Bittersweet Feeling

Saturday, August 2^nd, 2025

TIPI CIRCLE circa 5:30pm—The sun hovers just behind the top of the canopy, treating our closing staff meeting to a pleasant arrangement of shade. The sounds of reveling children has given away to the spooky post-session quietness, allowing the woosh of cars traveling the 101 to carry over Ten Mile Creek into our sequestered facility. Among the 80-odd counselors gathered at the Tipi Circle benches, there is a distinct feeling of relief, having safely returned all the campers to their grown-ups. There is also a certain emotional whiplash that comes with releasing such precious cargo.

“Session D and Summer 2025 are in the bag, folks,” says Director Ginger Jackson-Gleich to a strong burst of applause. “I want to start this circle with some appreciations, starting with people who stepped into new roles this year.”

She methodically reads through a prepared list of honorees, pausing for applause that the staff give each other generously. Coordinators, nurses, department heads, bloggers—the list goes on.

“I’d like to also give a special shout-out to the all-summer management team,” she concludes. “The metaphor is sleeping with your walkie-talkie on twenty-four seven. You all have such complimentary strengths; there isn’t any group I would rather have to help run this ship. Y’all rock.”

Ginger turns the show over to Super Duper [see: head supervisor] Jack Crawford who begins explaining the various logistics of the rest of the day. As she speaks, I can’t help but marvel at the circle of faces gathered here, people who have been here twenty years or more, people who just joined our team this summer, and everyone in between. This project has always been about people coming together to create a more peaceful and joyous way of life. Looking around the circle, I see a dedicated crew of people who made that true once again for our 51^st summer, and I feel an immense sense of pride to be counted in their number.

Earlier today I spent some time loitering around the merch table to hear some parents’ opinions about today’s ‘Little Big Show’, and a few closing remarks from staff.

“It feels good to be back at Camp,” said Paula from Willits, who worked several summers around the turn of the century. “That’s actually how I met Logan.”

“Yep I was here in the nineties, doing unicycling tricks and riding on the plateau,” said Logan from Willits. “The songs are totally different from when I was here. There’s like a full band now. Very rockin’!”

“Just the clown-tabulousness of it all,” said Rita from the East Bay. “I give it ten-hundred stars out of ten!”

“I actually read the blog every day,” said Francie from American Canyon. “A little bit of humor and a lot of whimsy—that should be your new tag-line. Seeing my two boys do a juggling act together, that made my heart go, ‘Weeeeeeee!’”

“That song by the young songwriter was so beautiful,” said Jamedra from Oakland. “It was somber yet joyful, a real bittersweet feeling. It made me happy to see a young person bravely expressing themselves.”

“Check-out has been flowing smoothly,” said Operations Manager Angel Herrera. “We got a little doodle competition going on, and I think we all won. It’s interesting putting parent faces to these kids; It’s not always what you expect. I hope everyone has a safe journey home!”

“It was a heck of a summer,” said Office Assistant Ellena Soloner. “The kids came, magic happened, and we’re already looking forward to next year! I would say I read one thousand emails this summer, easy.”

“Dusty, crusty, musty, and toward the fun!” said Teen Staff Jojo. “My advice for Camp is baby wipes, project your voice, and have no fear.”

“The Paul Simon tune really hit it out of the park,” said Camp Founder Jahanara Romney.

“It was rocking our socks,” added her husband and Camp Founder Wavy Gravy.

“See you next summer, knuckleheads!” said Director Ginger Jackson Gleich. “I stole that one from Wavy. He won’t mind, right?”

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

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session D 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

A Day for True Lake Lovers

Friday, August 1^st, 2025

PARKING LOT circa 2:00pm—I amble down the gravel ramp from Camp’s access bridge into the arid expanse of the parking lot, slowing my pace as the increase in temperature dawns on me. Vultures circle ominously above in the cloudless sky. The joyful sounds of free time can faintly be heard from the greenery that encompasses downtown Camp, but it all seems like a distant memory as I trudge along this dusty patch of desert. Finally, I spy the object of my pursuit: a 2000-something Kia Sedona. I start her up and roll down into the office area where a smattering of lifeguards nonchalantly await my arrival.

Lake Shuttle duty is a unique job in the Winnarainbow economy. It allows one to be in proximity to a CD player and air conditioning for a whole afternoon. For the first shuttle-load, I’m only transporting lake staff. The lifeguards load in and with a clunky three-point turn we cruise onto the main easement of the Black Oak Ranch.

LAKE VERONICA circa 2:15pm—“I made a drink out of the watermelon mint salad that we had at lunch,” says Waterfront Director Annika Crowley, proudly displaying her concoction. “I added Yerba Mate, La Croix, and Tajín.”

Lifeguards lazily bob around on various floaties as they await the arrival of the first camper shuttle. Sunlight sparkles wherever the water has been disturbed. A cool breeze nudges the cattails.

“Today is the last day of the lake for the whole summer,” says Annika, somberly. “Today is a day for true lake lovers. Veronica is going to miss having campers swimming around in her. It’s been a good run. The cooler days we had this summer were good, because its less traffic and more chill. But the hot days are excellent too because the water is so refreshing. I’m going to miss it. All of it.”

DOWNTOWN CAMP circa 2:30pm—“Lake Shuttle!” exclaims Flowersticks Instructor Bodhi Cedar, holding a clipboard. He tries to make sense of a dynamic swarm of campers who impatiently wait in a constant state of movement. After repeating a list of names two or three or four times, the Kia is loaded up. I shift into drive and head back toward the easement, a cacophony of childish banter filling the enclosed space. This routine will continue for the remainder of lake hours.

LAKE VERONICA AGAIN circa 3:30pm— A pair of volunteer campers help me carry a large bowl of plums and a bag graham crackers. We scramble from the turnout down a small slope to the lakefront. “Lake close for snack time!” announces Annika. The swimmers slowly emerge from the murky water, arms held out as they drip and dry in the sun. A line forms at the snack table. Now that there is a brief pause in shuttle service, it’s time to fish for a few quotations.

“I love being Beach Mop because I get to swim,” says Stilts Instructor Maya Blackshaw Nichols, meting out servings of plums and graham crackers. “Beach Mop is a job about organizational attendance. We make a note of every camper who comes to the lake, and we double-check their swim rating to make sure they are they are swimming in the right areas. There’s been some sun-bathing today, and a little bit of rehearsal stress. I’m really glad I’m here today. I hope we can give the lake the send-off it deserves.”

“Now that the summer is over, the lifeguards will drink up all the lake water and eat all the cattails,” claims Lifeguard River Szeto Zenk.

“I jumped off the platform,” says Andie, 10, Gold Tipi. “If you do a pencil dive, you can sometimes feel the bottom. It’s all gravelly and muddy. The lifeguards are nice, at least most of them. There’s a legend that there’s a kraken that lives at the bottom of the lake in a school bus. Someone forgot to put it in park, and it rolled in.”

“The water was really cold, but that’s nice in comparison to all the hot,” says Teen Staff Django. “I just floated around on a pool noodle today. I think when the campers leave, the lake gets used to breed crocodiles to raise money for the scholarship fund.”

“The lake is very chill and pretty neat,” says Kaliope “The Great”, 10, Ultraviolet Tipi. “Did you put ‘The Great’ in there? Good. The lifeguards are super cool. They’ll talk to you and crack jokes. My advice is to change into your swimsuit at Camp before coming to the lake. I had to change in the porta-potty today and it was horrible. My favorite thing is jumping off the platform. The lifeguard calls out an animal and you have to make the noise of it before you hit the water. I got stumped by ‘mosquito’ and ‘lemur’.”

“I tried to pass my rafter test, but I failed,” laments Matilda, 10, Gold Tipi. “You start in the shallow end and then swim to the raft and back. You’re not allowed to do backstroke the whole time, which is kind of rude because that’s my best stroke. A lifeguard goes with you in case you get tired. This year I made it twice as far as last year, so I think I will definitely pass next year. After my test I just went between hanging out in the shoreline and reading in the sun. I say, don’t exert yourself too much. There’s plenty of fun to be had just chilling.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session D 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Rizz Department

Thursday, July 31^st, 2025

COSTUME BARN circa 7:30pm—The Costume Barn is one of those places that feels crowded even when there’s only a couple people in it. Ahead of tonight’s Costume Dance Party, dozens of campers have descended in a ravenous swarm to scour the many racks of festive attire. Costume pieces are flung in every direction, piling up on every surface, including the walkways. A few of us counselors attempt to tidy amidst the fray, but the garments are discarded faster than we can find hangers, let alone hang pieces on the correct racks. A contingent of face painters attend to a growing line of partygoers. As we near the 8pm start time, the golden hour lighting gives way to a desaturated pale blue.

“I can’t find a costume in this huge mess!” laments Rye, 10, Rainbow Tipi, kneeling in the swamp of discarded garments. “I wanted to be an animal, maybe a big cat, but at this rate I won’t even be able to be a common domesticated housecat! When will the campers ever learn?”

“I’m an Oompa-Loompa gone wrong!” declares Porter, 9, Purple Tipi, wearing a blue wig with a top hat. “I have no idea how I came up with this idea, I just grabbed some stuff and this is what happened. It’s unleashing my silly side. It represents a trouble-maker in the real world. I say, ‘Just go for it!’”

“I’m either a grumpy old man or a billionaire,” says Mikio, 11, Maroon Tipi, sporting a blue king’s robe. “This robe just really spoke to me. I’m gonna do some old man dance moves like the boogie-woogie. Hey, stop slouching!” he snaps at a passing camper in his best old man voice.

“This is Mr. Wonkawot,” says Sophia, 10, Blue Tipi, holding up a cow hand puppet, and otherwise dressed in mismatch rainbow attire. “This outfit is just a bunch of stuff I like thrown together. I’m not trying to go to prom or be all bling-bling. I wanna be ugly. I wanna be silly. I wanna be goofy. I wanna be me!”

“I was finna wear my regular clothes, but then I though, ‘Hey, I should go to the costume barn!’” says Tristan, 11, Maroon Tipi, wearing a red jumpsuit and matching face paint. “Red isn’t my favorite color, but it’s definitely in the top-four. I just asked the face painters, ‘Can you do a clown?’ I’m ten-out-of-ten excited!”

“You can call me Dino Danny!” says Sandro, 11, Rainbow Tipi, wearing a green reptilian onesie and holding a red cheerleader’s megaphone. “I really like dinosaurs. The fact that they were on the planet so long before us until that asteroid wiped them out. I’m gonna do a dance called ‘Num-Nums’. It’s what a T-rex does before eating a biologist.”

“I’m a water-phoenix-leopard,” says Eilie, 9, Yellow Tipi, draped in silk butterfly wings and a blue dress and wearing a headband with fuzzy cat ears. “At first I saw the wings, and then I got caught up in this whole leopard thing. I’ll be doing lots of wing movements and cartwheels.”

A conch is blown, followed by blaring dance music which emanates from the Big Top. The campers flock to the source of the noise. I follow behind, toting my notebook and a camping chair.

“I did my own face paint,” says Umberto, 11, Maroon Tipi, grimacing a skull-like visage. “I did the white first, and then the nose, eyes, and cheekbones. My skeleton lips got a little smeared, but I fixed it, and it even looks cooler now. I’m not gonna dance, I’m just gonna juggle.”

“I made this crown at the Art Grove over the past two days,” says Talys, aka Queen of Camp Winnarainbow, 12, Indigo Tipi, wearing a gown and a cardboard crown. “The Queen endorses this party.”

“We’re not in costume; I don’t know what you’re talking about,” says Kahli, aka José, 12, Orange Tipi, dressed in masculine-coded casual wear and a painted moustache. “We’re just some bros, bro-ing around. We’re cool like that. We’re loaded in the rizz department. Sigma Chad, all that cool stuff.”

Suddenly the music switches from the beloved pop swill to John Williams’ “Duel of the Fates”. A voice on the PA instructs campers to gather in the Stilt Field. Two adult stilters lumber into view, one dressed as Darth Vader and the other as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan wields a blue pool noodle while Darth Vader totes a bright red lifeguard buoy. The two spar with each other as the throng of campers cheer on the playful battle. With a deft parry of the noodle, Obi-Wan disarms Vader, bringing the spectacle to a close. The music resumes and the campers surge back into the Big Top to dance the night away.

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session D 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Country or Folk or Something

Wednesday, July 30^th, 2025

TIPI CIRCLE circa 5:30pm—The sun has finally angled to a position that provides fairly comprehensive shade in the Tipi Circle. Standing on the central stone firepit I spray hose water over the earthen stage that is circumscribed by log benches. The initial impact of the water on the dirt raises shallow clouds of dust until the third or fourth passing. As if by design, the range of this hose with its sprayer attachment reaches just to the very edge of the benches.

All around downtown Camp campers are busy enjoying the last few minutes of afternoon free time. A pair of young girls are intrigued by the hose antics and plop down on one of the benches. “You can spray our feet!” they insist, waggling their flipflop-ed feet toward the action. They giggle as I pass the jet in their direction. Wetting the last few dry spots, I loosely coil the hose and head for the equipment shed.

Just outside the shed I find my trusty garden cart, which I’ve rigged with a tarp shell to protect two guitar amps from the dust and dew. The cart lurches over the uneven ground as I drag it. Returning to the shed for my guitar, I pass our drummer Paul Gaffaney carrying pieces of the drum kit into the circle. I plug in alongside bassist Eden Leeman and we begin sound-checking—a little reverb, a little delay. There’s no PA for vocals in this band, but that’s only because we have 150 lead singers.

The conch is blown, calling the campers to check in at their respective tipis. We know this means 15 minutes until showtime. Song leader Natalie Garms arrives on the scene with her acoustic guitar. “Simon and then The Chicks?” she asks, using shorthand lingo for the songs in our setlist. Band members Mayahuel Montoya and Riley Soloner appear with a tambourine and a melodica respectively. The whole band is almost here.

The conch is sounded once more, summoning the campers to Dinner Circle, a daily pre-dinner event where counselors share important announcements about Camp activities and etiquette. As the campers populate the benches, us band members leave the circle and wait for our big introduction. After a short attention-grabber and preamble, the circle leaders give us our cue:

“Please make very welcome The Stragglers!”

We enter to mild applause and proceed to lead the campers in a rendition of Paul Simon’s “I Know What I Know.” I hand lyrics to a group of camper “soloists” who champion the verses, while the rest of Camp chimes in on the chorus and the “whoops”. Adjunct song leader Annika Crowley joins us for the second song, “Wide Open Spaces” by The Chicks. She and Natalie lead the campers in memorizing the second of three verses.

It’s hard to learn multiple songs in just one week, but the campers seem to be picking things up quite quickly. We practice twice per day, once before breakfast and once before dinner, for a grand total of ten. Also on our setlists this session is a parody of “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X, created by song leader Shakon, “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers, and a rendition of “Tequila” where the sole, titular lyric is replaced by the hot sauce “Cholula”. The latter usually results in a very dusty conga line.

Earlier today I spent some time collecting various opinions on the phenomenon of Camp’s song circle.

“You like circle up before dinner and breakfast, and we sing songs,” said Frankie, 10, Gold Tipi. “The Stragglers come out with guitars and tambourines and usually they do a ‘repeat after me’. It’s kinda country or folk or something, I don’t know. I enjoy it. I wish we did more songs. My favorite song is either Shakon’s song or ‘Lovely Day’.”

“So much fun!” said Asa, 10, Gold Tipi. “You can meet new people at the circles, depending on where you sit. The music is really joyful and creative. I don’t know my favorite Camp song; I love all of them. It’s a really nice way to bring people together.”

“It’s very sing-songy and very long,” said Elaya, 13, Turquoise Tipi. “It’s always happening when I’m hungry. I think it’s just to give the kitchen more time to set up food and stuff. The songs are nice and calming though. It feels like family because everyone is there. My favorite is ‘Lovely Day’.”

“It’s amazing!” said Trevor, 10, Ultraviolet Tipi. “It could be shorter, but I like it. I like the community in it, and it’s fun. The songs all have a good mood to them. The instrumentalism is great, almost like a real band! My favorite Camp song is ‘Lovely Day’ also.”

“It’s pretty good,” said Olivia, 14, Turquoise Tipi. “Even though there’s different friend groups at Camp, and different age groups, it brings us together and makes us more kind. It’s like a recentering after the excitement of classes. It brings me back to a more peaceful mood. My favorite song is ‘I Know What I Know’.”

“It’s interesting,” said Zubin, 10, Rainbow Tipi. “It brings everyone together and makes you happy. It’s a fun way to start the day. The songs usually wake you up if you’re feeling tired. My favorite song is ‘Wide Open Spaces’. It’s just got a vibe to it.”

“Song circle is lit! The Stragglers are my favorite band,” said Aerials Instructor Cristiana Moody. “It’s song circle; it’s self-explanatory. You get in a circle and sing songs. The songs are cute, and you get to learn new music. I remember camper Puddy running around with no shirt on, going crazy, especially for with a hammer and a bell in it. He would act out all the lyrics. That’s my favorite song circle memory. I love it when these young kids get to learn some older songs.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session D 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

One Thousand Stars Much

Tuesday, July 29^th, 2025

RAINBOW THEATER circa 8:30pm—“Some people say that the clown nose is actually the smallest mask,” says Clowning Instructor Riley Soloner, holding up a rubber clown nose with a small loop of elastic dangling. As he speaks, a dozen adult clown students stand on stage, eagerly awaiting instruction. “Some even say that it reveals more than it conceals!”

“And it’s a snot stopper!” interjects Camp Founder and long-time clown Wavy Gravy, causing the campers to giggle.

“Yes, thank you, Wavy,” says Riley. “Now, are you ready for your first clown exercise?” he says to the group of clowns. They silently show their excitement, each in their own way, some jumping, twitching, swooning, or begging on bended knee. Riley leads the group through a number of exercises, directing from the ground just in front of the stage with a wireless microphone.

“Now show the public how much you love skipping! Skip in a circle!” he demands, causing the throng to explode into a bacchanalian display of cavorting. The giggling grows to bouts of laughter as the clown students vie for attention, trying to one-up each other.

“For this final exercise, I want all of you clowns to gather on one side of the stage,” says Riley. “In a second, you’re going to hear the song from Chariots of Fire, which is a movie about running in slow-motion. When you hear this song, I want you all to slow-motion race across the stage.”

The giggling resumes as the synth trumpets come in, followed by heavily echoed percussion. By the time the piano part emerges, the entire group of clowns has morphed into a blob of trips, spills, and desperate reaching. The campers reward their efforts with laughter and cheering as they slowly ooze across the stage.

“This song is three minutes and thirty-three seconds long, by the way,” notes Riley, garnering an extra chuckle.

Tonight is Teacher Talent Night, which means that every skill taught at Camp will have a moment on stage to entice potential students. As the light of day lessens, the chirping of crickets becomes audible in the sonic background. Another act is called, and then another—songwriting, juggling, musical theater, tightrope, et cetera. The sheer number of skills is too great to fully capture in a mere blog post.

I run to my tent to grab a sweatshirt and return to find a beatnik poetry act underway, Juggling Instructor Eden Leeman playing a rhythmic bass line while Performance Coordinator José Garcia taps out a tasteful accompaniment on a cajón. A group of poets sit on milk crates in a semi-circle, offering poems one after the other as the music continues its steady groove.

“God is a tired woman,” recites Poetry Instructor Jaden Larson. “She has split ends, a chipped tooth, and every day she makes the sun rise with a sigh. Her coffee is cold, again—too many prayers in her inbox.”

The campers snap and whoop in response to the poems. As the show wears on, the campers are relocated to the Big Top for acrobatics, and finally to the Aerials Site for displays of trapeze and silks. At the conclusion of the show, I head to one of the many toothbrushing zones to gather some reviews of tonight’s performances.

“The best act was clowning,” says Amilyn, 7, Lime Tipi. “The slow-motion race was really funny. They didn’t talk the whole time but they still did strange things like one of them just froze in mid-air. I would give the night 8 out of 10 stars. I like Camp Winnarainbow one thousand stars much!”

“The show was very wonderful,” says Porter, 9, Gold Tipi. “The acro, the stilts, everything. The acro outfits were immaculate. They did handstands, cartwheels and backflips. I’m not gonna take acro class, I just like how it looks. The singing act was 10 out of 10. The show overalls was also 10 out of 10—no, 20 out of 10!”

“I wasn’t 1-million good, but it was like 1-thousand good,” says Pablo, 10, Blue Tipi. “There was a good variety of skills, something for everybody. When the giraffe unicycle came out I was like, ‘Wow, I wanna do that!’ 9.5 out of 10 stars.”

“The best was dance; their moves were really impressive,” says Nadyra, 9, Yellow Tipi. “One of the dance teachers did the worm. That was epic. Tomorrow I have to do stilts, unicycle and aerials, but if I have time I’ll go to dance class. 9.5 out of 10 stars.”

“I was really cool when the Stragglers sang ‘Our Day Will Come’,” says Amelia, 8, Yellow Tipi. “The worm was really cool, how she took the time to learn such a crazy move. I’m pretty crazy too, so that makes sense. My brother is on Teen Staff, and he’s been telling me about Camp since before I was 1-years-old. 9.6 out of 10—actually, nine-point-ten out of 10!”

“I really liked the two sticks with a line and the thing that can roll down on it,” says Zevi, 8, Purple Tipi, perhaps referring to the skill known as diabolo. “You can spin it and throw it in the air a bunch. I want to try it for sure but there’s also lots of other stuff I want to do. 9½ stars.”

“The aerialists was the best part,” says Nile, 12, Green Tipi. “It was fun, good vibes. Lots of flips and spins. Very impressive. The emcees were also funny. 8.5 out of 10.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session D 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Unicorn Air

Monday, July 28th, 2025

CROSSROADS circa 7:15pm—With the conclusion of pizza night, the children have been set loose upon a brief window of free time. A lingering cloud of dust serves as evidence for the recent stampede from the kitchen to downtown Camp, where from the sounds of revelry now emanate. Only a few of us remain on the roadway, those walking at a normal pace. The Art Grove, the Puppet Grove, the Nurses’ Dome, the Leaf Grove—all these familiar landmarks populate the corridor that connects the two hubs of our campus. The road is something of an outdoor hallway, one with living walls, and whose rooms are defined not by partitions, but by clumps of furniture, tarps and shades.

I encounter a group of children playing at the Tight Rope Site, which sits at the border of the Crossroads and the Tipi Circle.

“I already made a friend pretty quick,” says Adrian, 11, Rainbow Tipi. “I’m not good with names, but it’s that kid in the red shirt. I really like balancing stuff. If I’m walking somewhere, like to the library, I’ll stick a stack of books on my head and try to balance it. Tight rope is a natural extension of that, plus I like being barefoot.”

Suddenly a conch is blown, signaling the end of free time. The campers gather with their respective tipi groups and begin devising their tipi skits, which will each be performed on stage later tonight. I set out to ascertain some of the theatrical themes from a few tipis.

“So basically we are going to introduce ourselves in a very boring way,” explains Sarah, 11, Scarlet Tipi. “But then we’ll run to the tipi and get out our pillows and stuffies, and introduce them as magical creatures!”

“And we can all be witches and share one big broom!” adds Zoë, 10, Scarlet Tipi. “I’m not worried; I think we’ll do awesome.”

“Beans. Zombified beans,” says Ja’ Lin, 7, Purple. “I actually don’t really know what the skit is about. I think the beans come out and attack the farmers or something. I think it’s gonna be mid. I’m just a chill guy.”

“So basically they’re driving a plane, and then we do seat assignments,” says Tab, 10, Rainbow Tipi. “But the seats all have funny names like ‘sprinkles’ and ‘first-class glass’. Then at the end we all say. ‘Thank you for choosing Unicorn Air!’”

The conch is sounded again, signaling the beginning of our orientation tour. The campers gather in the theater. I slink over to the Juggling Cart to pass some time, and some clubs.

“Our tipi skit is about unimportant voyages,” says Juggling Instructor Eden Leeman. “It’s just another way of interpreting ‘U.V.’ Everybody as part of their intro will say some sort of unimportant voyage, such as, ‘Cutting my dogs toenails,’ or something like that.”

“Tonight is orientation tour, so we’re here to orientate!” continues Eden. “We’re here to tell people the possibilities of the Juggling Cart, the inclusivity of the Juggling Department, and how to use the equipment—all with a fun twist. It’s always exciting to have the last group of the summer. It seems like a really good group of kids.”

I return to the Crossroads where I encounter a lone camper who has lost her flock.

“I went to the Nurses’ Dome and now can’t find my group,” says Maddy, 9, Yellow Tipi. After a quick deliberation, we determine the Costume Barn is a good place to check. As we walk, I ask about her tipi skit. “I actually don’t know, I don’t think we talked about it. But if I was going to decide it, it would be something about gymnastics, because I’m really good at gymnastics.”

Finding the Costume Barn empty, we continue to the Rainbow Theater, where we find the Yellow Tipi campers sitting in the front row, enjoying an orientation. I loop back to the Tipi Circle to snap a couple photos of some of the notable tipi signs.

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session D 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Plenty of Both

Friday, July 25th, 2025

TIPI CIRCLE circa 7:30pm—Tonight’s ice cream and chocolate sauce dessert initially manifested in a frantic milieu of free-time activities, though the phenomenon seems to have waned as we collectively sugar-crash into the golden hour. Like last night, many campers are preparing for dress rehearsal, while the rest of the children gently buzz about or languish in circles of teenage banter.

We have officially entered the final twenty-four hours of Session C. Though many are ready to go home, many more of us would happily keep it going for another two weeks. Better yet, let’s just lay down our roots and settle in for the rest of the warm weather. We’ll inform the school districts we plan to return to society in mid-October. But, just in case this extended stay doesn’t work out, I’m here in downtown Camp to collect some reflections so we can keep some small part of this session in perpetuity.

I find my first subjects chillaxing on a bench near the Fire Circle.

“Adventure Night was a highlight,” says Marcel, 10, Indigo Tipi, dressed in full rainbow clown garb. “I had a lot of fun tricking the Grim Reaper. Don’t fear the Reaper, that’s what I say. I almost made him fall over just by juking him. Getting letters from my parents was really nice. Whenever I got lonely, I would read my letters.”

“Teen Staff Day-Off was really fun,” says Teen Staff Gator. “We got to stay up late and look at the stars, that’s my favorite thing. The way they light up the sky, it’s fascinating that they even exist. I’ve never been to another summer camp, but there’s no way they have the same magic we have here. When you come here, the magic takes away all the worries of the outside world.”

“The real highlight was the friends we made along the way, such as Gator and others” says Lilith, 13, Scarlet Tipi. “We’re kind of the punks here at Camp. I really liked breakfast and dinner circles, when we would all sing together. I feel like it brings us together and brings up our confidence, it surely did mine. There is something else here that nowhere else has.”

The conch is blown, signaling the start of tonight’s show. Campers stream to the Grassy Knoll overlooking the Stilt Field. I linger in the Tipi Circle to catch a few stragglers.

“I saw two deers, a gopher, and lots of the blue bird with mohawks,” says Clara, 15, Rainbow Tipi. “Lots of yellow jackets… For some reason, mosquitos don’t like me. I saw a butterfly the other day at the creek. The creek! That’s the main highlight, alongside the gopher. I live-laugh-love the creek! I also may have seen a skunk.”

“The most funny thing that happened was when Dinklefritz let Gage have one bite of his ice cream but then Gage somehow got the whole thing, but then Dinklefritz caught him,” says Dax, 9, Indigo Tipi. “I like seeing the deer around. Sometimes right after lunch you can see them by the Big Top or the Uni Track. Cocoa was a big highlight. Then there’s these tall things you can put on your legs called stilts. I also think that there’s a lot of funny things that people do and say around here.”

“My favorite night was definitely the Tornado of Talent,” says Wren, 13, Maroon Tipi. “It’s all over the place. You never know what is coming up next. I love it! I kind of like when things are in order, but things being chaotic is so exciting. Luckily, Camp has plenty of both.”

“Singers in the Peace Choir, please report backstage,” announce tonight’s emcees. The ping-pong championship game is about to be played on stage, which means that my singing class is up next. I grab my guitar and circle up with my dozen students and two co-teachers in the Tipi Circle backstage area. We quietly sing through the song in the Tipi Circle as the ping-pong game’s scores creep up toward twenty-one.

After our singing act has concluded, I drift over to the Aerials Site for one last account.

“Aerials was a highlight, literally because you go up high and there’s lights,” quipped Vivi, 11, Turquoise Tipi. “Another highlight was the lake, specifically the platform. I just love climbing up on tall things and jumping! Camp is so safe, I know I won’t die, so it’s all just fun. Our aerials act is Tarot-themed, and my costume is the Sun. On the actual card it’s a naked baby, but we decided to go with a yellow dress and a sunhat—more Camp-appropriate.”

“A naked baby riding bareback on a horse in the sky over mountains,” clarifies Aerials Instructor Djuna Barricklow.

“Also, at the end of my routine I do this pose, which looks like the sun,” adds Vivi, stretching her arms and legs out in an ‘X’. “Tonight I get to do a flip. I can’t wait!”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session C 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

The Hard Work of Show Business

Thursday, July 24^th, 2025

TIPI CIRCLE circa 8:45pm—A creamy sherbet sunset shines over the tree line behind the Big Top, cutting crisp silhouettes of the oaks that shelter downtown Camp. The Rainbow Theater lighting rig causes the stage to beam with bright colors in contrast to the pastel tones of early evening. A camper songwriter bears their soul to a packed house while backstage an orderly line of clowns silently await their entrance.

For our two-week sessions, the lead-up to the Big Show consists of two nights of dress rehearsals, the so-called Cabar-A [see: Cabaret], and the even more so-called Cabar-B. On these nights the teaching staff get to show the fruits of their labors, showcasing all the skills taught over the course of the session. For the campers, it is their only chance to witness these performances, as during Saturday’s Big Show they will be safely sequestered in the Green Room while the grown-ups fill the theater seating.

The anticipation for tonight’s Cabar-A has only increased during the day-long slog of mandatory rehearsals. The pressure to perform is in the air, though today’s temperate weather afforded our efforts much more comfort than usual. After dinner I spent some time with young performers making their final preparations before showtime.

“I’m doing two tricks in the uni act,” said Yael, 13, Scarlet, walking her unicycle to the designated staging area. “I’m gonna do Self-Eating Snakes, which is sort of a reverse Pinwheel, and I’m also doing Boxcar with three other people. We have to bring our unis up here to be ready for the show. Before we get started, I’m gonna talk over the tricks with my fellow riders, check in with my teachers, and change out of these flip-flops into my Sambas. I’m excited to practice in front of a live audience!”

“I’m doing stage-handing,” said Teen Staff Books, bent over some intimidating piece electrical equipment. “It’s mainly setting up mics and organizing cables, but I’m also trying to make the handling of props go smoother. I’ve set up a special area for stagehands only. The most important thing in for a stagehand is experience. Knowing how to wrap cables, set up mic stands, knowing the difference between 57’s and 58’s—these are all things you learn on the job. You also have to communicate with the performers; things are always changing in theater. I’m also performing in Clowning and Singing I’m excited for all of it!”

“I’m trying to get my outfit ready, and then I’ll do some practice of the juggling,” said Kira, 14, Maroon Tipi. “I was going to dress as the Queen of Clubs, because I’m juggling clubs, but I love the color red so much, I think I’m going to do a mash-up with the Queen of Hearts. You gotta smile to let the audience know you’re happy. It’s okay if you mess up, just keep smiling! I’m a little nervous, but I’m very excited for the show.”

“I’ve been training all week for the Acrobatics act,” said Ayla, 10, Gold Tipi. “I just practice over and over and over again. I’m going to do a cartwheel, maybe a back-handspring, and maybe a kick-over. I have a good habit of doing cartwheels; I do like six a day. They make me feel talented and powerful.”

“I’m honestly just chillin’,” said Anna Marie, 13, Scarlet Tipi. “I’ve been thinking about how nervous I got last year before the show, but we ended up doing so well! Now I know that there’s nothing to worry about. It’s okay to mess up, just try harder next time. I’m going to do a 4-person Pinwheel in the uni act. I’m also really excited to see the songwriters. I love original music; it’s like a window to the soul.”

On my way toward the Theater I ran into Camp Founders Wavy Gravy and Jahanara Romney, peacefully sitting in their golfcart, soaking up the buzz of after-dinner activity. Their son, Jordan Romney leans casually with his hands on the roof of the cart, a large camera strapped across his shoulder.

“Are you guys looking forward to the show?” I asked.

“Forward, backward, and sideways!” quipped Wavy.

“Absolutely,” said Jahanara. “This session is swarming with our grandchildren, biological and otherwise. We have grandchildren who are campers, teen staff, and even adult staff! This might be the most of our progeny we have ever seen in one session. I love Camp. Kids say ‘hi’ to me every day—even the ones not related to me!”

“These kids make the hairs on my arms stand up at rigid attention,” said Wavy. “With all the thrills and spills that could possibly occur. It passeth all understanding.”

Moving on the theater I found Tech Lead Momo Calfe-Smith fiddling with an assortment of devices and instruments at the tech booth.

“I’m checking my phone storage and turning off my alarm,” she giggled. “This is my tripod,” she explained, wrapping three padded wires around the frame of the booth. “Last year I just balanced my phone on a box, so this is a big upgrade. I had to do like ten laps around Camp to find the chairs we need for tech and stagehands, but I finally found them. People don’t always see our work, but we work really hard to make the show look and sound good.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session C 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

As long as I get my root beer!

Wednesday, July 23^rd, 2025

FIRE CIRCLE circa 10:30pm—The cricket choir shimmers through the night air as a small group of counselors whisper around the Night Watch’s campfire. “Lights out” was given a few minutes ago, so now all that can be heard from the tipis is the faint murmur of lullabies and stories. The fire crackles emphatically, popping occasionally. The flames themselves are clearly audible in the quietude of bedtime. I tilt my notebook toward the fire for some semblance of writing light.

“I really spooked some kids a good amount,” says Improv Instructor Mars Francis, still giddy from her performance as the Grim Reaper during tonight’s game.

“I heard you made a camper cry,” jeers Tightrope Instructor Ro Davidson.

“Okay, but there was a bunch of other stuff going on for them,” defends Mars.

“I know, I’m just playing,” cedes Ro.

“I think that was my camper,” says Songwriting Instructor Zora Skelton, casting an ominous thousand-yard stare through the fire.

Two hours prior, this entire Tipi Circle, as well as the rest of downtown Camp, was alive with a cacophony of riotous children, spurred on by intense movie soundtracks and live commentary announcers. It’s incredible what some fake money and a couple of oversized 20-sided dice can do to the human psyche. We call the exercise Adventure Night. Before lights-out, I held a few post-game interviews with members from the top three winning tipi groups, Yellow, Ultraviolet, and Flame.

“The strategy is to do the easy games: Limbo, Rock-Paper-Scissors, things like that,” said Farah, 9, Yellow Tipi. “The night was fun, like seven-out-of-ten. If I was in charge of Adventure Night, I would lower the ropes on the Spiderweb Course. They were way up here and they said we couldn’t go under them.”

“We didn’t really have a team strategy, we just went for it,” said Kai, 8, Yellow Tipi. “We had some money left over from last session, so that helped. My favorite site was the Obstacle Course because it was so easy. The hardest site was Crate Ball, and I stayed away from Hose Trivia—I didn’t want to get wet!”

“I tried my best to do the Stilt Pole Ring Toss, and Hose Trivia,” said Cozmo, 14, Ultraviolet Tipi. “I tried giving the answer ‘Naked Grandma’, like from the famous Family Feud clip, and that got me the hose real quick. I’m really honored to be in the tipi that had the biggest tipi sign of all time,” he said, referring to a Camp-made movie from 2008 which we screened at the end of the evening.

“Don’t throw rings as far as you can; that will get you banned,” warned Gage, 14, Ultraviolet Tipi. “My advice is to spend your time at Jeopardy, aka Pardy-Jeop, aka Hose Trivia. When I did Crate Ball I was dropping buckets like Curry. I probably made like twenty bucks at that site.”

“Side-quests are good, but you don’t want to go on a wild goose chase,” said Peyton, 14, Ultraviolet Tipi. “You have to be selective. The Macarena was low-hanging fruit. We put our tipi-mate Jack in the dice line and just fed him money so he could keep our place. Here’s an Alexander the Great quote for your blog: ‘And he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer’.”

“My strategy was to get in line and let people feed me money,” said James, 12, Flame Tipi. “Also, I’m surprised Green didn’t win. They cheated really good! It was super fun. I’m happy as long as I get my root beer!”

“Before the game even started, there was a rumor that Jaden had a big bag of Winnarain-Bucks somewhere in the Costume Barn,” said Jonah, 13, Flame Tipi. “Then these two boys found it and took half, and then a girl found it too and put the rest in her backpack. Then during the game, a counselor was trying to pay with things with money that was still wrapped up—proof that they were cheating!”

“I basically just did the Spiderweb Course, it was so easy,” said Gavi, 12, Flame Tipi. “At the end we couldn’t to our final roll, so we should have come ahead of UV. People had been talking about how ‘Tipi Clean-Up Night’ was actually Adventure Night, but when we gathered at first, they kept the cleaning bit going for so long, I thought we were actually gonna do it. When the bag that was supposed to have the tri-sodium phosphate in it actually had the giant dice, that was a good surprise.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session C 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Arise, Fair Sun

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025

RAINBOW THEATER circa 10:30am—The sun hovers ominously high above and slightly behind the large metal rainbow, casting sharp rays through the canopy. A row of teaching staff stand idly in the rainbow’s shadow.

“First period Poetry!” exclaims Performance Coordinator Momo Calfe-Smith, sitting stage left with a large whiteboard of the morning’s classes. A pair counselors stride to the stage’s apron.

“When I say, ‘Poet’, you say, ‘What light through yonder window breaks?’” says Poetry Instructor Rose Goyette to the seated audience of campers. “Poet!”

“What light through yonder window breaks!” the campers repeat in jumbled unison.

The poetry teachers continue their announcement with some details about their class. Momo announces more classes, each teacher infusing their own announcements with similarly semi-sequitur antics. Dance, Clowning, Acrobatics, Songwriting…

“American Sign Language!” exclaims Momo.

ASL Instructor Phaedra Kossow-Quinn assumes the apron.

“When I say, ‘It is the East, and Juliet is the Sun’, you say, ‘Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon!” says Phaedra, continuing the poetry teachers’ bit.

I usually teach a singing class second period, but today I am visiting first period to audit some of the other classes offered daily at Winnarainbow. The slate of announcements comes to an end, and Momo dismisses the audience with a triumphant, “Go to classes!” The campers disperse in a sleepy shuffle characteristic of the second half of a two-week session, kicking up small clouds of dust that shimmer in the sunlight. Soon the Rainbow Stage has repopulated with a dance class.

“Spin with a clap!” orders Dance Instructor Bunny Anerson, demonstrating to a group of campers. “Now marching in place, we’re just getting our blood moving!”

Co-Dance Instructor Emma Dewey looks on pensively from the gravel in front of the stage, perhaps mulling over the structure of today’s lesson. I make my way down to the Unicycle Track which lies just behind the Rainbow Theater’s seating. There I find a group of unicyclers attempting the coveted eight-person pinwheel maneuver. After a false start, they are successful, maintaining a spinning cross formation for about ten seconds.

“You have two people grab on juggling ring, and then two more grab on after that,” explains Ocean, 11, Blue Tipi. “Then four more people join the outside. The outside people have to go really fast. The biggest challenge in unicycling is balance. You can keep your balance by swinging your arms around in just the right way. It takes a lot of practice and muscle memory.”

“The key is having the people in the middle of the pinwheel going slow enough,” adds Simon, 13, Flame Tipi. “The lesson of the pinwheel is that if you want to succeed, you have to help other people succeed. You’re not going to get very far on your own.”

“When someone doesn’t go with the flow, it makes everything more challenging,” says Lena, 12, Red Tipi. “But that’s okay too. I like it when it gets interesting!”

I drift over to the Stilt Field where a number of campers have already been tied up and are now cautiously lumbering from one umbrella-ed pole to the next.

“It’s just like riding a bike; if you keep moving, you won’t fall,” says Sabine, 14, Maroon Tipi, stilting in place while holding a stilt pole for balance. “It only took me like twenty minutes to learn how to walk on stilts. It’s easier than it looks. This session I’m working on getting electrified [see: qualified] on tall stilts. I’ve already done my laps, so now I just need to do the tricks: clap under my knees, hold my toes, walk backwards, duck under a spotters arm, and walk in a ten-step circle. The final challenge is to step over the Pillow of Doom.”

Leaving the hot sun of the Stilt Field, I cruise through the juggling area, dodging flying equipment as I go. I cross the road to find an aerials class underway. The trapeze and silks have been rigged for parallel lessons. Since only one camper can be on each apparatus at once, the majority of the class sits patiently on a couple of tumbling mats, observing the notes that the instructors give to each aerialist.

“I find it fun to be in the air; I try to do it as much as I can,” says Atticus, 11, Orange Tipi. “I’m working on my routine for the Big Show. I’m gonna do Music Box, and, if there’s time, I want to do Hip Key. My favorite type of climb is Bicycle. It’s like a Russian climb, but you use your thigh to wrap your legs and then stand up. I recommend trying both trapeze and silks to see which one you like better. Me, I’m definitely a trapezer.”

“I came here two years ago when I was teeny-weeny, and it was much easier to pull myself up,” says Sienna, 12, Red Tipi. “Today I’m working on Man on the Moon, 360, and climbing to the top of the silks. Strength and posture are key. It’s like doing ballet in the air. It requires a lot of practice and training—and it helps if you’re really strong!”

“I just like doing cool tricks,” says Ariana, 7, Yellow Tipi. “It’s cool how you can do all these gymnastic-y stuff on the ropes. The teachers are nice, like, I couldn’t climb the silks, but they still said, ‘Good job.’ They’re there to talk you through it.”

The conch blows, signaling the end of first period. Time to prepare for Singing Class!

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session C 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025