Back to School

So, September is just around the corner. School is now underway for most central Arkansas students, and the highs are dropping just below 90 degress. Granted, it's not time to break out the sweaters and socks just yet, but I can feel the change of weather tingling in the air and in the ground.

Autum is my kind of season. As a consummate school nerd, I always welcomed it as the season of new notebooks and freshly-sharpened pencils. Back in my school years, it always felt like a fresh start, a clean slate, an "A" until proven less-than-perfect. This is an attitude toard Fall which, when I think of it now, is getting the issue a little bit backwards. Spring (and not Autumn) is more naturally the clean-slate season, and Fall is a time for drawing the year to a close, for harvest, for hard work in preparation for winter, for reflection, and for thanksgiving. So on this trip around the sun I want to use the rapidly-approaching Autumn season as a time in my life to cherish the memories of the past year and make way for the dormancy of winter. Though it's cliche to say so, now is the time to count our blessings and be grateful for the gifts that have been bestowed upon us.

by guldfisken on Flickr

I certainly count Ferncliff--the people AND the place--as one of my greatest blessings. Do you?

Also Known As...Papi

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The Gill family just returned from vacation in Ohio, where we enjoyed the use of a lake house for a week. I was just sorting through our vacation pics, when it occurred to me that you might like to know what time off looks like for our fearless leader. Here he is at his most chilled out (or as chilled as anyone can be with the two one-year-olds and two three-year-olds wreaking havoc).

Creek Dippin'

One of the, shall we say, "perks" of living at camp is the scenery. No, wait. That's not quite what I mean. Scenery implies looking, and we do plenty of that, but what I'm talking about now is jumping into that scenery and being in the outdoors. Being in the outdoors. Being IN the outdoors. Margie's favorite version of this is going on creek walks in the stretch of stream between the bridge and the Home in the Woods. It holds special appeal for all of us because 1) we can go anytime (i.e., even when there are campers in the pool) and 2) being spring-fed, it is always MUCH cooler than the pool these days. So we all wade out (this being particularly cute when Margie does it) and splash around to our hearts' content. She loves it, because...well...picking up rocks and dropping them is FUN. We are so spoiled.

 

Drum Circle!

I peeked in on the drum circle festivities at last weekend's military family camp and THIS is what I found. Quite the percussion section we have here, don't you think?!
 

A Joyful Noise

This week and last we have been graced with the presence of the Gloryland Choir. The use of the word "choir" here seems inadequate. Let me see if I can help convey what I mean:

So, yes, they are a gospel-singing, note-belting, hip-swaying, hand-clapping, foot-stompin' force of nature!! Though they have been squeezing practice sessions into the hour just after lunch that is usually allocated for F.O.B (i.e., naptime!), they have been doing A LOT these last weeks besides just singing. I joined them for a couple of their activities, and this is what I saw:

Margie even got to hang out while they went boating. I'm thinking maybe some of their singing talent rubbed off while they were holding her and playing with her :)

So thanks to all who made it possible for the Gloryland Pastor's Choir to come to camp, and doublethanks to the choir members themselves who have brought a lot of positive energy and a truly joyous spirit to our neck of the woods.

Floatin' and Boatin'

Today's adventures with the Discovery gals:
 

From Boating!

From Boating!

From Boating!

From Boating!

From Boating!

From Boating!

From Boating!

You Know You're a Camp-a-Holic When...

For dessert you make "mini" s'mores over a burner on your electric stove after scrounging for ingredients and tabulating the Weight Watchers points (dark chocolate fares waaaay better than Hershey's, BTW). Because, well, it's just too darn hot to go start a campfire, and even so who would listen in case the baby wakes ?!

 Photo Credit: Colin Purrington on Flickr

Our s'mores didn't look this delectable, but my taste buds couldn't tell the difference.