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

Literally Lit

Monday, July 21^st, 2025

STILT FIELD circa 8:30pm—The Session C Costume Dance Party has mercifully landed on the coolest evening of the summer so far. Outkast’s “Hey Ya” blares out of the Big Top’s sound system as the sky wanes a deeper blue. Costumed campers and counselors are spread all over the Big Top and the adjacent Stilt Field, dancing, chatting, juggling, and otherwise milling about. The song switches to Chappel Roan’s “Hot To Go”, prompting the majority of the people in the Stilt Field to rush into the Big Top. As the chorus comes around the throng moves in cult-like unison, performing the ritual arm movements.

Tonight’s crowd is a festive assortment of everything the Costume Barn has to offer: dresses, jumpsuits, blazers, gowns, vests, hats, wigs, robes, capes, trench coats, scarves, masks, face paint, wings, horns, ears, claws, rainbows, animal print, plaid, polka dots, stripes, checkers, sequins, lamé, corduroy, fleece, leather, denim, spandex, glasses, ties, clown shoes, pom-poms, gorilla suits, et cetera.

“Tonight is just a bunch of people dancing and having fun together,” says Lex, 10, Yellow Tipi. “I’m dressed as Mal from Descendents. Her character starts out bad, but then helps the good guys in the end. I just saw this dress in the Costume Barn, and it fit. The Dance Party is loud and fun as a really good party. Camp is amazing!”

“We’re doing a whole Hundred Acre Wood group costume,” says Teen Staff Sha’Him, dressed as Winnie the Pooh. “Nobody else wanted to be Winnie, so I guess I kinda took one for the team. Winnie the Pooh is a chiller. Sometimes you just gotta stop and find something good to eat.”

“I was Jason Mendoza from The Good Place, but I took it off so I could do more dance moves,” says Ripley, almost 12, Orange Tipi, instantly dropping down into the splits. “I do hip-hop and gymnastics. This party is lit, literally! There’s little lights all over the stilt poles. Everyone is screaming and dancing their butts off!”

“There was a group of us dressed up as bros, but now I’m the only bro left,” says Mia, 10, Orange Tipi. “To be a bro you need a beanie, some sort of vibey T-shirt, and basketball shorts. Then you just dab your friends up, fist bumps, high-fives, the whole thing. It’s an exercise in boyishness.”

“The boys are dancing in dresses!” exclaims Riley, relaying a new development from the Big Top.

“The Dance Party is super fun, funner than last year” continues Mia. “Everybody is dancing. I don’t have a go-to dance move. Honestly, we’ve just been jumping up and down.”

“I’m a person from Titanic; it’s my favorite movie besides Hamilton,” says Charlly, 10, Gold Tipi. “Clothes from that time are like fancy, long, old dresses, and for the boys it’s tuxedos and little caps. Everybody today just wears baggy gray sweatpants—very boring! The Dance Party is really fun, but I’m not very good at dancing. Camp is one of my favorite places in the world, one of the top two!”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session C 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Where Giants Walk

Sunday, July 20^th, 2025

LAKE SHUTTLE circa 2pm—The AC struggles against the accumulated heat from a morning of sitting in the unshaded parking lot. I crack a window for the wind chill in the meantime. Scraggly trees with clumps of mistletoe and large swaths of blackberry line the windy easement. Having just dropped off the lifeguards, I drive with only the arid scenery for company. Suddenly two quails dart across the road, followed by a line of baby quails. I pause to take their family portrait as they skitter through the dry grass.

Back in Camp, I load up the Ford Explorer with a rowdy group of campers who fill the ride with an uninterrupted cascade of inanities. Back at the Lake, the campers disembark and I take a moment to appreciate their finger-drawn graffiti on the Shuttle’s dusty exterior.

The middle Sunday of every two-week session is graced with a late wake-up time. Campers and counselors are free to sleep in until 10am, if they so desire, though the relaxation doesn’t last long. Starting at 10:30am today, all of Camp was marshalled into performing the much-feared Mid-Term Tipi Clean-Up. Today I interviewed some of the survivors of this grueling ritual.

“We’re using a two-pile system,” said Django, 12, Flame Tipi, wiping a mat with broad, circular strokes. “We’re in it to win it! I think the prize for cleanest tipi is ice cream or something. Definitely worth it for a little extra effort. For the second week I’m looking forward to doing stilt walks and Adventure Night—I mean, Tipi Clean-Up Night.”

“We’ve been cleaning every morning, so today’s clean-up was pretty painless,” said Wyatt, 13, Green Tipi. “We worked as a team, but I did most of the work—no, I’m just playin’. Doing big clean-up makes me feel like I’m leaving and arriving at the same time, you know? The first week of Camp was pretty fire, and the second week looks like it’s gonna be even more fire.”

“Tipi clean-up is the epitome of teamwork, and the realistic part of communal living,” said Administrative Manager Mayahuel Montoya. “Each tipi has an area to clean up around camp, in addition to their physical tipis. We try to match up counselors with their teaching areas. I like to think of it as the counselors helps the campers, and then the campers help the counselors.”

“Sometimes, over the course of a session, conflicts can build up between people,” continued Mayahuel. “Mid-Term Clean-Up is infused with the grand spirit of a social reset. It’s like putting gesso on a canvas, so it can be ready for the masterpiece of the Big Show. It’s also a great opportunity for us Camper Advocates to have a window into the team dynamics developing in each tipi, to see how they’re vibing.”

“There’s more important things than leaving evidence for archaeologists of the future,” complained Clowning Instructor Riley Soloner, brandishing a plastic bag full of micro-trash. “I want to preserve the present, so we can have a future!”

“We’re doing everything in groups,” said Tess, 15, Purple Tipi. “We had an inside crew wearing only socks, so that we could maintain a dust-free zone—a dust quarantine, if you will. Cleaning the Costume Barn was really challenging. It’s just such a large area with so many obstacles. I found some sparkly pom-poms on the ground, and they were low-key pretty. It was with a heavy heart that I threw them in the trash.”

“Clean-up was a little stressful, but our tipi worked well together,” said Eloui, 14, Purple Tipi. “I found a piece of peppermint candy. I didn’t eat it; it was very dirty. The tipi is frustrating to sweep because of the shape of the walls and of the tarp floor. Overall, it was a good teamwork experience, and it brought us closer together as a tipi.”

At noon, campers were summoned to the Rainbow Theater for the Lost & Found Fashion Show, after which Riley, assuming his recurring gnome persona, recited a delightful poem about micro-trash:

“
I frolic out of giants sight
where gnomes commune in earthly delight
But where giants walk and stomp and prance
they leave behind their evidence

Micro Trash! A likely story…

Scraps and shreds and pieces and bits
I remain peaceful, I don’t throw a fit
I pick it up, do my inspection
then catalog the items in my collection

What’s that resting in my dirt?
A tag torn from young giant’s shirt
What layeth before my two gnome feet?
A wet wipe dried up in the heat

Pen cap, costume scrap, popsicle stick
Dropped, discarded, flung, flicked
A hair tie knotted with dusty strands
Ribbons, wrappers, rubber bands

Pillow feathers, old name tags,
Torn off corners from candy bags
Scotch tape, duct tape, masking tape
Plastic chunks of every shape

Buttons, string, beads, thrown
Cast to the wind like seeds, sown
What’s hiding ‘neath my leaves and moss?
How lovely, your used dental floss

Paper towel, paper cup
I see the trash, I pick it up
Paper cup, paper towel
Walking past micro trash? That’s foul

Micro trash: barely perceptible
Deliver it to the nearest receptacle
If you pick a piece once left behind
Just once per day, that would be just fine

To clean a mess, no matter who made it
The gnomes will thank you, we appreciate it
“

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session C 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

THE FUTURE IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

Saturday, July 19^th, 2025

TIPI CIRCLE circa 9:30pm—“Everyone please rise and stand behind the logs,” says Performance Coordinator José Garcia. The campers whisper excitedly as they clamber outside the circle of benches that surround the fire circle. The woods have darkened to a single, all-encompassing black mass of cricket song. A jagged opening in the canopy reveals that the sky has retained a faint blue glow, even in this late hour. As the audience finishes repositioning, four counselors somberly enter the circle, arranging themselves around the campfire in the cardinal directions. Coming to a strong, neutral stance, they stare silently at the fire. The audience quiets in anticipation.

“Earth!” suddenly shouts one of the four. They then produce a pitcher full of rocks and dirt, and, walking around to the other three, distribute the dusty matter to cupped hands. With a quick nod, they all begin juggling the earth, each creating a messy shower of debris that quickly dissolves. The campers giggle. They emphatically end in unison to modest applause.

“Water!” shouts the second of the four, producing a pitcher of water, and again distributing the contents to the other three. Each juggler strains to keep their cupped hands watertight. Again, they juggle. The masses of water dissolve even more quickly than the dusty dirt.

“Air!” shouts the third, who proceeds to pretend to pour air to the other three. Again, they juggle, this time to a chorus of ironic cheering.

“Fire!” shouts the fourth, producing a juggling torch which he sticks into the flames of the campfire. The fuel-soaked torch instantly bursts into a bright flame, which is then passed to the other three torch jugglers. The audience roils with applause as in unison they begin juggling. Just outside the circle, Drummer Paul Gaffney plays an ominous rhythm on the drum kit while Teen Staff Gabby sings operatic melodies as soundtrack to the spectacle.

The club jugglers are followed by a round of flaming flower-stickers, and then a round of flaming poi and spin staff. With each successive round, the music and cheering become more intense. The cheering becomes almost deafening as Unicycle Instructor Lucas Johnson mounts a flaming unicycle. For a special finale, Clowning Instructor Milla Blackwelder slowly eats fire on bended knee, extinguishing the only remaining flame and casting the circle into darkness. The crowd erupts with applause.

Surely a lullaby will ensue, followed by tooth brushing. I steal away to my blog lair behind the Puppet Grove to review my notes. Earlier today, Camp was visited by a cast of characters from the year 2075. During their visit, I spent some time with the Camp polity to learn more details of these improbable events.

I encountered the first group in the Tipi Circle, a dozen campers and counselors sitting in the woodchips and painting the three large plastic hand-shaped chairs that live around downtown Camp.

“There’s like, time travel stuff,” observed Jade, 14, Maroon Tipi. “I’m painting the nails on this hand chair to leave my mark. The thought of people fifty years from now seeing my art is a fascinating concept. In fifty years, I’ll probably live alone in a cottage in the woods with a bunch of plants.”

“Time is a thought-provoking subject,” continues Jade. “Consciousness is a sort of time travel, whether you’re awake, asleep, or under anesthesia, the passing of time is so elastic. Living in the past is rough, the future is unknown, and the present is backwards. If we collectively support each other, that’s how we can fight back.”

“These hand chairs are used to honor campers who get three strokes [see: merits] in one dinner circle,” says Art Instructor Pharaoh Fleischman. “Today we’re doing a makeover for these chairs to improve that part of the process. I think art is a way to spread love and that uplifts everyone. I hope the visitors from the future will be inspired by our values of inclusion, appreciation, and kindness.”

I was pleased to meet nearby in the Tipi Circle one Rhea Porter, my journalistic counterpart from the year 2075. Apparently, she teaches at the Dead Bug University, which I will found in the year 2039.

“I am leading a field trip with some of my journalism students to study the past,” she said, notebook in hand and a large press lanyard displayed on her blazer. “In the year 2075, we primarily base our journalism on facts, so it’s interesting to see how things are done in your time.”

“We hope to use the data we gather on this expedition to improve Bitcoin distribution,” continued Rhea. “I’m discovering that many of the details in our textbooks are inaccurate. We hope to fill our historical gaps so that we can better our own present time. Sorry, I’m feeling very tired. Time travel really takes it out of you!”

Moving to the Big Top, Camp’s acrobatics hub, I find another dozen campers puzzling over a strange array of tumbling mats and other props. This was described to me a Rube Goldberg machine.

“I don’t know why we’re making a machine, but we’re doing it anyways!” said Yoshiko, 10, Gold Tipi. “The machine has two rollers bump the duct tape ball so it rolls down this chute, drops on the broom which turns the fan on, and then pushes a ping-pong ball down a slide. This machine probably won’t solve world hunger, but it will probably do something fantastic. Time will tell!”

Still in the Big Top, I encountered two villainous characters, self-described oligarchs from the year 2025. Two assistants tailed them, carrying bunches of grapes.

“This past of 2025 is very cold,” asserted Laika God, CEO of Humans Inc. “I can’t help but notice that none of these campers are mining for raw minerals.”

“There’s too much hope in the air; I find that disconcerting,” said Sven Ringtone, heir to the Ringtone fortune and President of Uber for Lithium Mines. “Uber for Lithium Mines, it’s a company that empowers anyone to have the benefits of mining for lithium, even if they don’t have a car. All these children are laughing without any apparatus to harness their excess energies. Very wasteful.”

The pair paused for the administering of a quick snack of grapes from their assistants.

Heading up the road I saw a camper sitting on a log, reading alone in the shade.

“I’m just chillin’ with my book, Where the Crawdads Sing,” said Delphine, 11, Turquoise Tipi. “It’s a really good love story—at least parts of it. It seems there are a bunch of people from the year 2075 here today. Now there’s a bunch of activities for us to change the future so that we don’t have to survive on gelatinous energy cubes. My main hope for the future is that we don’t get submerged in water from the melting ice caps.”

I continued to the Puppet Grove to find the construction of a massive paper mâché toothbrush underway, one certain restless camper looking on skeptically.

“I don’t believe these guys are actually from the future,” said Sebastian, 11, Blue Tipi. “I get the meaning—‘We can change the future, yada yada yada’—but do we have to be so silly about it? If I wanted to inspire people, I would make a poster with a big eye, and you can see a city in the pupil. Then in big letters it would say ‘THE FUTURE IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER’. I like some mid-20^th century propaganda, but I guess it depends on which one.”

While fetching paper and pencil for Sebastian, a camper strolled by, covered head-to-toe in paint.

“I started off at the nail salon, and then when I got to the Art Grove I just went wild,” recounted Ellie, 13, Scarlet Tipi. “Art lives on. In history class we see old art and we learn about the details of their lives. I want people of the future to know that we care about the world and are willing to fight for it. That’s why I’m covered in paint.”

Soon thereafter, a conch was sounded, calling everyone back to downtown Camp, where campers shared with each other the fruits of their whimsical exploits, and made final contributions to the time capsule.

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session C 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025

Our Resident Dragon

Friday, July 18^th, 2025

TROLL PATROL circa 4:30pm—Waters milky with silt reflect yellow sunlight and, where shadowed, wobbly upside-down snapshots of the green foliage. Ridges of round river stones protrude from the muddy bed in strange patterns, the footprints of winter torrents. On the eastern bank a grove of bay trees reaches out of an expansive blackberry patch. Here on the western bank, tall oaks and pines stretch their limbs over a sandy shore where a large group of teen staff have made their perch. All around, sandaled campers busy themselves with the various industries available at Streeter Creek.

“We’re making a dam to make the creek bigger,” says Henry, 11, Blue Tipi. “The idea was to block it so it gets bigger, and we can have more play area. So far it hasn’t worked yet. The sand doesn’t hold. You need to use a mixture of sand, mud, rocks, and leaves. The creek still flows no matter what. Water always finds a way.”

“It’s cool to see how the water seeps through; it’s very satisfying,” says Valentin, 12, Orange Tipi, also helping with the dam project. “As soon as you plug a hole, another crack appears. I love that you can come down here, hang out, make stuff, and there’s water. Most people find the water really fun and relaxing. I know I do!”

“The mud makes your skin really glowy,” says Jillian, 11, Turquoise Tipi, her face covered in creek mud. “After doing a mask, your skin is all shiny. In order to get clean, you have to smother yourself in dirt; It’s called skin care. The creek is a peaceful place. You shouldn’t splash or be loud. If you’re stressed out, you should come here and get in the water, even if you only get in up to your waist.”

“I started doing masks at the creek two years ago,” says Livia, 10, Turquoise Tipi. “Now that I’m in my double digits, it’s important to take care of my complexion. The vibe is very calm. When the sun shines, you can really feel it on your skin. The creek is a must. Don’t skip it!”

“I missed afternoon stilts, so I came here to complain with my friend,” jokes Amayah, 14, Rainbow Tipi. “I like to come here for the birds, the trees, the crickets. It’s a peaceful energy, good vibes. I think the teen staff come here so they can congregate and not get split up. They love to chill here.”

“I’m just chilling with Amayah,” says Eva, 13, Rainbow Tipi. “The creek is my go-to spot when I want to chill. Today I’m just catching tadpoles and yapping. Here’s one now!”

She dips her cupped hands in the water, but the tadpole slips away.

“The creek is peaceful but playful, even more so than downtown Camp,” continues Eva. “It’s more natural. The nature is untouched.”

“It’s an essential part of my routine, definitely,” says Liz, 14, Rainbow Tipi. “It’s just so peaceful down here. Oh, there’s another one!”

Liz tries her hand at catching the tadpole and after a false start is successful. She holds the baby frogling up for a moment before releasing it back to the water.”

“I like the creek because it’s not dusty,” says Teen Staff Jojo, 16, Maroon Tipi. “It’s about connection, ebb and flow, community. I’m not gonna swim but I like to feel around with my toes. My advice is when you come to the creek, observe the vibe upon entry. So at the creek, so in life.”

“I had a henna appointment with Hannah,” says Teen Staff Carmelo, 16, Indigo Tipi, brandishing his new arm art. “I got a fish, which makes sense because we’re in water. Where there’s fish, there’s water. I’ve noticed the blackberries are coming in nicely. There’s always something to see at the creek. It’s a verdant oasis.”

“It’s like ten degrees cooler down here,” says Teen Staff Aya, 16, Purple Tipi. “I lived in Reno for like ten years, and this creek is the complete opposite. For example, there’s no slot machines, there’s no pavement, and there’s no sheriff comedy shows.”

“I just came to cool my feet,” says Dance Instructor Emma Dewey. “The creek is an interesting tension between life and destruction. The water supports life, but it also erodes the land, exposing these tree roots. It’s our resident Camp dragon. In Chinese folklore, ‘dragon’ is kind of a misinterpretation; they’re water-based beings primarily. They don’t have wings, but they sometimes fly to fulfill their celestial purpose. They’re composite creatures, made of parts of different animals of the land. Camp’s creek dragon is definitely part deer, part lizard, part snake, and part water-skeeter.”

Stay hydrated,
—J. Payseno, Editor

LINKS:

Session C 2025 Photo Album
Blog Archive 2025