The monsoons came today, and I’m about to call “uncle.” It’s not that it’s even interfering with activities that much, but the short spells that they are coming, it is POURING! Our poor maintenance crew fixed one of our lingering problem spots 3 times today. The steps across from the office leads up to weaving … Continued
So much is going on, it’s hard to imagine that we are sending 75 girls home tomorrow, many of whom have had their first amazing Illahee experience. Almost 200 are staying put for the full four-week session, and we have some special treats in store for them over the change-over weekend. These two weeks, marking … Continued
“The 7th grade hike is the BEST day ever!” Hopefully, every day at camp touches girls with a similar sentiment. Each session, I take several all-day trips with rising seventh graders on what has come to be known as “cabin adventures.” I have a staple hike that is just so stunning that every Illahee girl … Continued
Happy Fourth! Wherever you spent yours, I can’t imagine that you had half the fun that we did at camp. I felt a little like a one-armed paper hanger…there was so much to do, especially this evening. The day started with the “British Are Coming” wake-up call as the riding staff rode up and down … Continued
I have written before about how Sundays at camp …Despite knowing what the pace will bring, I still have these fantasies of sleeping late (no matter that it has been years since I have slept past 7:00 am), reading a newspaper, maybe catching a few minutes of CBS Sunday Morning, sipping cups of coffee. Well, … Continued
I’ll have to admit, I thought we were crazy when I saw the “Program Notes” this week and saw that Sliding Rock was scheduled for tonight. After all, it’s Saturday night of a long holiday weekend. The weather has been absolutely perfect, gas prices are lower, and it’s hot everywhere except the mountains. That’s a … Continued
Time flies when you’re having fun. Apparently so. I signed some checks today and the date jumped out at me. July? Already?! Really? A sure sign of a great summer is that it does fly by…too fast, in this case. We are rounding the corner into the weekend, and wrapping up week one, and what … Continued
There are balls bouncing in our driveway and some music playing in the background…lots of voices and an occasional squeal. The sounds of summer. Liza, our two-year old Lab is whining at the doorway. She loves to play ball. Soccer is more her game than basketball, so she’ll do what she can to steal the … Continued
There are several theories of child development that really interest me. One is that of “acceptable risk.” The idea is that a child’s healthy development through young adulthood relies to some extent on navigating the waters of risk and consequence. Teenagers are risk seekers, and many that they choose (as you know) can be unhealthy. … Continued
I certainly don’t want to jinx things, but one sure sign of a great staff is that I have not seen a homesick tear yet this summer, and we are almost four weeks into the season! An interesting phenomenon with homesickness…the campers who struggle with it at the start of a session are usually the … Continued
