Monday was a full day-it started with getting up really early and picking up my two girls (one a YCL, the other a first year), then having to go to Walmart because they weren’t fully prepared despite my efforts. We got the gear up the hill and then had opening flag ceremony. We also had certification and some of the wards taught about their “Occupation” identity.
Other units had occupations like weavers, potters or candlemakers. Our branch was the Limners- which are people who draw and paint. We taught about oil painting, watercolor, and drawing. We were also to teach about how the pioneers did the occupation and if there were ways to do the occupation using items from nature. Somehow I found myself doing this “book report”. I had found a book from the library about artists of the old west, we showed the girls drawings and paintings of the pioneer era. Explorers would bring along an artist to document the new sights, creatures and their dealings with the Native Americans. I also found an Ensign (July 2000) that had an article about Frederick Piercy, who was a member of the church that traveled out West in 1853 to document the pioneer’s journey and also Salt Lake City in drawings. He came back East to have the drawings published as engravings in a book entitled Route from Liverpool to Great Salt Lake Valley, which has become a valuable aid for historians. His drawings are really incredibly detailed. As far as using items from nature, it’s possible to make your own charcoal, but you’re probably not going to be mining your own minerals for pigments.
After dinner, we had skits. Ours was short and sweet, with Katie as an artist that “was good at painting people”….and painted her volunteer by applying a wet paintbrush to them. In years past we had longer, more elaborate skits but this year I just didn’t know what to do nor did I have the energy. Ditto for our cheers. There were several other skits that were clever- a funny riff on Twilight and another ward that did a Pioneer version of The Dating Game. After all of that, I was pretty tired.
Tuesday started off with breakfast- cleaning up after syrup while camping is pretty disgusting. The girls went on a hike for the first part of the day. I didn’t go because I needed to have my knee last all week, plus it gave me a breather. The girls did more certification and learned about other unit’s occupations. That evening was Bishop’s Night- our branch president and his wife brought us pizza and he gave a little devotional. We also did Singing Trees when it got dark- units take turns singing their hymn. It was all dark except for when a unit was singing- then they’d have their flashlights on. I like this tradition.
Wednesday was the big day- my birthday! It was a fun day. I didn’t know how it would turn out- after all, camp is not exactly where you picture spending your 30th. I’ve had my birthday at camp before (as a youth)and it’s not always so great. And then there’s the whole dilemma of telling people- if you don’t tell people then you get no love, not to mention people get mad at you when they find out afterwards… but it can look really “look at me” if you go around telling people and expecting something. My girls knew and they spread the word, sparing me from having to tell people. I got sang to in the morning, hugs all day and people wrote me little notes via camp mail. The girls went canoeing most of the day, and since I don’t canoe and wasn’t needed to shuffle cars, I got to hang out and have laughs with some great people. When some of the groups came back having had DQ, my pal Elyssa and I were jealous so we snuck off and got some ice cream too. We had taco salad for dinner (my fave) and I didn’t even have to cook- the stake made it. The girls even sang my fave camp song (“Anne-Marie and John-Pierre”, per my request) and my dad came to see me for a little bit. Laura was gone at play practice and Mom was still in CA, so it was a nice surprise to see him. My birthday card had a wet-nap in it, a great gift. I had brought my other cards to open, I felt loved. Later that night was testimony meeting up the hill in our own Sacred Grove, complete with campfire. It was great.
I joked before camp that all I wanted for my birthday was a hot shower- and I got it! This year they hooked up the showers so that they would be warm. AND I got a bonus gift- they hooked up a sink to the warm water too! This makes a landmark First Sink at camp. Most were happy with the sink, but some adults scoffed at it, saying “What’s next, a hotel room?” I responded by stating that it wasn’t luxury but basic sanitation- in the past the girls relied on hand sanitizer instead of rinsing their hands in the spigot and then they’d touch my food which equaled food poisoning for me (I’m more susceptible than most). Yup, that happened the past two years. The year we got a sink with warm water and soap? No food poisoning! Go figure. What a great birthday gift.
Thursday was pretty crazy- we were transitioning from camp to trek. Since trek was only for those over 14, I had to take Ryley home and get back to take down camp. I decided to dash home and shower rather than fight 20 other girls for a shower at camp, which was a good call. The other ward made off with some of my stuff because I wasn’t around when they were packing, sigh. I did buy hot pink cooking utensils for camp- easy to know they’re mine!
Camp had been smushed into 3 and a half days to accommodate trek and flew by in a whirlwind. It was a fun time. Our theme this year was “Surviving the Journey- with Joy!” Seriously! When I heard that, I was like is this a joke? But I did survive the weeklong journey- with joy.
Some of the 60 clothespin dolls I made- each one had a different fabric pattern!
Stay Tuned for Trek!
Stay Tuned for Trek!
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