Campers arrived at Treetops to a spell of brilliant sunshine and bluebird skies. By mid-week, the hot muggy weather gave way to thundershowers, postponing the all-camp bonfire—an early lesson in how quickly the elements can change in the Adirondacks. Experiencing the natural world at Treetops means embracing the rhythms of the environment, as well as Camp life. For some children, this may be their first time living so intimately with the outdoors. And for those who are returning, rediscovering the joys of walking barefoot in the wet grass or falling asleep to croaking frogs make these first days at Camp especially magical.
This is a period of transition, where children begin to slow down, settle into their surroundings, and adjust to Camp life. Rising early for barn chores or garden harvest, choosing activities at council, passing rafters and clothesliners at the waterfront, savoring juice and crackers at the Lake Hill, and sharing bedtime stories on the tent line are all part and parcel of the Treetops rhythm. Establishing routines provides a wonderful opportunity for campers to form strong connections with their tentmates, as well as counselors.
Diving into all program areas, campers have also begun connecting with each other through an array of projects and activities. Intricate weavings take form on our looms, while spoons, chairs, canoe paddles, and cutting boards are crafted in the woodshop. In the forest, Junior Campers crowned our pigs with flower coronets (which the pigs promptly gobbled up, to the campers’ delight).
Shiitake mushrooms are being cultivated, inoculated in hollowed-out wood logs for harvesting later in the summer. An excursion to the on-campus crag brought together rock climbers of all levels. And the list goes on. As campers continue to embrace new experiences and daily rhythms, our community begins to take shape.