Wacky Hair Wednesday!
August 9, 2017 by Don Gentle

As you may have noticed we had some cool temperatures, even for us, today. I noticed that most of the Southeast was much cooler today. Even Columbia, South Carolina was in the seventies! We did enjoy a little sun here and there while the cool weather allowed us to be super active without being overheated. The climbers were able to climb on both their morning and afternoon trips today. The hikers also made a couple of treks up Rich Mountain and around our property today. They explored waterfalls, rock formations and even some critters.
I am sure you have noticed a few pictures of the dogs around camp. I think it’s funny how the boys want to know so much about them. There are two main camp dogs, Tsali and Barley.
Tsali is Hank and Townsend’s black lab. She is about eight years old. She generally goes home only when she is required. Sometimes she makes her way out on a cabin overnight or even a rest hour. She is not as active as she used to be, but still enjoys being around camp.
Barley is my golden retriever. He is about five years old. He swims most of the time, loves to go on hikes, mountain bike rides, and anywhere there is action. He has the best life ever! Don’t tell your dog what my dog gets to do every day.
What I have come to find out is that I should probably be paying the dogs. It’s no mistake they are here, but sometimes I am amazed at how much they add to camp life. The dogs always seem to know when someone needs a little time. The boys enjoy petting them as much and the dogs enjoy receiving it. I love it when the boys go out of their way to introduce their parents to the dogs on closing day. Anyhow, just a little window into camp life.
Many of us generally shy away from things we are afraid of doing. Most all of the time we feel better once we tackle it. Sometimes we don’t feel better. That’s the kicker. You know what? That is all right too. My father-in-law shared with me a wise teaching. The focus was more about your career and finding out what you want to do with your life. Anyhow, he felt like it was important to take some jobs you didn’t like. His answer was that”it will help you understand what you don’t want to do.” His son found out that he didn’t want to own a car wash. Sometimes we don’t like to do what is hard. The boys this week have overcome some things that are not easy. Check out those pictures from the top of the tower. Do you think those boys might have been a little afraid the first time they tried to make it to the top? How about the first time they spent the night outside? How about the first time they were away from home for two weeks? All of these “hard” tasks have been faced and overcome this week. Will there be some things that were not their favorite? Sure! What you will find out is that the joy and learning far exceed the discomfort. I would go as far to say that the discomfort at times is what will make the best stories. So while these boys have overcome many hard things, they have also had a blast doing it. They are learning a whole lot more important life skills than just climbing the tower. My favorite part is that you believe it is important just as much as we do.
This evening’s age-group activities:
- Hillside, Connestee, and Lakeside: Games on the Soccer Field
- Foxhollow and Holiday: Chill Night
- Chalet and Flattop: Games on the Activity Field
- Outpost, Sprucepine: Waterslide and Rope Swing
- Halfway and Lookout: Games on the Cabin Field
I sure do like this group of boys! What a fantastic session! Have a wonderful night.
Today’s Pictures The internet is terribly slow tonight. There are still 80 more pics to load at 9:30