Hello Again Blog Readers,
I hope you all are doing as well in the outside world as we are up in the Clearing. I thought camp was running about as well as it could, but I am overjoyed to be sharing with y’all that things are only getting better!
The staff have been leading some incredible activities and creating a buzz among the campers. Our hide tanning is off to a great start, we are about halfway through processing our first deer hide of the summer. Our beef jerky has been getting smoked and is almost ready to devour. We even had some campers lead leather pouch making today! I spoke with the counselor after the session and he said that not only did the campers do a great job teaching the other campers, but they had fun teaching as well!
The really exciting news of the week though is that eight of our community members have been ushered officially into our ranks by receiving their Flying Cloud names. A Flying Cloud name is a powerful gift to receive. The name represents all the best qualities that the community has seen in you – but there is so, so much more in a name. As you spend time with your new name, the meaning of your name begins to grow. Over the years you might even forget why you were given your name in the first place. As a Flying Clouder matures, so does their name. This is something to aspire to, a name for the person you always wanted to become. The name conveys your best self. In my mind, the Flying Cloud Naming Ceremony is the most powerful experience of every camper’s first summer with us.
Here are the eight new Flying Cloud names that were given out just a couple of days ago:
Sunfire Dreamer
Lightning Brother Gathers
Glacier Dawn
Peregrine Shines
Ember Lights the Nest
Summer Zephyr Smiles
Cougar Walks the Canyon
Lynx Holds the Ocean
From this day forward, among their Flying Cloud Brothers and all their friends and family within the greater Farm & Wilderness Community, these young men now go by these new names. I could not be more proud of them. For the parents reading this, don’t worry your son’s new name will be explained in a letter that you receive when they leave Flying Cloud and will share a bit about your son’s experience with us.
Well, I’m already starting to get that strange feeling that I’ve been sitting in front of a screen for a little too long now. Time to head back to the woods! From the Flying Cloud community to all of you –
Much love,
~FF~