One Summer, after much begging for several years, Mama gave in and let me go to Camp Cosby, a Girl Scout Camp. I wasn't old enough to sleep in the tents, but shared a cabin with several girls.
I have such an odd jumble of memories from my camping adventure.
I remember how much I enjoyed the horse riding lessons. I remember being chased halfway back to our cabin by a black racer snake. I remember falling in the creek full of chicken feathers when we were getting on a raft to ferry to the other side. I remember when our cabin drew latrine duty and we had to clean the out houses. I remember we poked cotton in the holes in the screens of our cabin to keep the mosquitoes out. I remember how much fun it was to learn all the silly camp songs.
Even though I remember some pretty yucky things happening, I do know that it was an absolutely wonderful time that I had there, a time I wouldn't take anything for having experienced.
And I remember Mama and Daddy coming to get me early, because my first cousin had just had her baby, an event I had been excitedly anticipating.
I found out years later that Mama had just used that as an excuse, because she was so lonesome and worried about me being out in the woods. They never let me go again, and I never pushed for it either. I guess I knew when to leave well enough alone.
Oh, and I never did tell Mama and Daddy about the black racer or falling in the creek. I knew better.
nostalgia, childhood memories, summer camp
6 comments:
It's too bad you only got to go one summer. I have so many memories of summer camp during my childhood. Some good, some bad, but even the bad memories are somehow good.
I agree, Jan, that the bad memories are somehow good. When I tried to pull up the week and a half in my memory, I found it was much easier to remember the "bad" things that happened than the "good" things.
I had a blast every minute I was there. That I know for a fact, even when we were cleaning out the outhouse!
it wasn't until i was 16 and in Canada that i started hearing all about camp this and camp that. i often dream i could go. the freedome and fun i imagine but i never brought it up with my parents. first i doubt they let me go as my life was pretty restricted. second, after leaving Nicaragua and then the US, i figure we didn't need to be spending money we didn't really needed to...to this day i often smile at everyones stories of 'camp'...Cuppojoe was 'the' camp counsellor in his church...they go to the Lake and meet and greet kids as they came and went for a summer..he delights me in their mischievesness...
another wonderful memory. i know i have said it before but it fits to say it again: i love your blog..i love how beautiful you write about your life..i love the feelings it brings up in me...thank you...
hugs.
You can still have a lot of the fun of going to camp ..... just take a group of girls, as a counselor! I started the tradition of the 4th-5th grade blended classroom, that I co-taught with a fourth grade teacher, of going to that same Camp Cosby many many years later for an educational 3 day stay. I had just as much fun as the kids did.
We did all kinds of outdoor education activities, plus the camp staff did a simulation of the Underground Railroad, with each of our small groups being a group of runaway slaves, that was so realistic that the kids would actually get scared. It was fantastic!!
The next year, since we kept students for two years, we did a simulation of moving into Indian territory. Not quite as good as the Underground Railroad one, but still very interesting and appealing to their age group.
In Scotland we had Brownie or Guide camps. Brownie's were in a hostel (only about 30 miles away but it felt like it took ages to get there) and in Guides it was in tents. The latter much better and we had a great time learning how to build campfires, cook sausages etc. Mostly good memories.
Rachel
www.firstmemories.blogspot.com
Hmmm, the Guides do sound like they would have been a lot of fun, Rach!
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