Great Escape 2014

I spent this past weekend at Great Escape, which is a meeting of Girl Scout leaders, volunteers, and camping professionals. Over a hundred people attend and go to workshops, learn new songs, and just act generally ridiculous. Seriously, there are 90-year old women who come to this event and sing songs like "Boom Chicka Boom."

It just doesn't feel like camp unless you're eating from melamine plates with mismatched silverware on a bright yellow table!

 Camp is a very special place where you can gather with your friends and be giant weirdos together.

 I did a workshop on dream catchers. About 15 people showed up and they seemed to enjoy it. Now I have a bunch of dream catcher supplies leftover. Maybe I'll make a bunch and sell them on Etsy.

Oh, and I made a thing! Or at least I started to make a thing in one of the workshops. Here is the not-quite-finished version of the chair I am making using the ancient art of macrame. My goal is to make another one using paracord.

A few of us took a quick hike to see the "lost units." These used to be tent units back in the day, but are now in various states of decomposition.

Gypsy kitchen shelter

Birches kitchen shelter

 

I'm not sure how interesting the rest of these pictures are, but I am trying to photo-document my life, so when I'm old and senile some young whippersnapper will use whatever magical technology they'll have invented by then to show me these blog posts.

Behind Wettlaufter

Tess being fabulous on the back porch of Wettlaufter

The stage, where many a Friday Folly has occurred

The road to the Program Center

Plainsman

Brownie Lodge Overflow

The road to Highland

There were other things I always mean to take a picture of, but I get caught up in spending time with friends and photography takes a backseat. :-)

fair wells with loyal hearts thy daughters ever sing

This weekend was my class reunion at Wells College. I'm not much of a socialite but I figured going back once after ten years wouldn't kill me.

I was lucky enough to score a room in Glen Park, which is one of the nicer dorms at Wells. Henry Wells actually lived there! I guess I've always been a sucker for history and unique buildings.

Looking up

Looking down

The top of Glen Park

Looking out towards the bell tower

One of the unique traditions at Wells is that bell-ringing is a thing. Because how else would anyone on campus know when dinner is unless someone walks up 4+ flights of stairs to manually play a stirring rendition of "Edelweiss" using only 10 notes? I jest because I was one of those people (and I still have the sweatshirt to prove it).

At times it felt like a chore to ring the bells, but looking back it was pretty awesome. I wanted to ring this weekend, but apparently an alumna had the key to the bell tower and no one could identify her for me to ask.

Empty greenhouse

Main building and sycamore tree

On Saturday there was a big parade of alumnae who marched behind a horse and carriage while holding balloons. I was one of two people from the Class of 2004 who showed up to walk in the parade.  

The circulation desk at Long Library, where I spent many hours work-studying.

Leech 

Weld 

 

One of my favorite parts about Wells was that the campus is all up in Cayuga Lake's grill. It never occurred to me back then that not every college had a boathouse or a dock.

Fair Wells with loyal hearts

Thy daughters ever sing

And to the name we love

Thy joyous tributes bring

To thee our songs we raise

Thee would we ever praise

Our alma mater

Beloved Wells