Session C: Day 4 - A Time to Play
Wednesday is Beach Day. The Tinkering School way is to go, regardless of the weather, no matter how tired we are, in spite of the project deadlines; we go - it's a much needed break.
You can't go to the beach and leave a messy camp, so we reset the yurts, dining hall, and kitchen before assembling lunch.
Getting all 26 of us ready takes awhile, so the ukulele makes an appearance, as does one of the oddest things a tinkerer has brought to Tinkering School; Anna has brought tiny plastic baby hands.
Portrait of a Tinkerer (at play): Addison does T-Rex
Corin enjoys a serenade from Caroline (with Lil J looking on).
Meanwhile, sandwiches start to pile up.
And all of a sudden, everything changes - the ocean!
And so many wonderful dogs!
Here at the eastern shore of the mighty Pacific, there is both space and time, to sit and let it all sink in.
Behold, I have pulled a mighty kelp from the bosom of the sea! Sasha is excited to find a treasure, and Lily is happy for her.
(as we write this blog, the camp is watching Princess Bride and enjoying popcorn)
Tyler learns that when you are learning to snap the whip, the whip sometimes snaps back (right in the back).
Portrait of a Tinkerer: Hayden is casz at the beach [editor's note: how do you spell the shortened version of "casual"? Please share your version in the comment section]
Portrait of a Tinkerer: Rodrigo at the beach, with an apple.
Portrait of a Tinkerer: Zack at the beach, already finished with his apple.
Spot the Tinkerer: Gigi has found a hide-away (hint: look for the red hat)
Portrait of a Tinkerer: Gever loves being at the beach with everyone. Gever loves everyone at Tinkering School, so he pretty much loves being anywhere with them. Even Safeway at ten o'clock at night.
Gigi returns to the beach with a treasure; the feather of a large bird, in perfect condition. She declares her intention to turn it into a quill.
A ukulele at the beach, bare feet, sunshine and waves - could we get any more California than this?
Sometimes, we think that Lily came to us from a planet where she carries a sword and a heart-shaped shield.
Everything is fascinating; Chloe digs and finds a treasure, a tiny sand crab. [the editors discuss the use and misuse of the semicolon and whether or not the last clause is an appositive.]
While Lil J and Lily turn Sasha into a mermaid, Sasha turns herself into a figurehead.
Suddenly, a search for Pokemon happens and everyone scurries around the beach for twenty minutes trying to get to just the right spot.
Anything can become a game between friends, even slow-speed whip dueling.
Noa may be a mutant. She appears to have the power to lift sand.
Eventually, everyone that wore a swimsuit to the beach, and everyone else who didn't, gets in the ocean.
Some approach the surf with a little bit of caution.
Some with complete abandon.
We all feel like this dog - just happy to be here and excited to meet everyone!
Let's throw our apple cores into the ocean!
Back at camp, we wait for our turns in the shower and dinner to be baked (it's mac&cheese tonight!).
Somehow, cookies are made as well.
And while they bake, we end up in a very intense and lovely conversation about how co-ed yurts would solve the problem of having "boys and girls" when clearly, gender is a spectrum, and there needs to be place here for everyone.
The dining hall is a place of laughter and sharing. Can you tell?
What better way to fill the 15 minutes while dishes are washed, the kitchen gets tidied, and we gather again, than to play a few rounds of Nan? Nan is played with a pool noodle and a plate. Each player gets one of each. The plate must be carried in an open hand, the noodle in the other. The goal is to knock the plate out of your opponents hand. Begin!
After dinner, we take a moment for the ritual of Plusses and Deltas; things or people we loved and appreciated, and things that might make the experience here better. The conversation, ideas, and mutual affection are palpable. Hayden waits for his turn to share.
Among the many things that you cannot see in the blog today, is the showing of Mighty Times: The Children's March, hosted by Daniel Bigler, one of our frequent volunteer/collaborators, followed by Princess Bride, hosted by Caroline.
Tomorrow, we build again!