Tag Archives: Summer Vacation

Day 34: Flags

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The flag flies over Camp Tesomas

Daily life at camp has its rituals and routines. At the troop level, each day starts by rising, cleaning, dressing, and in general getting around. Sometimes we rise alone, other times we are greeted by others and we talk about the day before and the day ahead of us. Some mornings it is time to look out over the lake and enjoy the peacefulness of nature. Thursday morning was cool, but warmer than Wednesday morning, it had been a late night for our scouts. The Order of the Arrow ceremony and the fellowship afterwards had our scouts walking back into camp close to ten and lights out soon after. The activities of the week had tired our scouts and they were content to sleep. In camp, the next group to wake is usually the SPL or other scouts who get up and shower, clean up, or just get ready for the day. At  seven the SPL begins to wake the scouts, there is a little grousing but, most scouts simply wake and are excited about a new day. The hoppers are the first to leave for the dining hall because they need to set up tables before breakfast. By 7:35 to 7:45, the rest of the troop begins to walk or cycle down to the dining hall and form up at the flagpole for the flag ceremony. Troops can sign up to lead the flag ceremony in the morning or evening, but we did not sign up this year. The camp staff assembles on the steps above the flagpole and the officer of the day calls attention and orders the color guard to advance and post the colors. The color guard marches the flag toward the flagpole attaches the flags to the halyard and awaits further instructions from the officer of the day. The OD orders the scouts to attention and to salute the flag or hold their hands over the hearts as the color guard raises the flag while the bugler plays reveille. Then the OD leads us in the Pledge of Allegiance:

 I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all.  Source: Section 4 US Flag Code.

The scouts release their salute and can stand at ease while the color guard retreats. Once the color guard retreats, the OD dismisses the color guard, staff, and scouts all walk over to the dining hall. This is how we start; it is routine, and a great way to begin each day. We will form up at the flagpole for evening flags later, but we have much to do in between and we will start all over the next morning. Continue reading Day 34: Flags →

Day 33: Order of the Arrow

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Troop 35 at camp, Wednesday 6/30

Tuesday night was cool, almost cold, with the stars shining brightly in the dark blue night sky. Recently, I have begun to notice the sky more since we added Ivy to the family, but the night sky is never this clear in Wheaton, too much light pollution. I was walking back to my tent, after working on Tuesday’s post, looked out over the lake, and saw clear calm water with the moon and stars above. I woke early, showered, and biked to the program center to get coffee and finish the post. The scouts followed and I joined them for flags and breakfast. Continue reading Day 33: Order of the Arrow →

Day 32: Dinner at camp

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Tall tales abound in the north woods of Wisconsin and camp lore.

Scouts and adults alike were greeted to a new day by the crisp clear air of a late June morning in the north woods of Wisconsin. Our day started and as usual, brushing our teeth and getting prepared for breakfast and the rest of the day. I ran into one of our adult leaders who told me he had lost his sunglasses Monday and realized he had probably left them at shooting sports – all the way across camp. He explained that when he woke up, he ran over to the area to find them. He was looking for them when he spotted a deer, a five pointer, wearing them. He told me, he asked the deer for his glasses back. The deer replied, no, they were his. So, the adult leader shot the deer and got his glasses back. He had me going there for a minute. After all, this is the land of tall tales and Paul Bunyan-like stories and the camp has a weather vane in front of the dining hall to prove it. We are all having fun at Tesomas. It truly is a great place.

I knew Monday was going to be a great day and the possibility that Tuesday would be a million and six times better as Bowling for Soup said in the chorus of their song, “Today is Gonna be a Great Day”:

This could possibility be the best day ever!
(This could possibility be the best day ever,)
And the forecast says that tomorrow will likely be a million and six times better.
So make every minute count, jump up, jump in, and seize the day,
And let’s make sure that in every single possible way,
Today is gonna be a great day!

We are making every minute count. As it turned out, Tuesday was even better than Monday! Continue reading Day 32: Dinner at camp →

Day 31: Our first full day at Tesomas

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Tesomas Scout Camp near Rhinelander, Wisconsin

When I camp, I usually wake when the sun rises. However, Monday morning came earlier than I expected and it was William who woke me. The sunrise Monday morning was at 5:11 AM and set at 8:51 PM – giving us an incredible set 15 hours and 40 minutes of day to make count.  William is an early riser and has always been.  The troop had gone to bed late Sunday night and we had a slow start.

Continue reading Day 31: Our first full day at Tesomas →

Day 30 – First Day at Tesomas Scout Camp

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Troop 35 poses for parents before leaving for camp, 6/26/2010

Sunday began at the Band Shelter at Memorial Park in Wheaton, Illinois. William and I had gotten up early, about 5:15 AM and met the troop to drive to Tesomas Scout Camp. I had volunteered to be the banker, which means that I hold the scout’s money and when they want to visit the trading post to buy candy, souvenirs, or need money to shoot at the shooting sports venues they need to see me. Scouts checked in with me and gave me their envelopes. We formed up, had our picture taken, and were off by 7:15, not bad for a scheduled 7:00 AM departure. Continue reading Day 30 – First Day at Tesomas Scout Camp →

Day 27: Coyote Moon: The Legend of Ivy

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Ivy poses for the camera, her ‘heart’ is visible

The kids were in VBS for the remainder of the week and William at scout camp next week; I was somewhat in limbo. I had errands and other activities, but nothing compared with last week’s adventures or what next week and beyond brings. I think sailors would have called today the doldrums or a place where the wind does not blow. The doldrums are close to the equator where Earth’s spin does not provide enough of a force for constant winds to blow, hence the name – the doldrums. Continue reading Day 27: Coyote Moon: The Legend of Ivy →

Day 25: Patience

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Patience is a virtue. Sometimes, I just need to be patient. The past couple of days have been days when I need to exercise patience with myself, my family, our puppy, but especially myself. Twenty-five days of summer vacation with fifty-seven remaining, they require patience.

There’s a hundred and four days of summer vacation,
‘Till school comes along just to end it,
So the annual problem for our generation,
Is finding a good way to spend it
Like maybe…
Bowling for Soup “Today is Gonna be a Great Day

The opening of the song says it all…really there are varying days in my family. For me, I will go back to school on Thursday, August 19 that gives me fifty-seven more days. My kids on the other hand start school on Tuesday, August 24, and so do my students, which gives them sixty-two more days of summer vacation so we have a problem how best to spend it….. Continue reading Day 25: Patience →

Day 24: Monday, Monday

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Every other day, every other day,
Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
But whenever Monday comes, but whenever Monday comes
You can find me cryin’ all of the time
Source

In the 1960s, the group The Mamas and Papas recorded a song that really fits today: Monday, Monday. The days are counting and melting away like a Popsicle on a hot summer day. The flavor does not matter, the days are just moving quickly. 58 days remain. Continue reading Day 24: Monday, Monday →

Day 22: Return to normal, or whatever that is…

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I wrapped up the day with a trip into the backyard while Ivy took care of her business and looked upward into the heavens. It was a beautiful starlit night and I could see the Big Dipper plain as day. I never would have been out here at 10:30 at night if it were not for Ivy. It was an incredible sight and reminded me of how small we are relative to the larger parts of our world. I try to do the right thing but sometimes I simply get in the way. It is difficult being human. Tomorrow is Father’s day. We will go to church and celebrate somehow; it will be a family day. Continue reading Day 22: Return to normal, or whatever that is… →

Day 21: Homeward Bound

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It is never easy returning to America from Paris. I got up early in the morning, after staying up too late the night before and arrive at the airport by 7:30. It is going to be a long day, I doubt it will be a million and six times better than yesterday, but I am on my way home to Beth, William, Olivia, and Ivy and that is wonderful. I am excited to see them and I know they will have questions about the trip, though they have been following along and reading the blog. Traveling from east to west is always difficult because when you arrive it is only a couple of hours later than when you left and it is a nine-hour flight.  I leave at 10:30 AM Paris time and arrive in Chicago at 12:35 PM. Put in relative terms; my body thinks it is 7:35 PM and I am ready for dinner and bed, soon. Continue reading Day 21: Homeward Bound →