Whatever the weather

This post goes out to Emiry, because it is about how weather is SO COOL.

Yes. Especially in the WEST! Oh boy!

I'm just so very excited about it!

This picture is from my first desert storm (Operation Desert Storm!).  When it rains it pours!

You could say that I am on Cloud 9 when I look at the sky here.

I'm in awe every time I go outside. The sky really is bigger in the West!

But time for a cool factoid that I just learned from Emiry:

The phrase, 'On Cloud 9' is actually in reference to a cloud guide from the 19th century in which cumulonimbus is the 9th cloud.

Well a picture can't capture it, but maybe you can get the idea. This is the view from Thumb Butte.

This picture is from today's trip to Agua Fria National Monument.

We have severe weather warnings right now, which made for EPIC skies the entire field trip. The clouds were reaching down to the ground in places and looked so ominous(ly AWESOME), but then you turned around and the sky was bright blue with fluffy clouds. And the lightning! How do I even describe it?? Jagged bolt lightning like the kind on coffee table weather books! But in real life. I think I'll end this semester with an injured neck from all the time that I've spent looking UP!

and now for desert!

It's my 5th day here in Prescott, AZ, so I thought it might be time to share some of what I've been up to/ noticing. Life in the West... it's different!
For starters... the HEAT! I was not prepared. I can't walk more than a few blocks without being completely exhausted, which is problematic when I'm in a class that goes on hikes in the desert.

We hiked in the Granite Mountain wilderness yesterday.

The cicadas out here are bigger and LOUDER! Deafening, when you are sitting under a tree with cicadas in it.

For some reason that can be diagnosed as a brain fart, I forgot that I'd be encountering different species in Arizona. I saw a big yellow butterfly and automatically assumed: Easter Tiger Swallowtail! Mark it on the butterfly list! But no, it was a Two-tailed Swallowtail. And the bird that flies like a goldfinch? Not the American Goldfinch, but the Lesser Goldfinch. And plants are another story. There are oaks that look like shrubs, and my professor only uses the latin names for plant species when you ask what something is. I have a lot of learning to do!

Summertime done, come and gone my oh my

As much as I like it at here, the transition of camp to home is never easy. Especially because I'm supposed to be packing what I need for the next 4 months but all I can do is daydream about the wonderful summer that just ended. My flight to Arizona is at 7 am tomorrow, and then my semester in the desert will begin! I'm excited now-- now that my time isn't taken up with tasks, goodbyes, cooking for 50 people (including 28 ridiculously picky ones), workshop planning/ teaching, and breathing in the last bit of Cove air.

Sunrise on the way down from the Bald. Plus the moon!

Junior session went well-- lots of adorable messy campers who really help you remember the wonder and awe that can be found at the Cove. Every mushroom they find is the coolest thing ever, and spotting a Red Eft can make their session. We found a Red Eft in the lodge while we were closing camp. Its toes were covered in lint and watching it walk was even cuter than usual!

Now that Junior Session has begun...

 ...I'm gonna do a blog post about 3rd session! It's so long ago that I will have to remember it through pictures, wahoo!

This is probably the thing that I was most excited about this session. I picked some carbon ball fungus off a log, and randomly placed it on a piece of paper because I thought it was cool (soooo coool). Then next day, it had released spores (bottom right)! And then it kept releasing spores!

Point is, I didn't expect a spore print on this already exciting find, so that was most excellent. I will probably keep the paper forever. Yes, I laminated it.

In other 3rd session news, we had the River Trip! During 2nd session there was a heat wave, so we couldn't do the river hike. No complaints there-- we probably would have gotten heat stroke. The hike along the Cacapon River is a favorite of many a camper. It's about a 5 mile hike and the highlights include climbing up to Caudy's Castle, and crossing the river and playing around in the swimming hole.

A gorgeous day on Caudy's Castle

Birding

And a buddy pic!

Another exciting event was teaching a poop/ camping skills workshop, focusing on Leave No Trace principles and methods for pooping in the woods! At the end of the workshop, after demonstrating cat-hole digging skillz, campers became Certified Woods Poopers! It was a proud moment for everyone involved.

Cynthia and I spent a long time being unicorns last session. We do an evening activity called Noah's Ark that focuses on predator/prey/food source interconnectedness. But as most camp activities go, you need some staff running around for comic relief/ causing a ruckus. So we ran around chewing on rainbow wigs (Raaiiiinbow clouds! We looove raiiinbow clouds!) and snuck onto the ark. After that night we had a lot of trouble because we couldn't stop talking in our high-pitched unicorn voices.

According to the pictures I took, that sums up 3rd session, and the end of the senior program. I will post about how adorable junior session is on a later date! Spoiler alert: Soooooo cuuute.

Satan, The Darkroom Rat

Roight. There has been a rat living in the camp darkroom that has been the bane of many a Dark Lord's (darkroom manager's) existence. It took the bait without getting caught in the trap, scared the campers, and pooped and peed all over the place. Charming, no?

Long story short, the girl's loo started smelling like death, and eventually the remains of the darkroom rat was found in the wall. But there have been many tales regarding the rat (aka Satan) so that his legend lives on.

1. Rat cake for Hilmi's birthday (in addition to various other rat-related presents)! I love this picture because the rat is next to the cheese. And the rat is wearing a party hat.

2. A folklore night tall tale of the pet rat who turned out to be evil.

3. Zombie-Rat themed final exam: The staff were brainwashed by the zombie darkroom rat and his minions, and their brains turned to mush.

4. Blowing up the rat cake!
and Hilmi runs away gleefully...

can-o-pee

We have a canopy walkway here at camp, 60 feet up in the trees. Otherwise known as the can-o-pee, campers can come up onto the platforms for afternoon activity or for their camper projects. Us canopy-certified folk have been working on zee gunz all summer long-- belaying and tying knots and twisting those carabiners.

Two platforms, one bridge

Climb up ladder and staples

Ooop don't drop the box

Jessie repelling

Look at her go, she's a pro

Hey, look ma, no hands!

Piling up that rope

Ingenious method, yes

One two three gimp hand!

In Soviet Russia, cup cake YOU!

It all started during first session with a camper who kept coming up with "In soviet Russia" sayings (eg. 'In soviet Russia, butter cannot believe it's you!'). This continued into 2nd session and now 3rd session among staff, with great gusto.


In soviet Russia, weather predicts you!
In soviet Russia, shower takes you!
In soviet Russia, closed-toed shoes drop knife on YOU!
In soviet Russia, rainbows taste you!
In soviet Russia, bath mat leave you on floor!


All these very witty sayings are usually a product of a winning combination: milk straws, Sarah visiting, and JessieSarahAnnie thinking they are more hilarious than they are in reality.

These are truly MAGIC.

And now a word from our sponsors:
In soviet Russia, run goes for you! -Jessie
In soviet Russia, bacteria breeds YOU! -Regan
In soviet Russia, plate pee on you! -Sarah
In soviet Russia, germs kill 99% of you! - Regan (she's a pro)