July 6, 2026

Our concert on the lawn last night was courtesy of East Texas. Country meets Christian Band Reeves started with a bang promptly after the bugle blew at 7:30. A large crowd was already crowded around the stage, and they didn’t waste time waiting for stragglers to arrive… their first set was upbeat, fun, energetic, and catchy. The two brothers and accompanying pianist were obviously having a ball as they soaked up the energy of almost 800 girls and women dancing, singing, and running around like they were at a music festival, seeing old friends for the first time in years. The delight was contagious, and it was clear that this was going to be a fun one!

But we know that great experiences are more nuanced than just “fun”. It is important to be “real” as well. So when they asked if we wanted to hear their “engagement” stories, everyone returned to their crazy creeks and settled in for the scoop. Great stories, very different, led us to the song about love (always a hit) and then into a short testimony. They are passionate about their faith; it informs who they are (children of a Texas pastor) and who they want to be (good husbands and fathers). Sincerity is appreciated at camp, and the campers welcomed the boys into our community as they responded perfectly to the rest of the concert. It was a great night and a fun concert.

Part of the perfection was due to the setting. Golden sunset, rippling lake with a family of geese floating 30 feet offshore, watching the concert with interest. 75-degree temperatures made dancing a delight, and the rising fireflies provided the icing on the cake of a night to be remembered. I don’t know how enduring all of these memories will be (there are so many made at camp every week, and it is hard to keep them all straight), but it doesn’t matter. The mountain of moments that comprise a camp session are intended to blend together; becoming a feeling to be savored, not an event to be dissected. Margaret and I walked up the hill smiling; the girls did the same.

Today begins week 3 of our 5-week Main Camp odyssey. This week is one where we shift gears, from the low gear of adjusting to camp to the high gear of turning our many friendships into something special. Greystone girls make good friends. The kind of friend that you easily keep for decades, reconnecting in organized reunions (infrequent but awesome), chance encounters (airports and cities), colleges (roommates and sorority sisters), marriage (bridesmaids), work (internships, jobs, conferences), and future hometowns (neighbors). The campers and counselors sense the importance of their fellow Greystone Girls. All are worthy of a DMC, and make great additions to their current circle of friends. Age doesn’t matter (Big Sister/Little Sister time was a featured moment yesterday afternoon with 17-year-olds walking hand in hand with 10-year-olds). Social standing doesn’t matter (team captains and first-time to Main Camp friendships are common). All that matters at camp is the intent to connect. When you give a smile, you get a smile, opening the door to a new friendship. It never ends, and it never gets old.

The mid-Session-Switch will happen tomorrow (campers change out of certain designated classes and choose other designated classes for the rest of camp). This innovation was born out of success. Some classes are just too popular. When 90% of the camp wants to take a particular activity, and that activity cannot accommodate the numbers, rather than limit enrollment, we split the difference. The entire camp can be accommodated easily, and everyone goes away with a great experience. The side benefit is a freshening of our schedule, which makes the two halves of camp feel slightly spicier for camper and counselor alike. We chose our new classes yesterday and will start our new classes tomorrow. Spirits are high this morning as we enjoy the last day of class in those activities and look forward to a new activity tomorrow. Ellen Anne is the author of this innovation and deserves congratulations. It is a home run hit.

We will change tables on Wednesday rather than today. This is a change from our routine of changing tables on Monday, due to the tight schedule of the last week of camp (which offered fewer meals in the dining room). The girls LOVE their tables and are delighted to have two more days together. It is another example of the little details that make for a happy camp. Now you know!

Margaret and I are hoping to take a day off tomorrow, a detail that doesn’t impact the girls (I still do Breakfast Club and Morning Assembly) and doesn’t impact you (I still do the Blog) but certainly impacts us! Sundays, while technically a day of rest, do not provide a break from work. Being a camp director is a surprisingly intense occupation. It begins before Reveille with a Head Staff meeting in our kitchen. This hour-long meeting can extend to 90 minutes for Margaret, Laura, Ellen-Anne, Sarah, Cat, and me as we dot the i’s and cross the t’s of the day. It is fun, but it is relentless, as we do our jobs for eleven straight weeks. Margaret and I discovered some time ago not to hold on to our day off as an entitlement but as an aspiration. I am more likely than Margaret to adjust my schedule on the appointed day, but tomorrow we hope to take a break together. A movie and dinner, or an afternoon and evening at Bear Mountain, sound pretty good to both of us right now as we anticipate the busy weeks to come.

Breakfast Scrambled Eggs, Skillet Potatoes
Breakfast Club Mental Growth, hobbies
Joke A Grazing Mace
Weather Partly Cloudy, 84 degrees, chance of afternoon showers
Lunch Chicken Parmesan with Caesar Salad
Dinner Raviolli and Meatballs
EP Rotating Group Night