Y Camp through the seasons

It has been almost a year since John and I moved to Y Camp. Throughout the year we have had the opportunity to experience Y Camp through all seasons, each season bringing its own unique moments to appreciate. In the spring, Y Camp comes back to life. As the snow melts, you can hear it rushing through Lost Canyon Creek as it makes it way to the Des Moines River. Animals that took a winter vacation return back home, the birds are singing and the leaves begin to show signs of revival. The camp becomes buzzing with the sounds of excitement coming from the children who are visiting with thier schools as they discover the wonders of the natural world. As spring turns to summer, new changes take place. Staff begins to arriveas well as the thousands of children that attend summer camp each year. With the window wide open through the house, I can hear campers singing the songs that have been sung for decades, the splash of enjoyment coming from the pool, and the shrieks of laughter and chatter coming from the new Dahl Lodge. As summer comes to an end and autumn begins, there are new moments to enjoy. It is during this season that leaves turn brilliant shades of yellow, red, and orange which eventually fall to the ground. In the woods, you hear a rustling that is so loud that you think it must be a bear to find out it is just a small squirrel busy preparing for the cold weather ahead. It is no wonder fall is a popular time for groups to come to Y Camp to escape the business of daily life. The cold weather eventually arrives along with the snow. As I walk to work work after a fresh snowfall, it is not only my tracks that get left in the snow, there are the track of animals who like me call Y Camp thier home year round. The quiet and peacefulness of the valley allows me time to think. It is during this time that I have come to the conclusion that no matter what season it is, Y Camp truly is "The Closest Place to HEaven on EArth."