Missing in Action

 Blogging friends: I've been missing in action for the past few days as we took a quick trip up to Michigan to visit our daughter at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. She is spending a second summer working there, this time as a Unit Director responsible for a "unit" of six cabins, several counselors, and 65 campers over the course of four camp sessions. Campers at BLFAC have a very structured schedule with classes in instrumental or vocal music, theatre, and/or art. It's a truly beautiful camp set in the Manistee National Forest. There is no "dirt" at BLFAC -- just sand. LOTS and LOTS of sand!

 On my visit last summer, I failed to see the lake after which the camp is named, so I made sure to see it this time! Blue Lake is actually more green than blue due to algae and it's apparently home to leeches (YUCK!), so it is not actually used for campers. But it is still very pretty!

 On Saturday evening, we took in a performance of the Festival Orchestra, comprised of professors and counselors/staff members at the camp. It was a lovely evening for a performance at a beautiful venue! If you look closely, you can see Bailey's head at the very back left side of the band (bass drum).

This is the area leading up to the band shell. Very pretty!

I'm not quite sure what this tower is used for, but it's very quaint!

On the last day of camp, parents come to pick up their campers and attend a variety of performances and an art show featuring campers' projects from throughout the session. I loved these colorful silk panels!

While we waited for Bailey to finish with her campers, we walked around the camp and took in several performances. This is the venue for Shakespeare productions. The open air facility has a second story above this one and "theater-in-the-round" seating. Very cool!

 

Bailey also played timpani in a student concert featuring the camp's top orchestra. This is another of several band shells throughout the camp. If you squint, you can see her head at the far back right of the photo.

  

Staff members ride bikes through the camp because it is so large. It's good exercise riding on sandy paths!

After she was done with her official duties, we visited her "hut". As a Unit Director, she has her own cabin. It's nice and very well organized. She's a lot happier with her hut now that the mouse which had taken up residence is gone!

We had a great visit! Bailey is learning a lot as a Unit Director. It will be great experience for her to have under her belt as she prepares for student teaching and real life after college!

 jp