O-AT-KA weekend

We went up to Friends weekend at Eli’s camp. Every year, Labor Day Weekend, they have the camp open to people who are affiliated with the camp in some way. You book it ahead, and each family, or group, has their own cabin. Many activities are open, the waterfront is open, and there is good food. A fun weekend. You bring your own bedding and pay only $30 per person for each of the 2 weekend days. So for $60, you stay Friday through Monday, and have fun.

We brought a friend of Eli’s with us this year, so there were more bodies in our cabin. We had a waterfront cabin this year, which meant my bunk was about 20′ from the water. Heaven.

We did alot of riflery, some swimming, kayaking, woodworking (making pens), and I hennaed for about 4 hours. There was kareoke one night, and a hike one day to Douglas Mountain, where the views are fantastic!

Eli and Cameron on top of Douglas Mountain

Cameron making a pen on the lathe

me making a pen on the lathe

Eli at the riflery range

chai and homemade cinnamon bun!!!

Emmett sleeps like a rock.... even the morning sunshine didn't wake him!

Basically, we had fantastic weather and everyone had alot of fun. We drove home on Monday, and we were exhausted!

visiting camp

Emmett and I drove up to visit Eli at camp. We got there just in time to see him send off his rocket that he had been working on in Rocketry. Then we were able to go with him to see him play steel drums. He helped emmett do it too. The boys seemed like they even had missed each other!

Eli seemed to be very comfortable in his environment there which I loved seeing. It is a beautiful setting and a great place for spending a few weeks. I can see the growth in him already!


Emmett and I stayed in the "Bungalow" which is a big, old-time summer lodge. Beautiful.

Around the great room, is a balcony above encircling it, which opens to about 6 bedrooms, and several bathrooms. We stayed in a small room with windows on 3 sides, letting in the cool evening air. Heavenly to sleep in. Emmett loves playing the piano in the great room.

new digs for Eli

Eli in his cabin

Eli is now at camp for the next 3 weeks. We helped him settle in yesterday, and left him on the porch playing fussball with a boy from his unit who was there last year.

We can see photos of camp on a website, but can't talk to him until visiting day in 2 weeks! They take photos and post them every day or 2, and he might be in one or two of them. We can send him emails which get handed out at mail call. He needs to write home twice a week to be able to get a candy bar on Mondays and Thursdays, so we might get mail a few times :)

in the car on the way there... my view looking back..... lots of orange!

his cabin... each cabin is named after a castle in England
....the same cabin Adam was in for his first summer at camp!

the waterfront that Eli gets to enjoy for the next 3 weeks. lucky boy.

this is how we left him....
happily playing fussball with another boy from his unit.

Camp Four Winds

Please visit the Camp Four Winds site..... it is a blog, that I started after talking with Cathy about how many people want to connect, but don't know how. We discussed it for a bit, trying to figure out how to easily do it. I offered to set it up, and maintain it.... so here is the link! click on the words below!

Camp Four Winds

and yes, this is for Camp Four Winds, in Sargentville Maine. A girls camp on the coast of Maine, on the edge of Walker Pond. It is no longer there as a camp, but it still lives on in the memories of many of us. And if you visit the area in the summertime, you are sure to bump into someone who was there. Many people seem to be drawn back! :)