The Good Ol’ Days
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Ellen and Caroline set up for another morning at Backyard Camp!
May has always been my favorite month, but this year June is making a pretty strong case for itself. June finally feels like summer. In fact, it becomes summer. It smells like summer. I live in a house that we built next door to my parents’ house, which is the house I grew up in. Smells have that uncanny ability to transport us instantly to a time and place gone by. The June smells of honeysuckle and wild roses instantly transport me back to my childhood summers. The evening smells of a freshly mown field remind me of my treks back up the hill to my house after spending a day of playing hard on my cousin’s farm. This evening Tom and I took a walk on our road (incidentally, this is about the only way to have a conversation uninterrupted *and* I stay awake) and I was reminded of the simple joys of life here in Lancaster County. I stopped by a neighbor who sells her extra perennials on the honor system (leave the money in the box). I picked up 2 plants; on my honor, I’ll put my money in the box when I go for my walk tomorrow. Then I came to my aunt’s house where my cousin was helping himself to our aunt’s mint. That reminded me that I, too, wanted to help myself to the mint! We make “Meadow Tea”. Those less cultured may call it “Swamp Juice”. It’s a staple here. We shared a few minutes of unhurried conversation. “Unhurried” was a welcome change of pace after a full day.
Pretty sure some of these kids could feed the chickens for the entire 3 hours.
Ellen’s summer job plan was to be a counselor for her second year at Heritage Creek Farm Camp (look them up—it’s a great place!). When camp had to cancel because of COVID Ellen had to come up with alternative employment. Ellen is an untraditional gal, and the consummate entrepreneur (I would like to interject here that I spelled entrepreneur right on the first try!). She’s an excellent babysitter but babysitting all day every day is exhausting. A few weeks ago, she and I brainstormed a “Backyard Camp”. We reasoned that she could offer a play-based, outdoor, small group, half-day child care in our backyard. She had the experience of being in charge of 5-6 year olds from her summer at Farm Camp. She insisted on partnering with Caroline, her fellow counselor from last year. Caroline was enthusiastic about the idea and the two of them are like two peas in a pod. We happen to know a lot of local kids ages 5-7, so we emailed invitations to them. The girls would have been thrilled if they could have filled the roster for all 7 weeks of camp but it looks like they’ll have to be content with three weeks. We’re now halfway through the first week and it is going swimmingly! I pop in and out occasionally to peek at what’s going on and all I see are sweaty, smiling faces! Today was an extended day where they brought their lunches and then had time in the pool. At 10am the kids enthusiastically announced to me, “We’re halfway to Pool Time!!!”
The kids created a chicken food prep line!
When I see how these kids are playing outside all morning, climbing in the treehouse, feeding grass and weeds to the chickens, collecting eggs, playing with toys, and playing “Tag” I’m reminded that these are the simple joys of childhood. After being cooped up inside for months, it’s so great to see the kids running around, squealing with delight, making new friends. Hopefully, when they are in their 40s, they’ll catch a passing whiff of honeysuckle and wild roses (or chicken poop and wood shavings!) and be instantly transported to that summer when they were 6 years old.