It has been a record-breaking half-season. Record-breaking amounts of rain! So much so in fact, that we at Flying Cloud have decided to give a nickname to what has truly been a historic session, so that it can live on in Flying Cloud history forever: We are calling it “The Deluge” They say if you listen closely, you can still hear the squelching of water in our boots.
That said, in spite of all of the challenge that comes from living outside with this kind of weather, it has been an incredible session. We’ve been learning lessons from all the rain, like the importance of thermal layering, and proper rainproofing preparedness for our bunks. It’s also been a powerful experience for me personally, to see the ways that our community’s energy can change with the weather. A four-day stretch of nonstop rain can bring some pretty low spirits with it. But the afternoon on the 5th day when the sun comes out for a few hours? All of a sudden, everyone is having a fantastic day.
The rain also hit our Honoring evenings hard this summer. At Flying Cloud, the Honoring is the culmination and celebration of our three-day camp rite of passage; a powerful evening of group affirmation and merriment, including the burning of a massive camper-built bonfire in our honoring circle.It rained on our first honoring of the session. For our second, we almost made it – we were working on a full day of dry weather, only for it to absolutely pour on us in the evening as our camper leaders were lighting the fire. The Deluge strikes again! We finally caught a break this afternoon, picking up where we left off in the downpour, in what was far and away the most beautiful sunny day we’ve had yet this session.
In the two Honoring evenings, these community members received their Flying Cloud Words:
First Honoring:
Bibek
In the stillness of his glade
Where the brook flows softly on
The raven offers peace
Eli
Where moonlight shines
In midnight’s hour
Our circles forged
By panther’s power
Vlad
Through summer’s glow, when joy abounds
And winter storms, when spirits tire
All hearts are fed by elken fire
Isaac
Tall amongst the rolling fields
The ash tree greets the first star’s light
Harry
Through hemlock’s gently bending boughs,
The swallow swoops from nested home
A joyous trail resounds in song
Maverick
Reflected in a still, clear pool
The windborne crow takes flight
Black rainbow wings stir rippling waves
Of shimmering forest light
Dan
Where waters meet and all things grow
Deer bend to drink, so sure and slow
Roots hold the earth; the ripples glow
Gabriel
Robin, crow and butterfly
Tales create and ember’s warmth
Skyelar
Diving through its own reflection
With comet’s colors on its back
The turtle greets the pond
Mel
The peregrine dives from its warm nest
In tune with the flashing sky
Archer
Across the burned meadow, the jay calls at dawn
Through the tall grass, the fox finds its way
Eden
As sun touches earth and frost thaws
The bear, emerging, looks to the stars
Second Honoring:
Caleb
From his streambed home where otters play
To the ocean’s vast unexplored depths
The salmon quests forth and returns
Pierce
As chickadees rejoice amidst spring’s thaw
Hands come together, sowing seeds in song
Ace
Beneath canyon walls carved by the currents
The fox shares the river’s gift
Marcelo
Dancing on breezes
Wings glimmering with fire
The butterfly shares the hearth’s glow
Theo
Step by muddy step
the beaver finds its way
To turn the flowing waters
and greet the rising day
Augie
Through the patient canyon
The river trickles its way
Spinning the wheel round once more
Nigel
Still pools from crashing waters
Held in the badger’s heart
Tend flowers of tomorrow
Zach
Watching the river shape the stone,
the otter at the cairn
Each day of sunshine is a gift
For all of you folks getting ready to pick up one of these excellent young Flying Clouders on departure day, don’t forget to bring a raincoat – I hear it’s supposed to rain!
See you then,
Elliott