Last Friday was my DVD day so I got a bit behind on the blog. For that reason, I have a little catching up to do. Guess I'll end my postings for Session 1 of 2011 with a few highlights that I've not mentioned previously.
First of all, I want to applaud our wonderful nurse from first session. Julie was phenomenal in her care for all of us. We so appreciated her tender way of relating. We all felt as though she took us into her family while we took her into ours. It was really hard seeing her leave.
Julie is also talented with horses. She has a number of her own horses. In fact, she brought two to camp so that we might experience them. One was Jewel, and a jewel she is. The kids loved riding her both in lessons and on trails, always feel safe and in partnership with her.
I loved hearing Julie talk about how she uses the Parelli training techniques with her horses. One Wednesday evening, she demonstrated with Jewell how she has taught Jewell to come to her and she showed us how she desensitized Jewell to a tarp. That was pretty major. Not sure if our horses would be as accepting.
Her explanation of the Parelli techniques were so helpful. None of us really knew much about how those techniques connected you to your horse. We realized it is all about connection and with a relatively small investment in your time. You can read about training tips in that orientation on this Horse Channel link. Click right here. It's worth taking the time to look.
Another highlight of our second week in the first session was our talent show. Oh my gosh! I laughed belly laughs and I marveled at the silly creativity and genuine talent of our campers and staff.
There was a spoof on American Idol by Midnight's Cabin. The kids dressed up and auditioned for two judges who happened to be the counselor and CIT. Everyone got such a kick out of them, and they obviously were enjoying every moment. What a wonderful spirit those girls had in their cabin.
I was thrilled that our three spontaneous Star Spangled Banner singers from the 4th of July repeated their harmonizing performance, adding Amazing Grace to their repertoire. I think they could make records and sell them. Now that would be fun...with a Sprucelands label!!!
One clever skit was done by the riding and barn staff. They selected two people from the audience, Georgia and Jeff. They placed four chairs at the front of the audience and two barn staff sat in two chairs along with Georgia and Jeff. Everyone was blindfolded. I knew something was up when the two barn staff stood up and moved away from Georgia and Jeff.
First they asked them to eat a banana blindfolded. They did so and that was remarkable because we learned later that Georgia hates bananas. Anything for the game though. Then they asked them to dance and they did. When they finally discovered this was all a joke on them, how they laughed. Georgia in particular was a stitch. She had performed her dance with such animation that everyone roared with laughter, especially Georgia. What fun!
I also want to share a photo of our pony express. On Friday the riding staff mounted horses and rode through the villages delivering mail. It was a pleasant interruption to rest hour on Friday and it pulled me out of the house long enough to take a few photos for you.
The nicest part of this exercise was that everyone got mail. The staff had written letters to campers so that each and every one received something from the pony express. It was all good. Sharing these fun times with the kids just takes my breath away, and it wouldn't happen if our staff wasn't as genuinely invested in building memories with the kids that will last a lifetime.
I want to add one more post from session 1. It will be my wrap up from the first horse show. That takes more room than I have left here. So I'll get busy today and put that up along with photos from our second Opening Day yesterday. Stick with me. I'm running to catch up with your active campers!!!
Comments welcome today and everyday. Hope you're having a wonderful summer with us.
So many things to comment about. What's a mom to do? At the moment I'll say that reading and looking at the photos made me smile, feel good inside, and laugh. I especially loved the part about the Pony Express being back in business. How can u express in words what it means to know that your child is receiving such a one of a kind love. The Pony Express delivery personnel and their cohorts at Sprucelands are the kind of people you only meet once in a lifetime. Making sure that EVERYONE at camp received mail so they would feel special and loved and not left out? What kind of person/people even come up with such an idea? And then they make the time to hand write notes to everyone who didn't receive mail from the outside world? Sprucelanders do this. Sprucelanders do this.
ReplyDeleteThey are filled with a unique spirit of sensitivity, empathy, and selflessness. The acceptance, giving, and bonding, that seems to spontaneously happen when people come together at Sprucelands, cannot be explained in words. It can only be felt.