Firefly Song Newsletters

 August 10th

At camp we have a daily routine.  It begins with: wake up to bells, circle up on the lawn before the meal, announcements, grace, a moment of silence; then we eat, clean the tables, do the dishes, sing the songs, Silent Meeting. The meal routine then repeats itself two more times over the course of the day (minus songs and Silent Meeting, which are just a morning thing).  After Silent Meeting, the rest of the morning has a routine of campers engaged in programming, learning things in all of our activity areas.  There are two rotations every morning - for Big and First Lodge one of those is often swim lessons.  The afternoons routine gives room for camper choice as they listen to the offerings from the staff and decide what to do (e.g., bug collecting, paddleboard yoga, making fairy houses and lighting them on fire, taking goats on a walk, edible plant walk, and so on)  With so many people, and so many different things happening – these routines are central to making camp run smoothly and helping people feel comfortable. 

Yet, the nonroutine is also a key part of camp.  A few days ago, we had an afternoon rainstorm, and suddenly campers were running around getting exceedingly wet, jumping in the puddles that were appearing on the lawn, and embracing the weather rather than complaining about it. In a moment like that, we respond to what the world delivers us, and a different kind of camp magic happens. 

We also plan for the nonroutine.  Each session we have a “special day”.  During Session Two it is known as “Some Day”, and it started a long time ago, in response to those questions campers ask: “can we do [insert something crazy, different, wild]?”  and the adults typically respond with “some day...” rather than a concrete answer.  Out of this grew Some Day, a day for greased watermelon, oatmeal wrestling, cake for breakfast, with nerds or sprinkles in it, dance parties, and so on.  You’ll see pictures from our recent Some Day up on SmugMug photo site now.  Just as the routine keeps us rolling forward with momentum, we need that jolt to our system, that break from routine, to help us appreciate the routine. 

Trips are in many ways another element of nonroutine at camp.  While we do have a very predictable routine for trips at this point – two different windows during which half of camp goes out; a routine for the lead up: picking trips, meeting to talk through the itinerary, packing personal gear, packing group gear, and finally heading out for the trip; trips are such a change from the regular routine at camp, that they seem to me to fall in to the category of nonroutine.  Trips offer different scenery, views and activities, new challenges, a group of campers who you might not have spent that much time with.   Most of our trips are 2-3 staff members and 5-7 campers and this small size allows for the group to really get to know each other in a different way.  The pace is so different from camp – no bells, the group preparing their own food and eating when that food is done, perhaps sleeping in, perhaps sleeping under a starry sky (we do send tents out for all our trips!).  And of course nothing makes campers appreciate the “amenities” of camp like being out in the more wildernessy-wilderness.  As we send out a big group of Big and First Lodgers, for four days and three nights out on the trail, the lake, and some to base camps, I am excited for them to experience this shift in what Firefly Song means, what our program offers, what the routine and nonroutine elements of camp are and what different impact each of these has on their overall camp experience.   

 July 31st

We are sauntering and sliding into Session Two with sunny skies and Senior Lodgers setting up to sally forth into the wilderness. My apologies!  Sometimes I cannot help myself with the word play.  And sometimes campers even play along.  Before every meal we gather on the lawn in a giant circle.  We do announcements, make sure campers know what is happening next, and we talk about the food we will eat at the meal.  We do this as much to let campers know what they will be eating and also to address dietary restrictions and allergies; and so that all campers and staff know what they can and cannot eat, and where to find the options that will meet their requirements.  At circle, we also sing a grace, have a moment of silence, and then enter the lodge for the meal. Campers then eat at their cabin tables family style, which allows them to practice a variety of skills around sharing, looking out for others, conversation, table cleaning chores, and so on.  Right before they start to eat, I sometimes give them a table conversation starter.  We had a baked potato bar yesterday, and my prompt them was “ [besides baked potatoes!!] – what is your favorite way to eat potatoes?” 

Last night a camper noted that we broke with tradition (I love it when they notice!) We had delicious homemade pizza on our first night of camp, instead of the usual pasta dinner. From our Values statement, on community, we note “we honor traditions that guide us, and they must not bind us” and meals are a place where that can happen too.  We’ve also had tacos, shockingly!!- on a Monday not a Tuesday. Muffins, eggs, and trail mix cheesecake bars have appeared on the breakfast table. Another recent meal was kale salad, grilled chicken, bread, and an amazing homemade dressing.  Dipping the bread into that dressing was a real highlight of the meal. 

At a recent circle I was asking the campers “what are some other ways to say ‘go quickly’”? - as I was asking them to do something quickly!  I took a few ideas from the circle and then told campers I wanted to see as many as they could come up with, and I left a giant sticky note on the porch, for contributions.  It has been really fun to see all the words and phrases they came up with. My favorites so far are: “lickity split” and “skedaddle”.  I posted a picture on our Instagram account yesterday; take a look! 

Lily, our waterfront head, has been impressed with the swimming skills and enthusiasm she is seeing, and the lake is perfect these days. Campers are doing tippy tests, raft tests, Sno-bars (Snobar is a point across from waterfront, the first distance campers swim if they are interested in working on long distance swims).  I look forward to seeing who will try to do a Grand Circuit or two, later in the session. (A Grand Circuit is when campers swim the entire perimeter of the lake – somewhere between 2.7-3 miles).   

Finally, we kicked off our All Camp Game series with one called “Farm versus Wilderness”.  It was loud, raucous, and a portion of the staff appeared in the dining room in overalls and fun straw hats, while another set were running around with greenery and leaves sticking out of their hair.  I have no idea who won (A Quaker tie???), but the energy was terrific.  Thank you for sharing your children with us.  It has been a great first few days, and I look forward to the next few weeks.   

July 21st

Suddenly, all the things, all the time: cabin switches; Big Lodge/First Lodge Trips returning and doing excellent trip skits; practicing our song for Interdependence Day; and last but certainly not least, campers swimming their Grand Circuits (around the lake – about three miles).  Noteworthy is that for the first time ever we had several First Lodgers complete a TRIPLE grand Circuit. What an amazing goal to set for yourself at age 9 or 10, and how wonderful to then complete it. Because really, you do need to set that goal in order to make this happen, as so many other (shorter) distances must be swum first, and this takes time, planning, making choices about what you will do when; all part of the “work” we hope campers have a chance to do, while at camp. 

Last night I, with a few other staff, took about 20 campers up to SAM for the Annual SAM Dance:  Chili and Cornbread for supper, followed by contra dancing.  It was a huge success and I felt so grateful to be working in collaboration with my colleague Adair, who directs SAM camp.  Showing people that gorgeous spot up at Ninevah, and seeing everyone dancing joyfully. One of my campers even said, in the van on the way home “I made a friend…  I miss them”.  I pointed out that they would likely see their new friend this evening, at our All F&W Interdependence Day celebration.  They were of course delighted to hear this. 

I also just walked through First Lodge and saw some messy cabins, so we definitely have our work cut out for us in the next 48 hours:  finishing things up, tidying camp, getting people’s belongings in order, feeling all the strong feelings that go along with the end of camp.  We place such a high value on work, and chores, and contributing to the community in various ways.  And yet, we also do not have a daily cabin cleaning task, or inspection, or who has the cleanest cabin competition, as many camps do.  We do however intersperse our regular days with Chill Mornings, which include a cleaning time, ideally with more of an intrinsic rather than extrinsic motivation going on.  We live in community and caring for our own “stuff” so that we are not negatively impacting those we live in close proximity with, is part of what we hope kids will walk away with. 

Staff are honoring campers in various ways, for their accomplishments, and getting cabins and belongings in order over the next few days is something I will honor kids for, as they do this, between now and pick up. Thanks to all of you who did excellent job putting names on your children’s belongings, that is so helpful as we work to connect the items in the lost and found with their owners. 

In reality, the biggest work of the next few days is the transition out of camp, and paying attention to the emotions these kids are experiencing.  Campers leaving this place they have settled into, with its noises, woods, the outside air, the lake.  Campers saying goodbye to people (and perhaps also animals!) they have come to love, or at least learn to live with (and learning to live with spiders, bugs, chipmunks).  Campers reflecting on what they have done and what it feels like to re-enter a space that is likely so different than here.  I hope we are sending them home to you in good shape, albeit perhaps with some less tidily folded clothing, with stories of their time here, and with some new perspectives on themselves, what matters to them and what they are capable of.  Thank you, I have so enjoyed spending time with them. 

July 14th 

We have had beautiful days with a few bits of rain here and there.  It’s the in-between time: Senior Lodge trips are back (and the First Lodgers who went out) and Big Lodgers are heading out soon (and the First lodgers who will go out with them).   All of our communications and emergency preparedness clearly paid off as we were clearly repaid with nice weather! 

A small group of Senior Lodgers chose to help with First Lodge trips, and even as the rain – or predictions of rain – kept causing us to change our plans, they remained flexible and stepped in with various forms of leadership: helping younger campers pack their packs; carrying their own packs, and possibly some extra weight, with good cheer; encouraging campers up the hill to Peggy’s Pond; playing trail games. We even had an encounter with campers from the Barn Day Camp, who were out on their Adventure Day, and the two groups got to spend a little time together and play some games. For many people, both within these hiking groups and outside, getting to see those First Lodgers and the Senior Lodgers alongside each other is a helpful picture of what we are trying to do over the years.  Starting with a small hike, this time just an overnight, as the weather caused us to cancel one of the nights out, and then turning in to a 13 or 14 year old who carries a bigger pack, who can more easily pack their own gear, and who has the capacity to do some cheering and supporting, having done this experience a few times, is a helpful reminder of all that can happen over a camper’s time at Firefly Song. 

Our garden is beginning to produce food that we eat:  Bok choy, berries, lettuce.  We are seeing it on the table and cheering every time we learn that we are eating food from our farm or garden. One of our bunnies has produced babies, and I went to check them out a few days ago; while they are still all snuggled up in a funny little ball of tiny ears and closed eyes, I can see the bunny-ness in them beginning to come through.  We are also cheering at circle for our distance swimmer move up our progression of longer and longer distances until they can take on The Grand Circuit – a swim around the entire lake.  

A new Kybo (our beloved composting toilets) is the current building project at the moment.  It is up at the top of Big Lodge Hill, off of Pooh Meadow. A group of Senior Lodgers are working on that for their apprenticeship time, and it is coming along nicely. I also had an opportunity to see a very focused and determined First Lodger working on an individual project at Work Projects yesterday, during Open Shop time. According to the Work Projects head, she is there every day.   

This is what I love about this camp: when a kid finds their thing and just keeps coming back to it.  “Project Based Learning” is something we hear as something adults think about and kids do, but at Firefly Song we open the spaces and the campers bring the passion and keep showing up for what is motivating them.   It could be using tools and building things, it could be the animals, it could be swimming those distances, it might be consitently helping around the cabin.  There so many ways campers show up for “Work is Love Made Visible”.   

July 7th

It’s quiet, this Sunday morning, as our fourth full day at camp begins.  I am already looking forward to what awaits at Cocoa House tonight.  For those of you new to camp, Cocoa House is our “weekly” variety show.  We have a small stage, quaintly overgrown with plants and and the whole camp gathers on the hill opposite the stage to see what different campers – individuals, cabin groups, friend groups-  will bring us. It can be silly, serious, magical, incomprehensible (nothing like a group of First Lodgers hamming it up, giggling uncontrollably amongst themselves, with an audience smiling alongside but not quite sure what is actually happening), musical pieces, poems read aloud – you get the idea. Until last year, it was a once a week event. I then decided that one thing we needed at camp was MORE COCOA HOUSE. The number of “acts” tends to exceed the time we really have, so more frequency seemed to be in order. This summer we have four Cocoa Houses on the schedule, and I’m confident tonight’s showing won’t disappoint. 

First Lodge and Big Lodge have begun their morning rotations through our activity areas, as well as swim lessons.  Favorite names from the self-chosen-named groups are: Lasagne Preppy, Unwashed Hobart Plates, Wonky Wombats, Clean Kybos, and Wikelletbees.  The presence of names that give a nod to chores is, in my view, evidence of the embedded and important role chores and “Work Is Love Made Visible” plays here. As you know, campers make camp run (of course my amazing staff do, too, and I could not be prouder of the staff I have this year: a solid combination of returners, folks new to F&W, and a crew of former campers turned staff) by setting tables, sweeping the lodge after meals, doing the pots, pans, and running dishes through our Hobart machine. On the first night of camp we see the leadership our oldest campers display when we assign them to dinner dishes and they cheer.  All this is to say, camp activities are off and running. We are making candles, building new benches for Silent Meeting, giving knife tests, cleaning camp, taking care of our plants animals and jumping in the lake. Even I managed a quick dip at the waterfront at the end of general swim yesterday. My buddy and I wanted to put our tags on the number 25 spot, but the staff person running the buddy board kindly told us it would be easier if we took the number 3 spot (the number that allows for a group of three buddies).  When a buddy check was called, we gleefully shouted out our number, with just a little regret that we didn’t have a third person with us, since we love the part where you get to shout “TRIPLE three” – there’s just something fun about the “triple” part when doing the buddy checks. 

Senior Lodgers head out on their trips tomorrow.  We are sending out a canoe trip, a rock-climbing trip with Timberlake, several hikes, and a base camp trip to the Red Spruce Grove site.  With RSG on pause this summer, we have the opportunity to use that site for some of our own programming, and so our Outdoor Living Skills head, Willa, plans to take a group of campers up to work on their Pioneer wilderness skills. I’m thrilled that that group of campers will have this focused time with Willa, who has both extensive skills in this area and deep F&W experience and knowledge, as well as time at this lovely spot that is one of the many gifts our land gives us.   

I’m enjoying getting to know the new campers, and re-connecting with ones who have been here in previous summers.  Stay tuned for more news next week!