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

Keep Calm and Gravy On

Saturday, June 28th, 2025

BETWEEN THE MEDICAL DOME AND THE ART GROVE circa 3pm—This session was remarkably cool and temperate, though you wouldn’t know by today’s weather. The heat bears down impressively as families stroll by toting luggage and smiling their goodbyes. The bustle of open house can be heard emanating from downtown. Camp Winnarainbow Founders Wavy Gravy and Jahanara Romney (the Gravys, as they are collectively known) have positioned themselves neatly along the road to the kitchen to bid farewell to the patrons of Session A, 2025. They sit in the shade on two folding chairs with an overturned milkcrate as a makeshift table.

“Hold this Izze while I blow my nose,” says Wavy to Jahanara, handing her an unfinished orange soda can. “That sounds like a song; HOLD THIS IZZEE WHILE I—”

“Wavy!” says Jahanara, interrupting his musical performance. “JP is here to interview us. We need to tell him something to spice up the blog.”

“Oh ok,” says Wavy. “Well, Session A is great for people who are just sticking their toes in the Camp experience. Once they see it for one week, they usually come back for two. It gets better the longer you stay.”

“We did morning reading every day for the Campers,” explains Jahanara. “Wavy, you told your coyote story.”

“AH-OOOO!” he howls in agreement.

“He also told the story of when he owned a pet bear as a young man,” she adds.

“I forget the bear’s name; I think we just called it ‘the bear’,” he recalls. “It used its prehensile snout to turn on all the water in the bathroom.”

Just then Maintenance Man Irik Larson appears in the Gravys’ golf cart, stopping with a lurch.

“Hey, I thought I was Wavy Gravy,” he jokes.

“A likely story,” sneers Wavy.

“I was just stopping by to see if you guys want any pink lemonade or crackers or grapes or something like that,” says Irik in his characteristic rapid cadence. He and Jahanara begin discussing the particulars of their snack needs. Wavy turns to me for a mischievous aside.

“I love to say goodbye,” he whispers. “Watch this: HEY THERE, WE’RE GONNA MISS YOU,” he bellows, startling a passing family.

“Thanks! I’m definitely coming back next year,” responds a child.

“Me too!” chuckles Wavy. The family continues to the sign-out table and Wavy resumes pondering aloud his love of goodbye-ing.

“Hello, goodbye—it’s all the same,” he posits. “CARRY ON! See? They love it.”

I ask Wavy if he has any advice for aspiring clowns and activists.

“Keep dancing toward the fun,” he says. “Or, ‘Keep on keepin’ on’. Or what about, ‘Put your good where it will do the most.’ That’s a good one.”

Just then Camp’s Director Ginger Jackson-Gleich strolls by, helping a family find their way somewhere.

“There goes Ginger Pearcake!” exclaims Wavy. “Our fearless leader—it ain’t me, babe. NO, NO, NO, IT AIN’T ME BABE!”

“Wavy!,” scolds Jahanara once again. “Here’s a quote for your blog, JP: Session A was fabulous, and it looks like a great summer ahead.”

I thank the Gravys for their time and head to the open house to snap a couple photos.

Thank you to everyone for being a part of Camp Winnarainbow this year! Please have a safe journey home and, as always,

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session A 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Original and in Motion

Friday, June 27^th, 2025

BACKSTAGE circa 9:30pm—The formidable semicircular silhouette of the Rainbow Stage is haloed by stage lights and a canopy of oak leaves. Campers preparing for their acts scurry around in the dark, gathering props and receiving pep talks from their respective skills teachers. A pair of counselors tend the night watch fire in preparation for impending bedtime. One restless camper has left the audience to stir the fire with a long stick and ponder the glowing coals.

Having seen most of the show, I have relocated myself backstage to gather quotations upon dismissal from the theater. The din of cheering and canned music is punctuated at intervals by the emcee stylings of Improv Instructor Mars Francis and Dance Instructor Karma Engel. The show finally comes to a close, signaled by the evoking of Wavy’s signature line, “Brush ‘em if you got ‘em!” All at once the campers pour out of the theater into the Tipi Circle. I steady my pen over my ledger of lunacy and brace for impact.

“The best part of Camp is dressing up in silly outfits,” says Ivory, 8, Green Tipi. “I like making adults laugh; they’re too serious. I think it’s because they always have to be taking care of things. I’m not excited to be an adult. I like being a kid and running around. My advice to the adults is you can act like a kid, but you’re still an adult. So remember that!”

“The banana act was funny,” says Marcus, 7, Lime Tipi.

“There’s something magical about Loo Loo,” says Counselor & Bodyguard Beau Slater, referring to the supervision post near the downtown bathrooms. “The mysterious aromas, the strange scenarios, and the best part: getting someone to cover for you while you use the bathroom. I like this shift because I get to witness all the crazy chit chat that kids have while brushing their teeth before bed. Then again, it’s not always that interesting. You could say Loo Loo is kind of a crap shoot—pun intended.”

“I loved the emcees!” says Juliet, 12, Red Tipi. “They were pretending to be French panda bears obsessed with peanut butter. Tonight I performed an original song entitled ‘No Clue’. It’s sort of happy and sad at the same time. This year was way better than last year; I didn’t get as homesick and the song circle had better songs. ‘Gates of Steel’ really gets me amped up.”

“The show was pretty good but way too loud for the last two applauses,” says Red, 8, Lime Tipi. “I was impressed by the juggling, especially the juggling rings. My main goal at Camp was to do stilts and I did that, so now my new goal is to get good at tight rope. But in general my main goal in life is to get a Nintendo Switch.”

“The second best act tonight was the dance,” says Jada, 9, Yellow Tipi. “They did a routine to ‘Now or Never’ by Kendrick Lamar. I don’t know how to describe it but it was pop-y and dramatic. It made me feel powerful.”

“The show tonight was sweet and sincere in typical Tornado fashion,” says Clowning Instructor Riley Soloner. “It was silly; it was beautiful; children sang from the heart. There were some acts that made you think, ‘What am I watching?’—acts that could only be conceived of by a child. My highlight was seeing our clowns do their routine. For three minutes and thirty-four seconds they ran in slow motion from one side of the stage to the other to the theme song from Chariots of Fire. It’s fun to watch clowns do something simple and ridiculous.”

“The Tornado of Talent represented what is true about this session,” continues Riley. “There’s just lots of tiny children being silly, original, and in motion.”

Stay hydrated,

—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session A 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Dressed Up as a Camper

Thursday, June 26th, 2025

STILT FIELD circa 9pm— A steady stream of sophomoric Top 40 songs blare out of the Big Top’s large sound system. String lights hung from umbrella-ed stilt poles cut through the dusty dusk shroud illuminating a swarm of costumed campers reveling in tonight’s dance party. Everyone is in motion, colorful lights bouncing off of sequins and lamé.

The Big Top, one of Camp’s only roofed areas which usually serves as a space for acrobatics, has been repurposed tonight for a community dance hall, complete with laser lights and a DJ booth. The partiers, not to be contained, spill out into the adjacent Stilt Field. A pair of counselors pass LED juggling clubs while others lumber through the fray on tall stilts.

In about 30 minutes, the campers will be gathered for a cool-down period and lullabies, but for now the energy is the highest it has been all session. Earlier this evening I spent some time in the Costume Barn while campers were selecting their costumes to understand the inspiration behind their bold fashion choices. This is the Camp Winnarainbow Fashion Beat.

“I’m going full flower-power,” said Juna, 7, Green Tipi. “The dance move for this costume is all about circular hands and circular hips.”

“I’m going as a Middle Ages peasant,” said Laurel, 9, Green Tipi. “I just do what I can to survive. I live with my family in fields with trees and bushes and we catch fish. Sometimes I gather berries in a hand-woven basked. I tend to the sheriff’s horses and milk our cows. We pay taxes in bushels of wheat.”

Laurel later wanted the record to show that she changed her costume to a sparkly sweater.

“I’m going as a DJ,” said Wes, 8, Lime Tipi. “It’s in the style of—wait. What’s the style of 21 Pilots? I think it’s modern rock. It’s all about lots of shining lights moving around in a dark black room. Here we’ve got camo pants, big reflective sunglasses, and a pug who is also wearing sunglasses.”

“The theme for me is black and white and silver,” said Arthur, 11, Purple Tipi. “I saw this fuzzy zebra vest and everything else stemmed from that. There’s something about zebra stripes; it reminds me of licorice rope in 2% milk. I wouldn’t eat that but it looks cool and that’s what counts.”

“I’m supposed to be Olivia Rodrigo, and my friend Yakin is my bodyguard,” said Solay, 9, Indigo Tipi. “I like all her songs. It’s the rhythm mainly. It’s upbeat and pop-y. I awakens something true inside my soul.”

“We’re going with pink princess,” said Lyla, 11, Blue Tipi. “We have a pink dress, pink sandals, and pink lip glitter. Pink is really pretty and very versatile. More people should wear it. You can wear pink anywhere, even in New Jersey!”

“I’m a deep sea mermaid,” said Zemirahaas, 11, Turquoise Tipi. “It’s the jewels on the dress—that’s what makes it deep sea.”

“My name is Planko from planet Jabberdoink,” claimed Improv Instructor Mars Francis. “On my planet everyone is a Francophile. I can predict the soup of the day even before it is written on the chalkboard outside a restaurant. My favorite soup of the day is mashed squomos on a Squednesday.”

“Tonight I’m wearing a rainbow hat with a rainbow jacket and a thin mustache,” said Maia, 14, Purple Tipi. “Also I have this sock puppet. I’m going to let the puppet do the dancing for me.”

“I’m dressed up as a camper,” said Lily, 11, Blue Tipi, sporting a Camp Winnarainbow T-shirt. “I didn’t find anything in the Costume Barn I was crazy about. My hair was already unbrushed so I think I’m nailing the look. I’m just gonna be myself tonight, and you can never go wrong with that.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor