July 3, 2010

It's haying weather, which means that it must be sunny, dry, and hot. This morning, neighbor Hank Kenney came roaring up to camp at 5:15am in his diesel Ford tractor and began cutting the season's first hay. Haying this late in the season is good news for the nesting bobolinks, who make their nests in the hayfields and need the month of June to allow their young to fledge before the cutting blades arrive. It's bad news for the farmer, though, who can usually fit two cuttings into a season if he gets one by early June. But because of the rains of early June this year (not a lot but enough to not get three days of sunshine in a row), the bobolinks and Farmer Hank forged a tenuous truce.

Here at Glen Brook, the Eagles arrived back from the Saco River yesterday--tanned and cheerful--having enjoyed three days on River's shallow water, swift current, and fine golden sand that is the result of the White Mountains' snowmelt. We've added more archery classes this summer, since there are few things young people like better than shooting arrows. Every day at free period we've also revived softball in the meadow. Tomorrow, for Independence Day, we have team races, an obstacle course, and the ubiquitous treasure hunt. Stay posted for photos!