haiti after the earthquake in 2010. In Haiti there was this big empty lot with lots of big rocks, so I started making a labyrinth, like the one here at Camp. The people were skeptical at first; they thought I might be experiencing heat stroke. But eventually lots of people joined in and it was a huge hit.”

“Juggling is inherently accepting,” said Memo. “We take everyone. Beginners are always welcome. You could even be in the act, even if you can only throw one ball. I heard a piece of trivia once that the collective noun for a group of jugglers is a ‘neverthriving’. But I think that might have been made up by a stilt walker; they’re always looking down on people.”

“I like how there’s a bunch of teachers because everyone has different tips,” said Roslyn, 12, of the Red Tipi. “I prefer ball juggling at this point; clubs and rings are too cumbersome. Right now I’m working on a reverse cascade. On the first day Deirdre helped me by correcting my form by bringing my hands lower and wider. Eventually I want to learn how to do clubs or four balls.”

“I like the teachers and their methods,” said Nylah, also from Red. “When I was learning one-ball, Deirdre said to scoop it like ice cream! This is my first time seriously juggling. I can do a cascade but sometimes I mess up; I’m still practicing. Practice makes perfect—I mean, it doesn’t actually make ‘perfect’, but it makes ‘pretty good’—it’s a lesson for life. There’s lots of applicable metaphors in juggling.”

“The secret of juggling is there is no secret,” said Juggling Instructor Theo Puleston. “You learn the technique, and then you practice until you build the muscle memory. There is a plateau new jugglers hit when trying to learn cascade. If you’re going to fall off regular practice, that’s where it happens. But if you can get over the threshold of learning cascade, the possibilities expand exponentially.”

“It’s soooooo fun,” said Rio, 10, of the Orange Tipi, actively spinning his diablo. “It’s fun to learn new tricks and the staff are really good at explaining. Like Kai just taught me this trick today.” He violently flings the diablo sticks around, creating an indiscernible flurry of motion. “It’s called an under-hand catch into a trampoline. It’s fun and really exciting to learn.”

“The juggling teachers are zero percent mean, one-hundred percent nice,” said Bean, 14, of the Ultraviolet Tipi. “I dabble in juggling at home, but being at Camp has accelerated my skill acquisition. There’s so much equipment to play with and so much free time. I like how you can really see progress in real-time.”

“Every class is a journey,” said Juggling Instructor Deirdre Baker. “Juggling isn’t meant to be practiced for 50 minutes in a row. It’s like riding a rollercoaster ten times in a row with no breaks. It’s a challenging skill. You have to accept that you are going to fail over and over again, and you have to choose to pick those ball back up every time. There’s no freebies, no easy victories—this ain’t cloud swing. It’s the training montage from Rocky, if the montage was 50 minutes long.”

“I learned how to juggle at Camp from Memo,” recalled Deirdre. “It took me three years. When I finally got my pattern down, he wouldn’t give me a certificate until I could do it with my mouth closed. The best part of juggling is the community. It’s not one person, it’s about the fun we have together along the way.”

“Juggling is hard unless you do it every day,” said Teen Staff Pharaoh.

“It felt great to dust off the rust,” said Director Ginger Jackson-Gleich who performed in the Teacher Talent juggling act last Tuesday. “It was an honor to be on stage with our incredible juggling staff. I look forward to more juggling extravaganzas this summer. I learned how to juggle here at Camp when I was 9. My teacher was Jory John.”

“Juggling class has been a delight,” said Juggling Instructor Eden Leeman. “There’s been so many lessons, for the kids and myself. I love figuring out which teaching techniques will work best for each kid. I try to spice up the class by having lots of water breaks and a variety of activities and workshops. You’ve got to break it up into sections in order to keep people’s attention.”

“I learned at Camp when I was 8 from Memo and Ellen Moses,” recalled Eden. “As soon as I learned I started teaching other people, friends, family. It’s about encouragement and accessibility. All kinds of juggling should be welcomed: numbers juggling, clown juggling, trick juggling, everything—but not diablo. Diablo is the hyper-active step-cousin of proper juggling.”

“Juggling is my favorite thing at Camp,” said Teen Staff Dreas. “It used to be unicycling, but in juggling I’ve found new horizons of challenges.”

“It is my opinion that every class should be juggling class, even aerials,” said Teen Staff Kai. “You can come to Camp if you don’t know how to juggle, but you can’t leave until you do!”

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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Labyrinth Lineage

Sunday, July 21st, 2024

LABYRINTH circa 9:00pm—The horizon beams a vivid salmon over the neighboring ridge. Crickets pulsate alongside the ocean-like whir of distant passing cars. Though quite dry, the grass still produces a faint, soothing smell. Massive oaks create a semicircle around the field where lives Camp’s Labyrinth. The field opens to the west where the pinpoint houselights of Hogville (see: Hog Farm Commune) nestle in the low hillside, just beyond the main easement. The Labyrinth itself is a circular monument composed of a single winding path defined by rocks and river sand. It is lavishly decorated with all manner of trinkets, flowers, and even a few young trees.

Last night during our evening fire circle, just about 24 hours ago, tipi groups were brought out one-at-a-time to walk the Labyrinth in the cool of sunset. Presiding over the ceremony were Camp’s founders Wavy Gravy and Jahanara Romney. Today I met with several Labyrinth-goers to document their encounters with Camp’s mainstay of mystical amusement.

“We were there at sunset, just after the sun went down,” said Zuri, 11, of the Maroon Tipi. “The sky was all orange and peach and pink—it was beautiful. Having my bare feet on the ground gave me this feeling—I’m not sure how to describe it—like ‘Wow. I’m part of this. I’m here.’ It was moving. I’m really surprised how calming it was. I even got a little teary. It was great to have that experience with our whole tipi walking the trail together.”

“It gave me calming feelings that I’ve never felt before,” said Cory, 11, also from Maroon. “Wavy and Jahanara said, ‘Welcome to the Labyrinth,’ and waved sage around us. I could feel the footsteps of many campers before me. I just had memories of my family and friends. It was one of the most calm things I’ve done in a while. The lines are made out of many objects such as crystals and antiques. The sand felt good and my friends were there. I’m definitely going back.”

“My first two years I thought the Labyrinth was cool, but this year it was more moving,” said Django, 11, also from Maroon. “The sunset, the candles, everything. Wavy and Jahanara were sitting there and Wavy told us how the Labyrinth was made by counselors and campers years ago. In the center scene there’s gems, dolls, and porcelain statues. I think one of them was Buddha.”

“It was relaxing and the sunset was pretty,” said Nori, 10, of the Green Tipi. “There were all different rocks: rose quartz, geodes, and regular rocks. Jahanara said to let your prayers go into the Labyrinth, like good things you want your family to have. It was amazing.”

“It made me feel strong, but also kind of miss my parents,” said Julianna, 9, also from Green. “I also had this feeling of feeling so lucky that I got to be here. Jahanara led us in a prayer, something that was from one religion but gets used in lots of religions that just goes to show that we can all be a good person.”

“All year I’ve been doodling the Labyrinth design on all my notebooks,” said Teen Staff AnnaLee. “I had this moment like, ‘Wow. I’m actually here.’ My campers liked it. It was a metaphysical reset. They’ve been running around crazy all session so it was good to have a calming activity for a change.”

“I love the Lab; the poem I read at the Fire Circle was about it,” said Bean, 14, of the Ultraviolet Tipi. “I wrote it a couple days ago at a poetry class in the creek. It’s appropriate because geographically the creek connects the Labyrinth to Camp. Jahanara gave us not a prayer, but a spiritual blessing.”

“I don’t know I guess it was calm,” said Ash, 13, also from Ultraviolet. “We could see a lot of stars. Wavy and Jahanara told us stuff. It was like spiritual, I guess. The point of the Labyrinth is to reconnect maybe.”

“Wavy says to think of each step as a prayer for peace,” explained Clowning Instructor Riley Soloner who helped facilitate the evening. “When you think about it, with the Lab being 36 years old, and all those thousands of children each taking dozens of steps, it is charged with potentially millions of prayers for world peace. I think the children understand that on some level.”

“I consider it a high honor to be included in facilitating this ceremony,” continued Riley. “It’s a tricky balance to convey what I believe to be the spirit of Camp Winnarainbow distilled into a single ritual. Wavy talks about the figurines in the center: there’s spiritual totems alongside cartoon characters. It’s a statement about spiritual liberation and the sacredness of laughter. That dichotomy manifests itself constantly during the ceremony. Sage smoke wafts as Wavy cracks random jokes and kids scoot along in the half-dark, bumping into rocks or each other. A hippy ceremony is the perfect backdrop for a comedy of errors.”

“And for my next trick, a blackberry!” he bursted, leaping into the air and snatching a blackberry from a vine crawling up one of the Labyrinth’s trees. He consumed it instantly, savoring the taste with eyes closed. “When I think about performing at my best, I think of performing here at Camp. When I think about connecting with my friends, I think of my friends that I made here at Camp. And When I think about centering myself spiritually, I think about this Labyrinth.”

“Last night was a mixture of this and that, with a wisp of glory on the edge,” said Camp Founder Wavy Gravy. “People need to know that there is a box near the Labyrinth full of tree flesh (see: books) on the Labyrinth’s inception and history. If you take an afternoon stroll to this box, your knowledge will be ten-fold.”

“You need to say, ‘Go with your counselor,'” interjected Camp Founder Jahanara Romney.

“Yes, you must be with an adult if you want to go out there,” corrected Wavy. “Last night the weather was fine and the mood marvelous. The sunset was subtle and sweet. Upon our evacuation, the full moon lit the way back to our lair.”

“One of the things about the Labyrinth is that our dear friend Robert Greyrgass planted trees here to honor the four directions,” remembered Jahanara. “I think of him every time I go there.”

“Being at the Labyrinth changes how I feel inside, a hallmark of a sacred place,” she explained. “I feel a change in atmosphere and I become peaceful and loving. I appreciate the funny things—funny is not unimportant. I like when we can mix fun frivolousness with the serious and sacred. I always feel like some kids are just being polite, and some are actually receiving something from the ceremony. Last night there seemed to be many receivers.”

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

Photo credit: Zappo Diddio

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Labyrinth Poem
by Bean

I plant my feet in the ground trying to center myself,
But my mind wanders the universe,
Tiptoeing through questions and bathing in worried thoughts.
I push my feet into the sand,
Trying to make a lasting mark.
I want a symbol—a memento to make this moment last longer than I will.
I wonder if the first person ever who put their hand on a cave wall knew that their impact would change the world permanently?
Did they know I’m thinking about them right now?
Maybe in some aspect they did.
The wanted a mark showing that they were something, they were someone
As I make the trek back to camp I leave footsteps in the sand,
All the people behind me walk in them

It Don’t Mean a Thing

Saturday, July 20th, 2024

AERIALS SITE circa 4:00pm—The angular, aluminum cross-bracing of the aerials truss glints in the afternoon sunlight, cutting a sharp contrast to the surrounding canopy of oak and bay leaves. The structure traces the upper three sides of a rectangle, evoking some sort of wooly mammoth mouse trap. At two concrete piers it attaches to the earth with apple-sized nuts on candle-sized bolts. Supporting wire cables spread out from the top and diagonally downward in all directions. A throng of children have gathered in its mighty shadow in anticipation of today’s cloud swing workshop. Enter Aerials Instructor Djuna Barricklow.

“You start by putting your hands through these loops, palms to the sky,” she explains, demonstrating on the specially outfitted apparatus. “Then you sit on the ground, bring your knees up, and shoot your legs through.” In an instant she is magically seated upright on the padded rope which hangs slack from the upper corners of the truss. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears emanates from two mounted speakers on either side.

“I don’t think I’ll try it today,” admits Lily, 9, of the Green Tipi, carefully watching from the back of the group. “If I tilt back I feel like my stomach is going to come out of my nose! Maybe I’ll try tomorrow. The campers trying it today are really brave.”

Lily and I stand by, ready to interview campers as they disembark. The playlist advances:
“The Adults Are Talking”, The Strokes

“I’m scared but I’m going to try it anyways,” says Kai, 7, also from Green. “When they announced it at the kitchen I thought it was gonna be a little swing, but it’s way bigger in person. It looks fun and scary.”

“Lay My Love”, Brian Eno and John Cale

“I thought I would be scared but when I got on it, it was just like a big swing set,” says Django, 11, of the Maroon Tipi. “When I got to the top I felt tall—tall as Godzilla—with everybody looking up at me.”

“Blue Monday”, New Order

“I was nervous, like a six-out-of-ten, but I was also all excited,” says Paloma, 7, also from Green. “I was going so high I thought I might hit a tree branch! But I didn’t. I saw a crow while I was swinging and I said, ‘So this is how it feels to fly.'”

“Waterloo Sunset”, The Kinks

“I thought I might perish, or if not perish, experience something very painful,” says Atticus, 10, of the Gold Tipi. “Once I got on though, it was a vibe. I was scared of swings and rollercoasters before, but now I’m only scared of rollercoasters—and snakes.”

As the class wears on, Camp Director Ginger Jackson-Gleich drops by for a taste of cloud swing glory. The campers cheer her on as she accomplishes the peculiar mount.

“Don’t Lose Your Heart”, Joy Peters

“There’s lot’s of squeals, more than any other skill,” notes Djuna. “Having Ginger up there was a dream come true; even directors need to have fun. We’re playing my aerials playlist today, which anyone can find on Spotify. It’s 20 hours long, by the way. Look up ‘aerial site CWR by Djuna’. And look, the image is a vintage picture of a lady on a cloud swing!”

“Ashes to Ashes”, David Bowie

“As far as we know, it’s the biggest swing in Laytonville, and maybe even Mendocino County,” claims Aerials Instructor Bayla Jaffe. I ask her to explain the philosophy of the cloud swing, to which she replies, “Release your inhibitions, feel the rain on your skin; no one else can feel it for you, only you can let it in.”

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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Lost in Teenslation

Friday, July 19th, 2024

DOWNTOWN BATHROOMS circa 8:30 pm—The daytime’s blueness has begun to lose its vehemence, leaving the structures and items of our encampment to lose their color and detail. A chair, a crate, a bank of sinks—they take on a monochromatic pallor in the fading light. Crickets blare from every direction. In the background, the festivities of Teen Staff Talent Night can be heard emanating from the Rainbow Theater. Songwriting Instructor Vashaun Harris has been posted guard here for tonight’s show. He surveils the scene from a central perch, dissuading would-be loiterers and mischief makers.

“I don’t know, I was just scheduled here,” he remarks.

The downtown bathroom area, or “Loo-Loo” as it’s known, is a nexus of glamping amenities such as flushing toilets, showers with hot water, and even a laundry service. Nearby a roped-off cluster of trees surrounding a propane tank serve as Camp’s lost-and-found. As the sun fades the bulbs of the bathrooms grow in prominence, attracting bugs and humans alike with their warm glow. I’ve positioned myself here tonight to snag a few buzzing quotations in my web of questions.

“I can’t find my water bottle,” says Quill, 12, of the Sky Blue Tipi, rifling through the lost-and-found crates. “I looked all over and I can’t find it. It’s red and purple and covered in stickers in case you see it. There’s one sticker that has a bunch of dice and two hands clutching the air around the dice and the caption says ‘Yes, I need more dice!’ That’s how I feel normally. Now in addition I feel like ‘Yes, I need more water bottle!'”

“I have this theory that Camp does something weird to your brain,” continues Quill. “For example this morning at breakfast we were discussing which day it is. We narrowed it down to Thursday or Friday, but we never came to a full consensus. That’s probably why I lost my water bottle.”

“My friend had to use the bathroom so I came here with her,” says Nirmaan, 14, of the Flame Tipi. “The Teen Staff show so far is really funny and impressive. I think the lost-and-found is great as long as you don’t steal out of it. Just yesterday I found my fake, two-dollar gold earrings in there! I’m glad no one stole them.”

“I was impressed by the diablo,” says Tilly, 14, of the Ultraviolet Tipi. “This one Teen Staff threw it like fifteen feet in the air and then caught it. Crazy. Camp is going good in general; lots of laughter, zero physical pain.”

“I think the lost-and-found is good, but it could be more useful if people paid more attention to it,” says Karina, 14, also from Flame. “The Teen Staff do a really good job of getting the word out by doing a lost-and-found fashion show, and it’s a good opportunity for Teen Staff to get on stage, just like tonight’s show. But the campers just don’t know or don’t care if they’ve lost something.”

“I just got done with stilt dance, and later I’ll be doing acro and aerials,” says Teen Staff Xochitl, panting and perspiring from exertion. “The stilt dance was to ‘Hot To-Go’ by Chappell Roan. I love that song; it’s been my favorite jam since it came out this winter. It’s so campy. It’s sincere pop, like she’s not singing about anything that she doesn’t really feel. She never got to be a cheerleader so she made her own cheer anthem. It’s sort of an ironic statement. She has this one music video where she falls in love with a siren and another where she falls in love with a magician, and another where she falls in love with the Pink Pony Club. But in terms of Teen Staff Talent Night, I was pleased with Mimi’s rendition of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas.’ She has a great voice and did a great job.”

“I’m here to take a well-needed shower,” says Singing Instructor Val Le. “I had my feet in the creek for two hours uninterrupted. I saw an amazing opera performance tonight. In my professional opinion as a singer I can say it was truly virtuosic. It was in Italian so I’m not sure what song it was.”

“Hey, there’s my water bottle!” interjects Val, walking over to the lost-and-found crates. “Put that in your blog!”

“I’m here on top-secret laundry business,” says Laundry Queen Theo Puleston. “Every morning campers can submit laundry in a green mesh bag with a unique number, and I try to get it back to them by the same evening. Right now the washer is making some mysterious noises.”

“The lost-and-found is essential,” says Sebastian, 10, of the Orange Tipi. “Say someone lost one of their crucial items like a toothbrush or a hairbrush or a shampoo—and it was their only one—then their parents would have to buy them a new one. And say you lost your shampoo every day, or even multiple times a day, your parents would eventually run out of money. Plus it would be hard to take a shower. If everyone ran out of both shampoo and money, society might collapse. Someone might come up with a new form of money, such as conditioner. Or better yet, some sort of combination shampoo-conditioner, a two-in-one if you will. That way, if you run out of one, you can just keep using the same thing.”

“Teen Staff Talent is really nice,” he adds.

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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Class Action

Thursday, July 18th, 2024

RAINBOW THEATER circa 11:45am—A distant wildfire has cast a faint, white haze into the atmosphere, mainly visible in the contrast between the immediate tree line and the neighboring hills (check out Lost Coast Outpost for more info). More noticeable is the campfire aroma which somehow conjures delicious visions of our impending lunchtime. Second period has just begun and campers freshly dismissed from the theater run or amble in all directions toward the myriad class sites.

A group of ‘indeciders’ loiter by the stage to ponder the white board class list. A trifecta of counselors assist in the decision-making process, namely PerfCo, Duper of the Day, and Straggler Patrol (see: teacher manager, time keeper, and roaming supervision). As the last of the crowd disperses, the clowning class takes the stage to plumb the depths of absurdity. I take my own leave, eager to better understand the daily phenomenon of morning classes. My first stop is the Big Top, home of the acrobat.

“Moving one body only goes so far,” says Walker, 15, of the Scarlet Tipi. “In partner acro, you work with another person in harmony, increasing possibilities, expanding understanding. The hardest part is getting on the same wavelength. Once you’re mentally connected it becomes super easy.”

Completely out of iced coffee, I head for the kitchen, making a quick pitstop at the ever-tranquil Art Grove. Tissue paper flowers adorn the shade structure, creating a addition dimension of colorful detail. A row of small, red-handled scissors patiently wait atop yester-year’s paint splatters on a large worktable. Young artists are seated around, wrestling tissue and pipe cleaner into botanical facsimiles while the dulcet tones of The Alessi Brother’s “Seabird” stream out of a small portable speaker.

“Does this look crazy?” asks Jillian, 10, of the Yellow Tipi, while holding up the craziest thing I have ever seen in my life. “This is Frank the Banana Slug’s throne. He is very important and very adorable.”

“He’s king of slugs everywhere!” adds Jasmine, 10, also from Yellow.

“I’ve had Frank for two years,” continues Jillian. “I made him these necklaces yesterday here in the Art Grove. The first one says ‘FRANK’, the second ‘THE SLUG’, and third ‘KING’. Frank the slug king! The Art Grove is a calm place to have weird ideas.”

“I totally agree,” says Jasmine. “People come here to make props for their shows or just to whack out some crazy idea. I love it.”

I quietly rotate over to the kitchen dining area where a songwriting class is underway. The kitchen and dish house, usually bursting with canned music, have paused their playlists for the budding composers who hunch over pencil and lined paper at the multitude picnic tables.

“As far as themes this session, everyone’s songs are different; it’s hard to pin down,” reports Songwriting Instructor Johnny Ali Garcia. He pauses to receive a recitation of in-progress lyrics from a student. “That’s beautiful, really amazing,” he says after listening. The student scurries back to her workstation. “I feel like it’s a very fluid class and that’s important to me,” he continues. “Sometimes it’s been two separate classes, songwriting and beats & rhymes, but I see it as all on the same continuum. These guys are writing a song about a bluebird who crashes into a tree, ‘And it was feathers galore!’ They’re literally cooking over there.”

I make my way back downtown in anticipation of the end of the period. Striding the grassy knoll I encounter Straggler Patrol Jasper Skelton.

“Campers are excited,” they report. “One camper was tired so we arranged a nap for him, but it looks like he’s up and about now so that’s good. Sometimes at second period kids can be more tired, but besides our one napper everyone seemed highly engaged.”

“There’s certainly something in the air,” continues Jasper, referring to the haze. “But it’s cool and breezy so I think most people haven’t even noticed. When smoke gets bad at Camp we scale back aerobic activity, but we’re nowhere near that point so far. The main thing we need to remember is keeping up with our hydration, even though the heat wave is over.”

The conch blows, calling campers to the Rainbow Theater for afternoon activity announcements. I pull one stilt student aside for one last perspective. Stilt students at Camp are required to go through a series of trials in order to become “electrified” (see: qualified).

“I didn’t know if I was ready to get electrified, but I decided to just go for it,” says Hiram, 11, of the Maroon Tipi. “The stilts felt heavy on my legs. First I walked up the hill and then I did my laps, five of them. After that I ducked under the tree, touched my toes, and clapped under my knees—I clapped way more than ten times because I can. I had mixed feelings about stepping over the Pillow of Doom, but I got it on my first try! Now I’m electrified. Whenever I get the chance to do stilts, I take it. It’s very hard at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s the best thing ever.”

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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Weird in a Good Way

Wednesday, July 17th, 2024

DOWNTOWN CAMP circa 5:30pm—The rich azure makes the sky look closer to earth than normal, like a solid barrier holding back the oaks from releasing acorns into orbit. A pleasantly warm sun accommodates shorts and pants alike. Breezes gently prod the row of makeshift 5-gallon bucket theater houselights, causing them to swing in alternate phase, a sort of can-light can-can. Birdsong is just audible beneath the human commotion of afternoon free time.

I move from the Theater, down a small slope into the carpeted Big Top where acrobatics typically takes place. At this late hour the only acrobats present are the agile fingers of two crocheters who recline among an assortment of yarn. Stilters in the stilt field can be seen stilting along, holding large vertical poles topped with umbrellas. Unicyclers too are hard at work, honing their balance with the help of a horizontal pole at the triangular Uni Track.

The conch is blown, calling campers to their tipis for a fifteen-minute check-in. I return to the Theater to prepare for song circle. As I tune my guitar and rifle through my harmonica bag other musicians arrive with their respective instruments: bass, drums, tambourine, and even a melodica. Tonight we will continue teaching “Gates of Steel” by DEVO.

Last night was Teacher Talent Night, where teachers display the many skills we offer in an earnest attempt to ignite the performative aspirations of campers. Today I met with several such campers to see how well this ploy played out.

“Every year I look forward to Teacher Talent, and this year it really delivered,” said Kirby, 14, of the Purple Tipi. “It’s when kids get to see their full potential. It’s amazing how you can be amazed by so many things. The juggling act was really great. It inspired me to go to juggling class today. I got up to three balls for five seconds, which is more than I’ve done before. Very motivating.”

“It was interesting; I haven’t seen anything like that,” said Ara, 13, of the Ultraviolet Tipi. “Nothing stood out; they were all equally fun. It was a bunch of humans expressing themselves in weird ways—weird in a good way. The unicycle-puppet collaboration was chaotic, but interesting.”

“The stilts ‘high fashion’ show was so funny I fell off of my bench,” confessed Yael, 12, of the Rainbow Tipi. “Riley was doing really funny commentary. And the costumes were amazing. Someday I hope to be a stilt supermodel myself. Overall, lots of skill, lots of fun.”

“The improv was funny,” said Hazel, 12, also from Rainbow. “It was impressive that they just came up with stuff. The aerials were impressive too.”

“It went on too late, but I’m on Michigan time,” said Lena, 11, of the Red Tipi. “My favorite was the ‘Moodswings’ dance act. Bunny was really good in it.”

“The clown act was so funny,” said Zahara, 11, also from Red. “They were singing off-key opera and then they used balloons to make this crazy noise while they pretended to sing.”

“Ten out of ten,” said Tristan, 10, of the Maroon Tipi. “Vashaun doing a handspring backflip was amazing and ridiculous. And I liked Johnny Ali’s song; it was pretty.”

“I was shocked by the sheer amount of talents,” said Anaya, 12, of the Ultraviolet Tipi. “I had two favorites: Vashaun doing a backflip and Val singing ‘All of Me’. Probably my favorite show so far this session.”

“My favorite was juggling—I don’t know why—I just liked it,” said Sam, 12, of the Blue Tipi. “I can kinda juggle, but the teachers, they can really juggle. I went to juggling today and worked on my three-ball pattern. I practiced a lot during free time. Overall the show was spectacular.”

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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Feeling Skittish

Tuesday, July 16th, 2024

LAKE VERONICA circa 4:00pm—A glorious sheet of high clouds have transformed the usual barrage of harsh afternoon sunbeams into a perfectly diffuse aura of grey light. Everything is gently illuminated with no shadow anywhere. The shade structure stubbornly remains even in its obsolescence. A patch of wild pennyroyal bombards the shoreline area with its soapy aroma while a garrison of bumblebees rifle through the periwinkle petals. The shallow water has been made into a murky latte from disturbed silt while the majority of the lake remains a shimmering black. Campers stream back and forth across the lake, taking official swim tests or enjoying free swim.

The lake shuttle arrives for a final trip, setting into motion a chain reaction of wrap-up commands. What was recently a bustling hub of aquatic activity has now been marshaled into full-on departure protocol. Campers clamber out of the water and on to the patchwork of shoreline mats. Teen staff with hands cupped to their mouths attempt to organize a walking group back to Camp. The first lake day of Session C has come to an abrupt end.

Earlier today I questioned some breakfast patrons on their take-away from last night’s Tipi Skit Night.

“Our skit was… interesting,” said Dune, 12, of the Blue Tipi. “We didn’t really plan at all, no one knew the song, and there was no order whatsoever. It actually turned out pretty decent. We just shouted out our names in the song breaks. People were laughing. It was entertaining.”

“It was fun but long,” said River, 13, of the Ultraviolet Tipi. “It was basically the same thing fifteen times in a row. I don’t think it was lame; it was funny. The espresso skit was hilarious.”

“I liked the skit the older boys did about kind of cars they were driving,” said Felix, 10, of the Orange Tipi. “There were a lot of Toyotas and even a BMW! Our skit was car-themed too. We were the ‘O-Range Rovers’. It was ridiculous.”

“Not a lot of people were trying to skip evening program by coming over to the fire,” said Waterfront Honcho Annika Crowley, who tended the night watch fire last night. “By deduction I figure that the show must have been entertaining.”

“I heard all the commotion at the Rainbow so I knew my mom was tricking me,” said Miles, 5, while engaged in a chess game with his uncle. “The score is 2-1 against Uncle Jasper. Camp is good but let me focus.”

“I was a valet and the campers were cars,” said Teen Staff Sha’him. “It’s ironic because I don’t even drive. If I got pulled over I would just show them my shirt,” he quipped, gesturing at his McLovin’ ID shirt, a reference to the 2007 film Superbad.

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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Cauldron of Silliness

Monday, July 15th, 2024

TIPI CIRCLE circa 7:00pm—Speckled, soft-edged shadows creep up from the ground onto tree trunks and tipi walls as the sun dips behind the sprawling oak boughs while long, crisp shadows race across the wood chips to keep up with strolling counselors. The faint smell of bay leaves waxes sweet in the evening coolness. The faint clacking of juggling equipment mingles with a hundred ambient conversations as campers stand in groups or dart around benches. Feet are rinsed; the stage is swept; a stilt walker strides by.

A conch is sounded from the back of the Rainbow Stage, signaling tipi groups to gather. The matter at hand is for each tipi group to create a pithy skit to perform, and one in which every camper can introduce themselves to everyone else. With only fifteen minutes allotted to craft these dramatic displays, they tend to lack in plot arcs and character development, but are never the less highly entertaining. It’s an opening ritual that plunges everyone into a cauldron of silliness, cleansing us of dour, city-slicking sensibilities.

I take advantage of the liminal moment to garner some first impressions from our new slate of campers. I encounter a squadron of Yellow Tipi residents while passing by the Lost & Found.

“I’m gonna have some circus fun!” boasts Leila, 10. “My favorite night is the Tornado of Talent. I’m gonna make a skit with my friends, something about Camp or a gameshow. It’s a really great opportunity to be funny.”

“Camp is my home-away-from-home,” says Maya, 10. “Actually, Camp is my real home, so that means my home-home is actually my home-away-from-home. It’s confusing. All of the counselors and most of the kids are really nice.”

“I like to goof around and make jokes,” says Eva, 10. “I can’t make one up right now, but it just happens naturally walking around here. There’s so many funny people!”

“I have zero quotations, I’m just happy to be here,” says Dalila, 10.

Returning to the Tipi Circle I pass Green Tipi engaged in some sort of submarine pantomime while the neighboring Lime Tipi is chanting, “Espresso!” over and over.

“Two thumbs up,” reports Dominic, 7, of the Lime Tipi. “I liked the pizza for dinner. I had pepperoni and cheese but I liked the pepperoni best. I’m planning on doing acrobats tomorrow.”

“I don’t care what kind, as long as it’s pizza” raves Henry, 10, of the Orange Tipi. “Except for veggie, don’t give me veggie pizza. I’m gonna try all the classes.”

I continue west to the Juggling Cart, a small wagon filled with juggling implements, currently guarded by Juggling Instructor Deirdre Baker.

“They were gobbling up pizza faster than my eyeballs could work,” says Deirdre. “More kids ate salad than I expected. It was so hot when I first got here two days ago; I’m so glad it cooled off. I’m really excited for the return of Dino Mail!”

I drop by the Aerials Site where I find three instructors waiting for the next orientation group to arrive.

“We’re hitting the ground running,” says Aerials Instructor Djuna Barricklow. “Wait, no, we’re hitting the air gliding,” she corrects. “I’m a fan of the pre-dressed salad because you can just throw it right down the gullet no problem, no messing around.”

“We got the trap,” says Aerials Instructor Shakon, hanging from a trapeze. “If the trapeze had a zodiac sign I want to say it might be a water sign, like a Pisces.”

I loop back toward the Stilt Field where an orientation presentation is taking place. Budding Stilt Instructor Tommy Goyette is standing confidently on a pair stilts while calmly explaining rules of the Stilt Field to a group of campers. American Sign Language Instructor Phaedra Kossow-Quinn interprets as Tommy speaks. Veteran stilter Nova Platt looks on from her perch on the technicolor stilt bench.

“I’m letting Tommy take the helm,” says Nova. “He’s doing great. He’s very skilled.”

“Did I cover everything?” shoots Tommy over to Nova.

“Gum and running,” she responds, glancing at a clipboard.

“Ah, yes,” he says, launching into the final two talking points.

Satisfied that Session C is off to a good start, I slink away to the office to digitize my findings. Once darkness settles in, Camp will gather for the aforementioned tipi skits—but more on that tomorrow.

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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Big Show, Big Community

Saturday, July 13th, 2024

STILT BENCH circa 4:00pm—Merciful clouds and a faint breeze have blessed today’s Big Show with their presence, bringing the temperature back into double-digit territory. Grown-ups swarm the campus with their slow strides, phones outstretched. Sun hats, cargo shorts and floral dresses dominate the fashion landscape. Clapping emanates from the various simultaneous performance areas. A large peace sign drawn in flour adorns the ground of the Stilt Field, where the parade recently culminated to begin the show. A conch blows, calling everyone together for the main stage performances.

“Let’s make some noise for Juggling,” chime co-emcees Riley Soloner and Mayahuel Montoya. The lightly distorted riffs of the Beatle’s rendition of ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ come locomoting into the muggy air as children fill the stage.

Having acclimated to our microcosm of Camp dwellers, the presence of 200 extra adults is somewhat unsettling, though the prospect of the children leaving is commensurate solace. Earlier I took the opportunity of this heterogenous gathering to interview a sampling of parents, alumni, and current campers.

“The campers acknowledging Wavy, that’s cute,” said alumnus Cedar Love. “I love the new director Ginger, she’s super great. The acoustics of this song writing act are really good. Shoutout to my cousin, Johnny Ali!”

“Seeing the Big Show exciting but kinda weird because I wasn’t around to see it get put together like usual,” admitted alumnus Gina-Raye. “The stilt dance was nice. It was epic when Zoe did the splits. I miss Mara. Shoutout to Djuna!”

“As I walked over the bridge I heard cheering,” said parent Leah. “It was like walking into a bubble; I knew everything was going to be okay because of the sound of happy voices. The stage seems smaller but I guess my kids is just bigger. Watching my kid become a teen staffer, I’m so proud, and so confident that Camp will hold her. There’s no better place.”

“I’m getting ready for Calvin and Hobbes, and I’m playing Hobbes!” said Xing Ling, 13, of the Purple Tipi. “I’m hoping to make some people laugh. So far the show is really entertaining; everyone’s doing a great job. Great year, great tipi.”

“The dragon was a nice touch to the parade,” said one-time Juggling Instructor Flopsy Auer. “I’m really looking forward to the juggling and unicycle acts. I don’t know, I guess I’m just sort of an adrenaline junkie! I will say that the Big Show is a lot less tiring when you’re just part of the audience.”

“I’m pretty nervous; I’m not good with big crowds,” confided Cyrus, 11, of the Flame Tipi. “I’m confident in my unicycling, I just get stage fright. But this is a good place to practice because everyone is really kind and sweet.”

“It’s nice to be a viewer with no stress; it’s a different perspective,” said alumnus Byron. “Camp helped me get out of my comfort zone by putting me on stage and I think that was a character-building moment.”

“It’s surreal being back where I made the best memories of my life,” said alumnus Nevaeh. “Walking to the lake with my friends, singing songs—by the way, I had ‘Smallest Camp’ stuck in my head yesterday but I couldn’t remember the words. Can you send me the lyrics?”

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

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

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