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This morning at 5:30 AM it was a balmy three degrees out at camp and not much warmer in my home, the Lodge.  Why was I up at 5:30 in the morning?  Well it definitely was not to go play in the snow, but that is what my Yellow Lab, Zeus, had in mind.  Camp is eerily quiet in the early morning hours, especially with the thick blanket of snow all around.  Zeus caught the fresh tracks of some other four-legged creature and he was off…and thus started another day at Camp Birch Hill in the off season.  

My dog Zeus, staring at his tennis ball.

Besides a few weeks that I spent in South Africa in December/January I have been living (my dream) at camp.  The early months of September through November were spent cleaning every inch of the 70 acres of camp and renovating cabins and buildings.  With help from Rich and our carpenter, Iain, we got impossible amounts of work done before the snow came and camp looks incredible.  We had a slight setback with the massive ice storm of ‘08, but two weeks (and 19 dump runs) later the camp was cleared of the debris (big thanks to Joe, Aidan, and Krista for helping Rich and I) and the snow started to come.

The front of the Rec Hall...gorgeous in the fluffy stuff.

Our Stables, deep in the snow.

With the multiple feet of snow came the snow-mobilers by the dozens.  A state-wide trail, Corridor 22, runs straight through camp from the path behind cabin 10, through the girl’s cabins, and down the driveway.  It is always great to see people out and about on the camp grounds, so we don’t mind the added traffic. Through January and February we will have attended over 25 camp fairs meeting terrific parents and kids who will be joining the Birch Hill family.  Each new camper is another friend, a different story, an amazing addition to our camp.  Most recently we have put together a dream team staff for 2009.  These guys and girls, along with our many program area improvements (including the Go Carts) will make Birch Hill Summer 2009 the greatest ever.

I cannot wait for the day (June 21) that I wake up to a full camp of kids and counselors.  Until then, I will continue to trudge on through the snow and work on making Camp Birch Hill the greatest camp around.