SO! Everything is wonderful here at Camp. Since you dropped your precious children off we have had an excellent time! Laughter, good food, swimming, lazy afternoons, classes, forming friends, hanging out with old. Mostly laughing and playing and having a great time.

On Monday night each tipi went up on stage and performed a community skit where every member of Camp declared their name nice and loud (did Timmy already tell you this in his first post? I didn't read the first post in haste to write this one to you). This helps to show that the stage is not that scary to perform on and that our community is welcoming and sweet. Even if kids are not that interested in performing, knowing that you can stand in front of a group of people and present yourself is such an important skill! The brilliance of Wavy and Jah weaving the Show Show and the Life Show together!

Tuesday morning is our camp orientation where all of camp learns the triangle of safety and practices safely falling (you should ask them to show you when they get home! it's a great skill to have for life!). They were oriented to all the skills Camp has to offer and the boundaries of this beautiful land. Afternoon free time is always filled with activities around Camp that campers can choose or they just hang out with their friends, playing chess or Magic the Gathering or ping pong or go to the lake.

The Tornado of Staff Talent-t-t-t-t-t-t happened Tuesday night. Wavy told them "If you can see it, you can be it!" All of the teachers performed showing their skills. Theater Experimento took us to outer space, looking down on Earth and Pappi and his son hoping that the Peoples of this world will unite for peace and justice. Our Nerd Uni teacher (it's a character Dylan brought to us, not being mean!) wowed us with each new skillful trick (he stood up and used one foot to walk the uni across the stage - I just don't know how to describe. the kids went crazy!). Our aerialists performed Phenomenal Woman, dancing on silks, trapeze and rope. Diabolo, stilt dance (the Electric Slide on stilts, wha?), West African Dance, juggling galore, tightrope, gymnastics, oh and the clowns! Our clowns participated in yoga class but ended up as Batmen - complete with yoga mat capes! We were falling out of our seats. Your kids got to see something from every teacher and we have some amazing, talented people here. We are so fortunate this session!

Classes began today after a breakfast of homemade biscuits and gravy. Our philosophy is to provide structure where every camper has free choice and provide support for all of them to make those choices. Another important life skill!

We had a surprise this afternoon of Thunder Beings rolling through camp! It was still pleasantly warm - 80 degrees - and the light showers were welcome. We do close the lake at the first hint of thunder for safety so we switched to more activities within Camp and had fun playing in the magical weather. By dinner circle the skies were clearing and we began to learn an old Camp favorite "The World Aint Comin to an End My Friend" which you will hear at our end of Camp show. Weaving in the culture of the last 40 years with the community of today is SO amazing! We are so fortunate that Wavy and Jah are with us every day helping to steer us while quietly listening and smiling as this next generation steps up to do the "heavy lifting" (and we did cover everything with heavy tarps today and close the tipi flaps LOL).

Right now I am listening to the amazing sounds of our Fire Circle. As we gather around the fire campers and staff are invited to offer songs, poems, stories, dances, hula hoop, etc. We have quiet moments of looking into the fire and listening to the night and rounds of applause, laughter as well as oooo's and ahhhh's. The skies have cleared, is cool but not cold. A perfect northern California night. We had burritos for dinner, which is a camp favorite with homemade guacamole. We'll tuck them in soon and tomorrow will be a new glorious day!

Thank you so much dear parents for letting your kids come for these two weeks! This time truly is magical. We so enjoy their stories, getting to know their hearts and who they are. We all learn so much about ourselves and this world through living in community for these two weeks. And have SO MUCH FUN!

Good night for tonight....more tomorrow and the next day and the next. Wavy and Jah are running a Labyrinth for half the tipis tonight (the other half will go on Tuesday). I can hear that the last tipi is about to go and this Camp Director is going to help tuck everyone in.

Toward the Fun!

Yatiel, Timmy and the amazing Camp Staff!