Some bloggers spotted at FGC gathering so far plus personal highlights

The list so far (Sunday, 10:10 pm):

• Claire R
• Erin the Quaker Scholar
• James Riemermann
• Grampa Joe (I'm not sure how public he is about his blog; I haven't even seen it yet. Robin told me about it when we rode the bus with him from the airport to River Falls)
• Kody
• Linda
• Liz Opp
• Paul L.
• Robin M.
• Russ Nelson
• Timothy Travis
• and me, Chris M.

I'm sure there must be more but it's 10:10 pm and I'm not thinking clearly. I definitely enjoyed my day of the "summer camp" aspects of the gathering:

• first workshop session, which was good and mostly consisted of introductions, and which began with a goodly period of worship;
• a stirring romp through multigenerational "Capture the Flag," except for the time when I pulled Five Year Old too hard and he fell and skinned his knee (again); and
• the first afternoon Shape Note Singing, co-led by Paul L. He was kind enough to encourage me to sit by him where it's easier to follow.

Yesterday was brilliant, because the boys and I had no responsibilities. We took a nice long walk along the river in River Falls, where we saw a great blue heron, mallards including both juveniles and chicks, Canada geese, grackles (not found in SF), finches, swallows, sparrows, hundreds of a large species of mayfly (one of which we saw a sparrow take in mid-air), and a snake. Then another long walk on campus after some down time in the dorm. We found lots of grasshoppers and other insectivora in the grass. Boy heaven!

And finally, Dairy Queen for dinner! Double boy heaven!

It was so beautiful to have a full day to be together, with no agenda, no plans, just aimless wandering.