The Welch clan arrived at camp yesterday, pulling into our 'summer place' shortly after breakfast. This year, we brought along a cousin who had never been to camp before, and as we neared the totem poles, my boys began to teach him the traditional chant that is belted out when a vehicle enters the hallowed grounds of Indian Acres. We had it timed perfectly, but just as they began the chant, a deer sprang out of the woods on the left, bounded across the road behind the totem poles, and disappeared down the strand of trees that line the main road. It was a delightful way to start our 2015 camp experience, and we have decided it is a good omen.
Since we always arrive in Maine nigh upon the summer solstice, I've never really seen the break of winter into spring... but from all that I've read, the season between the snow melt and "summer" is often compressed. As evidence of this, we often see folks around Fryeburg doing various chores that might have already been tackled in parts further south; yesterday it was workmen at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds painting the chain link fence.
In a like manner, 'spring' chores are done late at camp... since our 'spring' actually breaks when folks actually get here, and start sprucing up the camp for the summer. Concurrently with the Fryeburg Fair-Men, some of the counselors were wielding their paintbrushes on the fences around the totem poles.
The counselors and staff work very hard for many days before the first camper ever steps off a bus or van. The gusto with which these chores are tackled speaks to the love that most of the staff have for this special place.
For the Welch clan, 'spring chores' consists of getting our cabin habitable, transporting a mountain of bags and boxes into the cabin, and carving out temporary room for the kids
until they move to their cabins next week. Stuff left over the winter is hauled out of storage, and there is the pretty-much-required discovering of missing/broken items, and the subsequent fattening of the Walmart list.
Once the cabin is squared away, then the boys are off to play. The day included Ga-Ga, tossing a baseball, an ill-advised dip in the STILL VERY COLD Saco river, a trip to Froagie's for some ice cream,
and some games on the picnic tables outside.
One of the best things about camp is the life lessons that it teaches these young men and women; in addition to the skills they learn at the various activities, they learn all the important "wet-ware" lessons that are essential to a well-lived life.
Day One included such a lesson... work hard first, play hard second, go to bed the best kind of tired.
Spring has sprung. Summer is nigh.
Let Camp begin.
Since we always arrive in Maine nigh upon the summer solstice, I've never really seen the break of winter into spring... but from all that I've read, the season between the snow melt and "summer" is often compressed. As evidence of this, we often see folks around Fryeburg doing various chores that might have already been tackled in parts further south; yesterday it was workmen at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds painting the chain link fence.
In a like manner, 'spring' chores are done late at camp... since our 'spring' actually breaks when folks actually get here, and start sprucing up the camp for the summer. Concurrently with the Fryeburg Fair-Men, some of the counselors were wielding their paintbrushes on the fences around the totem poles.
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| Tom Sawyers and Becky Thatchers hard at work. |
For the Welch clan, 'spring chores' consists of getting our cabin habitable, transporting a mountain of bags and boxes into the cabin, and carving out temporary room for the kids
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| Temporary digs. |
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| The chair is dead, Jim |
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| Froagie's! |
Once the cabin is squared away, then the boys are off to play. The day included Ga-Ga, tossing a baseball, an ill-advised dip in the STILL VERY COLD Saco river, a trip to Froagie's for some ice cream,
and some games on the picnic tables outside.
 |
| Nerds Outdoors. Margaret Mead was somewhere off to the side, taking notes on creatures out of their habitat... |
One of the best things about camp is the life lessons that it teaches these young men and women; in addition to the skills they learn at the various activities, they learn all the important "wet-ware" lessons that are essential to a well-lived life.
Day One included such a lesson... work hard first, play hard second, go to bed the best kind of tired.
Spring has sprung. Summer is nigh.
Let Camp begin.
