Sprucelands Clinic Helpers

Our Clinic Helper Training weekend is refreshing. We come together in the spring to catch up with each other and renew our commitment to kids, horses, safety and teaching.

Plain and simple, it feels good to be back at camp. There’s lots of giddy talk about school, friends, and family in between training sessions where we prepare ourselves for the upcoming weekend riding clinics with girl scouts. Anticipation of our clinic fun fills us all with enthusiasm for meeting new groups of excited riders.

In the morning after feeding, we gathered in ‘the blue room’ to review safety rules, schedule, routines, ways of handling horses and possible difficult situations that could evolve in a clinic. Our discussions are always helpful, especially to new helpers. It gives them a perspective and framework for the time sequences of an actual weekend clinic.

I love that we take time to talk about what we call the basics of the clinic helper program. Concepts like taking initiative, being respectful and responsible, communicating with each other, finishing what we start, operating as a team, finding time to play, and modeling positive behaviors make such a difference in whether or not we give a high quality weekend clinic. Those same concepts are key to our success as persons everywhere, so they are basic to our being.

After lunch, we worked with Tarrah, Kristin and Kate at the barn. We practiced how to teach a grooming lesson and demonstrate cleaning stalls. In addition, we had sessions in teaching proper leading as well as what to do when guiding a rider through lunge lessons. Kristin took a bunch into the indoor arena to play Red Light, Green Light so they would learn how to project their voices when giving directions at clinics. There was lots of role playing with laughter and photographs tossed in, and the day was good.

Saturday evening we practiced saddle and bridle parts after spaghetti supper. And then it was social time. Some of us buckled down to study and do homework while others joined a game of kickball down on the athletic field. We talked, reconnected with each other, included genuine fun in the process and best of all, looked forward to camp in the summer while munching cupcakes and cookies that the kids had brought to celebrate their birthdays. Happy birthday to Alie, Samm and 'G'!

Sunday we rode horses in lessons and on little trail rides. I know the horses benefited from the tender loving care and their lesson workout. After standing around some of the winter, they need to get their muscles acclimated to work again. Many are shedding their fuzzy coats. Others are eager to be handled again. They miss the riding routines themselves although they did enjoy their winter olympics this year.

There is something special and wonderful about our clinic helpers and the clinic helper program. All of us are dedicated to learning. So we pass on our knowledge to others and become teachers. That is exciting to me. The wonder of horses infects us all. To share our horsemanship skills is a privilege while keeping riders safe, and in the process we build friendships that personally carry us through the rough times.

Clinic helpers are the backbone of our summer program. Many are counselors. Quite a number become so skilled that they are called upon to help campers with an orientation to the barn, horses, and safety rules.

I am proud of my clinic helpers, appreciating all that they do as teachers and representatives of the Sprucelands spirit. I know how hard they work. It's wonderful enabling their growth into young adulthood. They are my co-workers, my camp family and my friends and I am personally grateful  they are in my life. Each one of them is a gem.

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A Sprucelands Message

This is one of those mornings when I woke up thinking. I know most mornings I wake up thinking and I take that for granted. Today I woke up thinking about deeper things, things that keep me going.

I know all of us have drivers. Just like computers have drivers there are messages we carry in our heads that keep us moving from week to week, day to day, moment to moment. That’s what I was thinking about this morning: the messages that drive me.

An important message I received from my parents was always look forward to something. Whether it be an event, seeing a friend, completing an assignment, enjoying a holiday, spending time doing what you love, or bringing something new into your life, find something to look forward to. In a very real way then, you can put color in your life and build your own future. It is exciting. It stimulates an optimistic attitude.

Another message I have valued was: be grateful. That was in addition to saying ‘thank you’ to friends, family and co-workers. It was noticing the little things, being aware of my surroundings, looking at the colorful details, and picking out the subtle things that maybe I was taking for granted and needed to appreciate more…like thinking.

It is so easy to get caught up in the negative stuff of these times. And when I focus on the negative stuff, I get bogged down with fear and dread so that each day feels heavy. That’s when I remind myself of those positive drivers: always look forward to something and be grateful for those subtle, more colorful things you may have overlooked.

This is where camp keeps me going. It is my BIG something to look forward to. When days are difficult, I look forward to camp and summer and you. I look forward to seeing people in camp again, hearing your happy noises in the camp lodge. I look forward to your giggles and singing and conversation and cheers, “Sprucelands Forever! Yes! Yes! Yes!” I look forward to watching your fun in the canoes, your connection with our horses, and your friendships - new and old - with each other.

I also look forward to smaller things like when you write a comment or become a follower of the blog. I look forward to my mail each day in hopes your registration is waiting for me. I look forward to greeting my dogs in the morning and after school. I look forward to putting my feet up, having a green tea moment and making a call to a good friend.

Then - aha - I realize that what I am looking forward to is all intertwined with things and people for which I am grateful. So as I start my day today, I am grateful for my mind and my capacity for deeper thinking. I am grateful that I can communicate through the written word. I am grateful for the sunrise because it transforms the sketchy, black and white of night into bright color. I am grateful to have friends like you, and above all I am grateful to be alive.

So here is my message. Think about your drivers. What keeps you going? What are you looking forward to in the future of your day or week or month or year? And how do those things inspire you to be grateful? Think on it. Start today. It can make all the difference.

Comments? You know I love them. Let me know you stopped by, and if you have a minute, become a follower of this Sprucelands blog. Also, connect with me on facebook. Look up the Sprucelands facebook page. You'll be impressed and maybe grateful for all your Sprucelands friends and moments.

Share Sprucelands

I spend a lot of time talking about camp to friends, family and colleagues. I’ll bet many of you do too. It’s because we know we have something special at Sprucelands and we want to share our stories of summer fun.

At the same time, I’ve learned that while you talk about Sprucelands, you don’t always want to share it with your friends. Interesting twist, isn’t it?

For a long time, you may have looked for a special something that could be just yours. You wanted a place where you felt at home, that gave you a sense of belonging different from school. You love horses and you found a summer camp family where you could work on your horsemanship skills while building friendships to last a lifetime.

You wanted to become more connected, independent, responsible, and smart about taking initiative and finishing what you start. Walking back into the stresses of school, you knew in your heart that Sprucelands was supporting your successes and would be waiting for you with open arms come the summer.

Then you hear me talking about how we all need to publicize Sprucelands more. Our beloved camp always needs new campers. Your advertizing by word of mouth is the best advertizing. That’s reality.

Now here’s that twist I mentioned. I hear comments like “But I don’t want my friends from school coming there. Sprucelands is my special place and they’ll just ruin it.” Then there’s, “If I get the kids from my barn to come, they’ll just mess things up.” And some mothers or fathers will tell me, “I can’t send my other children here because this is my daughter’s place to shine and she would never forgive me if her sister came.”

Here’s fact. In these times when the economy is struggling, Sprucelands is too. While campers are registering on a fairly regular basis, our enrollment is not what it needs to be for a full summer. If enrollment decreases every year, then your special place will quietly disappear into the hazy mist of nostalgic memories from your childhood.

My message today is that I need you. Guys and girls, young children, teens and adults: I need you to talk us up with everyone and any one you can think might be interested in this special place.

New campers and old campers alike can spread the word, even campers who came here 20 years ago. Send us your children. Talk to your friends about us. Sprucelands is a top-notch riding program, always caring and forever fun. We want to live forever!

I need your support. It’s time to mail in registrations so I know how to plan horses, staff, food, and program. The staff is coordinating a wonderful experience for 2010. Jump in with enthusiasm because I can feel in my bones that this 75th summer will be the best Sprucelands summer yet.

Your comments are always welcome....and remember to become a follower of this blog.

Sprucelands Staff News

Beautiful weekend here at camp. The weather was awesomely warm with no rain and blue sky. In my shirt sleeves, I actually gave Sunday lessons in Ring #1 where there is now no snow. A week or two ago we were riding knee deep in the white stuff. It’s hard to believe what miracles warmer temperatures will work. Spring is officially here.

Saturday the camp staff gathered at my house for evaluations of last summer and brainstorming for the coming summer season. I always love that planning day because our staff is so creative. They think outside the box with an energy that sparks both enthusiasm and teamwork, tackling everything from marketing ideas to the silly summer theme: Finding Nemo.

For the benefit of new campers, we always have a theme that gives us a framework for fun in the summer. In the past, we’ve built a summer around the circus, trains, world travel, Disney movies, Harry Potter, Shrek, All things Dr. Seuss and more. This summer we are using the movie Finding Nemo for our framework, and I can tell from the craziness the staff is planning that you will have a ball.

Sprucelands is a place where we all tap into our inner child. Doesn’t matter whether we are 16, 10, 6 or 50. We design a program that allows all of us to play, share in barn, riding, and lodge activities, and find meaning in our summer experience. We build friendships that last a lifetime, expand our independence and occasionally walk in each other’s shoes.

Of course, the horses and riding staff are a major part of our process, partnering with us in the fun and learning. They work with us on our skills, challenge us along the way, and safely carry us in the ring and on trails. For some, riding at Sprucelands is an escape from the stresses of home lessons or competition. There’s lots of opportunity to just be with the horses and enjoy their equine company.

This year we have a change in our Riding Staff. Jaime who took the Head Riding Instructor torch from Alison now passes it on to Tarrah and Alie who will partner up to direct the riding program. Working closely with Alison and me, they have the best foundation ever for managing our organization and teaching. I will tell you lots more about Tarrah and Alie at a later date, but for now I thought you would be interested in knowing that they are our new riding staff leaders. The staff celebrates their new role and supports them every step of the way.

I close for today, leaving you with lots of positive thoughts about summertime. Remember to get your registrations in so you get the spot you want, especially in the Accelerated Horsemaster program. Camp is around the corner!

Drop a comment below. Say "hi", ask a question, or become a follower to this blog. Happy Monday!

Wild Weekend at Sprucelands

Good Monday morning everyone! I’m getting ready for my week. First I want to share a short post about the funky weather that kept me fascinated over the weekend.

I guess I marvel at the forces of nature more than most. When one lives here year round, it’s totally me and animals and nature. In fact, nature at Sprucelands lets it all hang out.

Friday was an off day. Nothing went right. It was as if the planets weren’t aligned or the stars were out of kilter. I was home from school to work on projects that needed doing and ended up in a ditch. Long story. Outcome was good.

Many of you had rain, I’m sure. For anyone living in an area with mounds of snow, you know what rain and warmer temperatures can create. One of my realities is our lake. It overflowed her banks, ran over the earthen dam, and pushed continuously against the actual dam itself. I could let myself worry about it but chose to skip the worry and instead take a picture. I’ve seen the lake high before. Best of all, it was flushing ice downstream.

Well, by Saturday the nature lady turned up her steam so that it rained heavily, blew fiercely, and made mud like you can’t imagine. I slopped and slurped from the barn to the indoor wondering how I could capture the joy of the mud life on camera, especially in the wind. There just was no way I could or would do that to you.

So I went through the day. I fed the horses, put them out in the rain because it wasn’t cold, taught riding lessons, cleaned stalls, brought the horses back in again, fed them, and called it a day. That sounds so simple.

However, by the end of feeding I was soaked through. I taught riding lessons in the indoor which meant talking over very enthusiastic raindrops that hit the roof with an intensity far greater than the sound of a jet taking off at the airport.

Pushing the wheelbarrow through the mud from the green stalls and the indoor was a bit of a challenge. I used muscle power I didn’t know I had. Thankfully, it wasn’t quite as difficult from the main barn. Then I had to feed again and of course it was pouring. What tickled me was how the horses who had been out in the weather all day long tiptoed around puddles that had grown large in the parking lot.

Sunday was a bit better. The clocks had changed, our wind eased and it snowed. In fact, the snow was winter’s biggest and best snowflakes ever. I pulled out my camera because I couldn’t believe it. The flakes were so big, fat and fluffy that I literally couldn’t see through them. To give you a point of reference, I share once again the view of horses in ring #3. I’m amazed that the camera actually captured the snow in all its fluffy glory.

After that last hurrah, the snow stopped. Everything was too wet for it to stick.  The rest of Sunday was grey skies and mud. I so appreciated the calm because now I could push my wheelbarrow and think my own thoughts, marveling at how the change of clocks this spring riled March up much more than February’s departure. Amazing! The week can only get better.

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Sprucelands Spring Thaw

Yesterday I had the most amazing phone call. Stacey called me from the camp lodge to say that he and Brady were inside the lodge and Brady was riding his new bicycle.

On March 2nd, Brady had his fourth birthday. His big gift was a small two-wheeler with training wheels. When there's snow on the ground, the only place to practice riding is grandma's camp lodge, of course!

The amazing part comes when I wondered how they got inside. Now that we have metal roofing on the lodge, the snow completely blocks any entry from the main doors. For quite some time, the piles of snow have been higher than the windows. You can see that it has melted some and left us with the challenge of completely redoing the gutters.

Anyway, Stacey told me to trudge lakeside through the snow and enter by the maintenance area. I could hear Brady riding his bike with enthusiasm upstairs. When I first saw him and made a big deal over how wonderfully he was keeping his balance, he smiled from ear to ear and then rode circles around me. I can tell those training wheels will come off soon!

Stacey recalled how he practiced riding his two-wheeler in the lodge years ago. He wanted Brady to have a similar memory.

I had forgotten about Stacey's experience. We had Christmas one year and Stacey thought he didn't get much from Santa. That was when we asked Darren to take him to the lodge and much to Stacey's surprise, a new bicycle was there where waiting for him. Turned out it was the best Christmas ever!

Well, after Stacey and Brady went on home, I spent a little time looking around the lodge, smelling its campy smells, and listening to the singing and laughter in my head from summertime. As I looked out the big picture windows at the lake, I decided you needed to see how we are thawing here.

The campfire circle is still under snow, but ice on the lake is gradually softening and moving downstream. That feels really good because in the very near future, we may have all the lake back again. I trust soon we will see our regular pairs of Canada geese appearing. This week I see geese in the skies and fields between here and school.

As I close this Brady blog with hopes of honest-to-goodness spring, I hear Stacey's words about how happy he is that his son will grow up with the fun of camp. I know in my heart that Brady just like returning birds and our spring thaw is coming into his own. His unbridled enthusiasm reminds me how all the hard work we endure over the wintertime means our dear Sprucelands is ready to hold a whole new bunch of wonderful campers in her arms. And before you know it, Brady will be asking to ride his bicycle to the barn!

Comments? Please share your enthusiasm about the coming summer.

A Sprucelands Free Gift

There is a new feel in the air! The birds are returning or maybe they're moving here because it's warmer than the south. Who knows? Robins have been cited. Songs and chirpings are different. Morning doves coo at the feeder. Piles of snow look a tad smaller. Only a tad. However, temperatures today and tomorrow are supposed to be in the 40's.

I'm thinking there's hope that spring is around the corner. The calendar says it's a reality within the next few weeks. Our clocks change next weekend.

I know camp buildings are looking like they're very ready to be done with heavy loads of snow on their shoulders. They would much rather be getting themselves primped for summer. You know, they need their nails done and hair trimmed in the way of a paint job here and there.

More camper registrations have been coming in this week. Folks are moving forward with enthusiasm for summertime! Yee haw! I'm excited! The accelerated horsemaster program is perking up its ears because quite number are looking for extra ride time. Even the Counselor in training leadership training program is picking up new leaders.

Now - get this - the horses and I decided to offer up a special incentive for you who haven't done so to mail in your registration. Anyone - returning camper or new camper - who registers by March 17th, St. Patrick's Day, will receive one of our awesome calendars: FREE! We need to hear from you soon because we are planning how many staff and horses, and how much food we will need to order for the different sessions.

Sending you a calendar reminds you about our camp fun. Riding trails will soon get a makeover. The camp theme is percolating as we make plans for Finding Nemo. Sprucelands Camp Lodge and Indoor Arena is popping its buttons as it warms its fingers and toes in the sunshine. Lily and Pudge have been looking down the driveway since September in hopes you are coming home to Sprucelands.

Sit down with your folks this weekend. Fill out your camp registration. Mail it today. Warm the air with your enthusiasm for camp and I just know the snow will melt faster from our rooftops. Besides, one of our awesome calendars will be yours. I promise you will smile when you open it. You can almost hear the voices of happy campers chattering inside those pages.

Pop me a comment as you stop by. Also become a follower of this Sprucelands camp blog. Let's keep our fan club growing and growing and growing.

Sprucelands Winter Weekend

What a glorious weekend! The snow kept on keeping on. Stacey plowed more than he wanted to plow. Lily and Pudge frolicked through the snowbanks. I managed the barn and taught lessons.

Camp was simply beautiful under the snow. You know those first moments after a new snow when the earth seems to stand still? In those moments I stop, hold my breath, listen to the quiet and look around with my camera of course.

Places along the road, trees that normally I take for granted, fences, cabins, the indoor arena, even the riding arenas...everything is quiet and still. The snow decorated us with such peace. Right then I wondered once again if in fact this was my heaven.

Of course, the breezes eventually come and temperatures fluctuate. Before you know it, the serenity of those moments have passed. Snows fall from the branches and life resumes its normal pace.

I had lessons with Tsz and Hayley on Saturday. They were a trip. First, we rode in the indoor arena and then enjoyed the snow briefly in Ring #1. Riding in the deeper snow is an experience because the horses pick their feet up higher. It's like riding on a waterbed, more cushy and bouncy. Riders discover whether they are balanced very quickly.

Once they find their center and move with the horse, it's awesome, the kind of riding that makes you smile. Hayley rode Honey this time around. She found a different feel from Honey than from Bugler.

Honey is wonderful for helping riders relax. You can tell from Hayley's expression that she was having a really fun time. Didn't matter whether it was snowing, she enjoyed every moment.

Sunday Erin and Hannah came for their lesson. By then, the snow had eased and settled a bit. Their lesson was fun because Erin rode Bugler for the first time. They cantered and jumped in the indoor for the initial forty-five minutes of their lesson. Interestingly, I got a new perspective of Bugler.

Bugler is quite a jumper. He was pretty amazing actually. I had no idea that he could do what he did during his lesson. He made quite a handsome picture. I decided to push him a bit because on Friday I talked with his owner and discovered that Bugler actually has quite a background. He has Morgan breeding, is from the Parade/Heritage line and has been ridden for years by knowledgeable riders. I saw a whole different horse yesterday. He even cantered in the deep snow and I do believe I saw him smile.

When the girls finished their ride, they and their horses climbed over the high snow bank and rode down the Al Capone trail. I snapped a quick photo as I heard they 'oohing' and 'ahing' about how magical it was riding in the woods. Back at the barn afterwards, their conversation was about how pretty it was under the pine trees.

So the weekend was fun. I'm tired from hard work, but how could I complain? It was simply beautiful with winter scenery like you don't see in the city. Oh, and by the way, anytime you want to bring a sled and slide down the camp road. It's like a luge right now with high banks on both sides. You'll love it!

Please leave a comment below and if you haven't done so, become a follower of this blog. Happy trails to you...