Stargazer Sleepover Summer 2010

If anyone has been to Camp Idyllwild for a Stargazer Sleepover, you can attest to the fact that there is usually a good chance of rain in the forecast.  Because we schedule the sleepover as close to a new moon as possible to allow for the best stargazing, invariably we will have clouds and rain!  Because of the unpredictability of the weather patterns in our area, we try to explain to parents that they have to be comfortable with 1) uncertainty and 2) getting a little wet.  Last weekend was no exception.  Although it only really rained for an hour or less, we ended up with several wet sleeping bags and pillows because someone (I’m not saying who!) left the windows open on one of the tents!  No problem…most of the sleeping bags were designed to get wet, and remained dry on the inside.  We had extra pillows, and used the clothes dryer to dry any remaining items.  It was really no big deal. 

The rain started to come down right as we turned the grill on, but Eric was able to get the hot dogs and burgers cooked in spite of the rain.  We had a great dinner that included baked beans, home made macaroni salad (Eric’s specialty), fruit salad, tossed salad, Coleman all-natural uncured nitrate free hot dogs, Boca Burgers, and banana splits for dessert!  We were all stuffed!  But not too full to go for a night time hike, catch frogs, climb the 24 ft rock wall, or bounce on the trampoline!

After getting the cots and bedding dry, everyone staked out their spots in the tents and settled in for a good night sleep, free of any further rain storms.  In the morning we woke up to a thick blanket of fog, and a great breakfast that included fresh coffee, milk, orange juice, fruit, pancakes, bagels, pumpkin bread, cereal, eggs and bacon.  After breakfast everyone went off to play in the creek, which included jumping off the bridge and swinging on the rope swing.  Kids also fished, floated on river tubes, and swam. 

This camp out is always such a fun time.  My favorite part about it is seeing how the parents get to act like kids, to the delight of their children.  For a short time, parents can avoid the duties of parenthood (cooking, cleaning, bathing, etc) and just bond with their kids, doing things with them that their children get to do all week at camp, and simply enjoy their presence in the midst of an unspoiled natural playground. Every year we have intentions of organizing a fall family camp out.  My favorite time of year is fall, and the weather is usually drier.  I think this year might be the year we finally do it!  So if you are interested in a fall camp out, please post a comment or email us at campidyllwild@gmail.com and let us know! 

All of these wonderful photos of the sleepover are courtesy of Bokeh Tov Photography…thank you Jay Koch for taking such fantastic photos, and for letting us use them on our blog, photo page and website! 

Spring Break

Well, I guess you could say that I am pretty late posting about spring break camp when it is already summer!  Technically you could say that it is still spring, since summer officially begins on June 21st, which is next Monday!  However, for completeness, I felt before I could start posting blogs about summer camp I really needed to do justice to spring break.

First of all, this is the very first year that we offered spring break camp…we offered one week in March, corresponding to the Davidson County, Metro School spring break week, and one week during the Williamson County school spring break.  The size of camp was small because we did not have a big bus, but rather a small 14 passenger bus.  In fact, during the April spring break we had only a Chevy Suburban!  We didn’t rent the bus for April because we actually didn’t have the minimum number of campers, but because parents and kids really wanted spring break camp to go on, we did what we could to make it happen!

Hopefully next spring we will have more kids signed up and be able to have a larger group.  Nevertheless, spring break camp was wonderful – the weather was nice…cooler, but very nice.  We were able to get the garden started (although all that hard work ended up washed away in the big flood!) and do a lot of other activities that we wouldn’t normally do because of the heat of summer and the fact that most kids want to spend much of the day in the creek during summer camp.

We recently acquired a new pottery wheel, and we were able to try that out for the first time this spring.  In addition, we began offering yoga as well as a new wellness curriculum, called Stress Free Kids.  The kids really enjoyed both the yoga and the stories and activities that went along with the wellness program.

We had a wonderful time hiking, bicycling, playing games, climbing trees and doing a lot of nature crafts…including fern pounding, which is a way to transfer the color of various plants (ferns, leaves, spring flowers) onto cloth.

I think spring break camp was a success, and we look forward to being able to offer spring break camp again next year!

Voted One of Nashville’s Best Day Camps!

Wow – we recently found out from the nice folks at Parent World (the creators of Nashville and Williamson Parent magazines) that Camp Idyllwild – our humble little camp dream that became a reality – was voted one of Nashville’s Best Day Camps.  We never in a million years would have expected that our camp would have gotten such recognition so quickly.  Then again, the families we serve are awesome, and passionate about some of the same things that we are, so actually we aren’t surprised that the excitement about Camp Idyllwild spilled over into the mainstream press.  We are just thrilled and hope this means we will get to share our camp with even more kids next spring and summer!  Thank you again to everyone who voted for us – your support is appreciated!

Natchez Trace Parkway: The Road to Camp

Natchez Trace_summer 2009 clouds, originally uploaded by campidyllwild.

It’s hard to believe that the 9 weeks of camp are over for the summer. We had a really great time! Kids are getting ready to go back to school, probably (hopefully) thinking fondly of their week(s) at camp.

This photo shows the road to camp, literally. This is the beautiful Natchez Trace Parkway – a short piece of it serves as part of the journey that the kids take on the bus ride here. We think it is one of the most beautiful stretches of 2-lane highway anywhere. Along this road you will see all four seasons. You’ll see deer, wild turkey, horses, and maybe a skunk! You’ll see cyclists, hikers, and hawks flying high. If you’re lucky you might see a blue sky full of puffy white clouds that your kids can stare at long enough to envision the shape of a tortoise or fish. Often there will be a little turtle trying to cross the road, especially after a hard rain.

We hope you’ll venture onto this road sometime soon, and enjoy some fall colors, winter snow covered hills, or spring blossoms. Check out the hiking trails, rest stops and scenic vistas. Bring your bicycle and meander along to get a closer look at the wildlife.

We certainly hope your children will get back on the bus next summer and get to look into the blue sky full of white clouds, anticipating a week full of outdoor play and exploration, punctuated by dips in the spring-fed creek. The creek is quiet now, but summer will soon be here again and along with it, the laughter of children full excitement and wonder at the pure simplicity of nature.

Birding with Irene

Session 7_Irene Perry, originally uploaded by campidyllwild.

Last week we were very lucky to have Irene Perry, a bird expert from the Warner Park Nature Center, visit our camp! Irene teaches children birding by ear – rather than trying to identify birds by viewing them (which is fun too!), she teaches them cute phrases (mnemonics) to remember the bird calls. Like the barred owl’s “who cooks for you, who cooks for you” or the tufted titmouse’s “peter peter peter”. The kids had a great time learning the phrases and trying to listen for them in the woods.

Irene had the kids divide into 2 groups and she gave half of them a bird call – each child had a different call – and the other half had to find their “mate” in the midst of all the other calls. The kids really enjoyed this game!

Later in the week Eric had some of the kids dissect owl pellets – these are the “coughed up” remains of what the owl has eaten (usually a rodent of some sort). This activity is always interesting because you never know what you might find. For our owl pellet activity we purchase pre-sterilized owl pellets and it is amazing how many rodent bones the kids found in these pellets! They didn’t quite have the patience to try to assemble the bones to determine exactly what the owl had eaten, and some of the pellets looked like they contained the remains of more than one rodent!

We enjoyed having Irene visit and plan to have her come back to camp for at least one (if not two) programs during our Spring Break camp and Summer Camp next year!

Guest Blog Entry by Rachel Koch

hiking, originally uploaded by campidyllwild.

This blog post is from Rachel Koch. It’s a beautiful testimonial story of her family’s experience at Camp Idyllwild. I am posting it here because her words describe so well the unique philosophy of our camp and how it benefits kids and families. I hope you’ll take time to read all the way through her story – it’s worth it!  (all photos in this post are courtesy of Jay Koch).

 

The Magic of Camp Idyllwild

“Mom, can I PLEASE go back to Camp Idyllwild next summer? And can you sign me up for several weeks?” My daughter pleads with her sincere and expressive brown eyes. She’s not a demanding child and truly doesn’t ask for much. “Yes, I promise you’ll get to come back.” My daughter is convinced she was born in the wrong setting, the wrong time. She was meant to live outdoors as a Native American – living off the land knowing earth, moon and sky as if it were her own soul. She wishes she could communicate with animals in a deeper sense. She values trees, plants, animals and insects as if they were God’s greatest gifts. And I believe they are.

As hard as I try to balance my children’s schedules, to offer them a variety of opportunities, to help them discover their passions and then be able to quench those yearnings… there is a debilitating and seemingly unavoidable error in my efforts. It’s blatant and it’s at the center of it all. SCHEDULE. The children have to go to school, they have to study afterwards, they have to eat and they have to get enough sleep. So where do we squeeze in their childhood? Their moments of timeless exploration and contemplation? Don’t you remember that from your own childhood?

My children aren’t allowed to say they are bored. To me, the restlessness one feels when there is “nothing” to think about or do, just means “go find something to ponder”. It’s sometimes a lot to ask of a child. The most fascinating things shouldn’t be video games, or television shows (although there are excellent educational programs out there), or even colorful pieces of plastic scattered across a playroom. It’s NATURE! Flip over a rock, stick your toes in a stream, examine a dandelion!

Enter Camp Idyllwild. Why didn’t I discover this earlier in their lives??? My two children are at different ends of the spectrum, as are most siblings. It was as if the pensive, quiet role was taken by my daughter, so my son took the opposite personality. He’s loud and vivacious. But in the setting of nature, without being directed by a schedule, they are both perfectly content. Camp Idyllwild, by its very design, allows children to be one with nature. They offer ample choices of activities but unlike most camps, the children are free to choose their focus of interest and then – get this – are allowed to stick with it as long as their little hearts desire! WOW! It’s unheard of!

For a child to spend literally hours allowing their mind to shift to a new attraction only when they are ready to do so (and because their curiosity leads them to refocus on a new fascination) is a gift! I am so thankful that Camp Idyllwild allows my children the luxury of exploring creek beds, watching tiny crawfish scurry, examining pebbles… things they can’t do at home for two reasons: we live on a tiny lot on a busy street in Green Hills and we don’t have the luxury of endless free time when we are at home.

Idyllwild created its name by combining two words, “idyllic” and “wilderness”. The definition of idyllic – excellent and delightful in all respects – is absolutely appropriate to describe Camp Idyllwild… which is truly a natural setting of perfection. I would add another interpretation by using a totally different word. A word that, in childhood, is so very positive and rich: “idle”. Its definition – to pass time without working – may sound negative, even lazy, but it’s not. To pass time. Not to kill time. To pass time in wonder, to spend time questioning, searching, and discovering the great outdoors and all it’s mysteries! My children LOVED this camp…the physical place, the moment to moment experiences, the peace of being totally absorbed in contentment, the opportunity to go at their own pace!

I would highly recommend joining your child/children for the Stargazer Sleepovers offered a couple of times each summer! My husband and I just HAD to see this magical place about which our children were raving as they returned home each day. We joined them on a Friday afternoon in June. Our children couldn’t wait to take us down trails, to point out various water holes, to feed the adorable alpacas. We saw the stream, crawfish, pebbles and fossils discovered during the week. We picnicked with other families who seemed just as blown away as we were and we instantly fell in love with Suzanne and Eric Ward and their lovely children. It was cloudy that night so we couldn’t gaze at the stars as the program had hoped, but we did not feel short-changed in the least! That night, as we climbed into pre-pitched tents with surprisingly comfortable cots (I enjoy the great outdoors but secretly despise sleeping on the ground) I drifted off to sleep listening to the symphony of nature. Cicadas, crickets, an occasional distant owl’s hoot, and the babbling brook combined in my head as a lullaby.

The next morning began with sunbeams streaming into our tent and birds chirping a wake up call. We received a delicious and abundant breakfast and did what our children had become accustomed to all week… we explored and let our curiosity lead the way (if not the hands of our enthusiastic children). Some parents enjoyed the rope swing across (and sometimes into) the water, some hiked, many relaxed and allowed themselves to enjoy the safe environment into which their children happily ran. Our family participated in tree climbing and swimming. Our Camp Idyllwild experience culminated in a hike with Eric up a hill to witness a breathtaking view.

None of us wanted to leave. And just as I promised my daughter, I absolutely plan for us to return again!

Rachel Koch
Nashville, TN

Steve Shafer Session 6 2009

Steve Shafer Session 6 2009, originally uploaded by campidyllwild.

Last week was Frontier and Early Pioneer and Native American Life week at camp. We had a visit from guests from Traveller’s Rest who taught the campers about the Mound Builders – an ancient Native American people that lived in the Mississippi Valley region (before it was Mississippi) around 3000 BC to about the 16th century AD. They also showed the kids artifacts, and taught them games and crafts from the Early American times.

Later in the week our friend Steve Shafer of Three Creeks Farm paid a visit and brought his very sweet bottle-fed lamb Bop Bop to camp. She lost her mama shortly after birth, so Steve had to bottle feed her. Whenever she wants to be fed she “bops” him on the leg, which is how she got her name! Steve told the kids about raising sheep, shearing sheep, and then how to process the wool. He showed them raw and clean fiber, as well as fiber that had been carded (thoroughly combed to align the fibers in preparation for spinning). He even showed them how to spin the fiber on a drop spindle.

I just love fiber and fiber arts! If you ever get an inkling to learn more about fiber – from the animals that provide it (such as sheep, goats, llamas and alpacas) to the process of turning it into yarn – you should check out the Tennessee Fiber Festival, held each May at the Dickson County Fairgrounds. This festival is coordinated by Steve and his wife Beth, of Three Creeks Farm (www.3creeksfarm.com). This past may when I went to the festival I took a class on spinning wool from Beth Shafer who is an avid spinner. I have since learned to crochet and what fun that is! We have also had Kay Grott visiting camp teaching kids to crochet, which they love! There are several photos of Kay and the children on our Flickr photostream.

Session 5 – Making Paper

Julie papermaking day 1 2009, originally uploaded by campidyllwild.

Last week our theme was Trees and Plants and started off with a visit from our local foresters from the TN Dept of Forestry. We also spent time in the garden, going on tree and wildflower identification hikes, as well as learning to climb trees (using a rope and harness).

But by far the most unique thing we did last week was make paper from locally harvested plant fiber. Julie Jones is a artist and teacher at St. Andrews Sewanee School and came to camp for 3 days to show our campers how to make paper using a Japanese technique. On day 1 the kids had to pound the fiber…this was an important first step to get the fiber to the correct pulp consistency.

On day 2 they were able to form the paper sheets, which were laid between pieces of cloth, sandwiched between plywood boards. On the third and final day, they kids used the weight of creek water in large buckets to press the paper they made…and finally they laid it out to dry.

I forgot to take a picture of the final product, but will get a photo uploaded soon…just imagine an approximately 8 x 8 inch square of silky natural colored paper – some “rumpled” and some smooth (depending on where it was dried and whether it was brushed smooth or simply laid to dry)…beautiful stuff to be used to make a kite, or paint a watercolor image on and framed.

Stargazer Sleepover

Stargazer night – 26June09, originally uploaded by campidyllwild.

I am just now recovering from our fantastic Stargazer Sleepover! We had 7 families including 13 kids, 2 counselors, 10 adults, and 2 dogs spend the night at Camp Idyllwild on Friday night! After a great cookout dinner we enjoyed the evening and the kids especially loved tent camping. Adults appreciated the military-style cots – Eric prefers to sleep on these because they have great support and keep you off the ground.

Although the conditions were not ideal for telescopic-aided stargazing, Steve Wheeler from the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society still came out and did an indoor presentation on the moon, and we were able to do some naked-eye viewing of the moon and constellations Ursa Major, Ursa Minor and Scorpio. We had a terrific time and it didn’t rain on us either! Steve said that in July we will be able to better see Jupiter in the sky and hopefully it will be a clearer night (the next sleepover is scheduled for July 24th).

In the morning we had a breakfast of pancakes, zucchini bread, bagels, oatmeal, cereal, and eggs and bacon from Avalon Acres (a local farm CSA). This satisfied us and gave the campers energy to climb trees, jump in the swimming holes, and hike to the top of the bluff and back. A big THANK YOU to all the families for joining us, and a special appreciation to Jay Koch for taking so many wonderful photos!

Session 4 – Astronomy Week!

needle felted rocket session 4, originally uploaded by campidyllwild.

What an awesome week! At least 44 kids spent the week of June 22 – 26th with us playing outside and having fun learning about astronomy. We studied galaxies and our solar system, built rockets, and mini tin-can constellation projectors. We learned on which planet a DAY lasts longer than a YEAR (do you know which one? The answer is at the end of this blog), and how long a light-year is.

Our galaxy is called the Milky Way and it is a Spiral Galaxy…on a clear night out here you can see it clearly in the sky. Our solar system is located in the outer part of the Milky Way in the Orion arm. The next closest galaxy to us is the Andromeda galaxy, also a spiral.

As for constellations – one of our campers, Kathryn, said that a constellation is a group of stars that looks like a picture and she is right!! There are 88 identified constellations – some of which you are familiar with (like the zodiac constellations) and some that we are not as familiar with (like delphinius the dolphin, lupus the wolf and lepus the hare). It is a misconception that the Big Dipper is a constellation. The Little Dipper is a constellation although it is technically called Ursa Minor (the little bear). The Big Dipper on the other hand is an asterism – a small group of stars that forms a visible pattern but is not a formal constellation, but only a part of a constellation. The Big Dipper is part of Ursa Major – the Great Bear. You can use the Big Dipper to find Polaris – the North Star…this can come in handy when you are out at night without a compass and need to find North.

This wonderful week ended with our first Stargazer Sleepover, which I will be posting separately about later. And, the answer to the trivia question above is Venus!!