August 3

[Meanwhile, back at the waterfront, The Biddies are still Hobi Catting!]

[OK, not Hobi Catting very hard!]

[And games were up next for the kid in all of us.  Some of us “do,” and some of us “report.”  It was an uncomfortably hot day so I relished my usual role as “reporter.”  From our usual clique, here nephew Chris takes on Scott, a/k/a, DOM 1, in horseshoes.  Chris took advantage of his relative youth to shoot down the DOM.]

[You will notice from the photos that the photographer was always shooting from the shade.]

[And here Ed, he of the smooth delivery, tries his hand (or foot?) at horseshoes.]

[Note the follow through – good balance, full extension, probably a good result!]

[Corn hole was ongoing at the same time.  Many athletes competed in both, showing great endurance and a willingness to partake of the beer cooler.  Her Vickie, a star last year as I recall, tries a toss.  She was likely held back by her partner, the DOM.]

[After dispatching the DOM, Chris had to take on Jack, someone in his own age group.]

[Good match, and Jack emerged as the 2016 champ.]

[Meanwhile, back at corn hole, Vickie attempts to overcome her partner.]

[I believe the DOM was starting to tire here.]

[After the official matches, Ruby gives it a try with her dad John.]

August 4

[The schedule from the previous day:  I begged out of the Marsh walk as the humidity was off the scale and Beth reminded me about the mosquito issue.  Line dancing was cancelled, likely as a result of my misadventures the day before.  But I did cover the horseshoe/corn hole tournaments.]

[I can’t get on the internet?  😦  ]

[Seven of the next 12 photos include a dragonfly with whom I was trying to communicate.  Well, sometimes just sitting on a lakeshore in an Adirondack chair can send one into lala land.]

The Christopher Farm & Gardens

[And this was our field trip after breakfast.  I had never heard of the place before though it was only 16 miles from camp.  Several campers opted out as it was another hot humid day, and it involved a 2-hour walking tour.]

[From its website:  Welcome to the world of The Christopher Farm & Gardens, where garden design, horticulture, wildlife and education intertwine to create a magical place. In total, 400 acres along a mile of Lake Michigan shoreline shine with 50 acres of composed gardens. The Gardens are a living expression of all that owner, Jay W. Christopher, finds meaningful, inspiring and beautiful. The mission of The Christopher Farm & Gardens is to bring together horticulture, landscape design, education and the arts to inspire and enlighten guests.  We are dedicated to providing a space for enjoyment, understanding, and conservation of native plants, trees, animals and the Lake Michigan shoreline.]

[The Biddies as role models.  By the end of the tour, all thought these were the most impressive private gardens they’d ever seen.  So, despite my repugnance about this kind of weather, I thoroughly enjoyed the day.]

[Every thing we see here was an alfalfa field 20 years ago.  All trees under 50-feet tall were planted since then, and the ponds and landscaping were all constructed since then.]

[A path to Lake Michigan.  For the most part I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.]

[The Super and Rick attempt the maze.  Luckily, they were able to find their way out!]

[One less Packer to worry about!]

[Some gardens are purposefully natural.]

[Lake Michigan]

[The Gardens will be continued on the next post . . . ]

A lot of parents pack up their troubles and send them off to summer camp.  ~  Raymond Duncan

Up Next:  More camp . . .