WELCOME, PIG

     THE FARM - Yep, we've got ourselves a pig at the Farm now. According to campers who were at the Farm yesterday, the pig's name is Charolette and she's fine.
     If you'd like to visit the pig, come to the Farm. Please remember to stay out of the pig's stall.

MY FIRST TIME AT CAMP

     THE FRONT PORCH - by Bailey Crump, Age 8, Island Ford - At first I was scared and cried. My counselors helped me.
      It is fun now! I am doing painting next. I have made a lot of friends.

RIVERSIDE ADVENTURES

    THE CENTER - The campers of Riverside are on an adventure. They live in cabins Joe Pye and Indian Paintbrush. According to Mooshy, they will be rock climbing at Cedar Rock for 4 days.
     The Riverside group is made up of boys and girls who are 13 or 14 years old. They go on adventures and do a lot of fun things. They will be at Gwynn Valley for 3 weeks.
     After returning from rock climbing on Thursday, the Riversiders will leave for a back packing trip and be gone for 4 days. 

A LIZARD ENCOUNTER

     PETER PAN - by Kate Cohen, Age 7, Peter Pan - Once I saw a lizard in the bathroom of cabin Peter Pan at night. It was a black lizard and it was staring at me.
     I ran to the top bunk because I thought it would chase me. But it didn't chase me.
     In a little while, the counselor got up and looked at it in the bathroom.
     It was safe from now on.
     If you're scared, tell you counselor when she wakes up!

JAKE'S CABIN REPORT

     THE FRONT PORCH - by Jake Rosen, Age 7, Primaveira - I like my counselors. I have fun making shirts.
     I have the top bunk. I like to play tag and it is fun.
     The camp's name is Gwynn Valley. The cabin's name is Primaveira. My name is Jake. I am seven years old.

SOAKED

     THE LAKE BRIDGE - by the Afternoon Authors - On Sunday, Grant from Raccoon Ridge was writing about the weather at the Lake Bridge behind the Living Room. He was writing on a pad of paper when it fell in the water.
     RB took a long stick and pulled the words (and paper) out of the Lake. When we pulled out the pad of paper, it was soaked.

THE TAJAR

     THE FRONT PORCH - by Felicia Wilkins, Age 9, Running River - What is the Tajar? Well, in case you didn't know, it's a badger, a tiger and a jaguar.
     But few people have seen it. People claim to see it dancing when the moon is full.
     What is he like?
     I'll tell you. He's a sneaky little fellow, very clever. He's the type of fellow that will tell you something that's not true or, like if you're sleeping, he'll tie your shoe laces together.     He's not scary but he's mischievous.
     Well, I'm at the end of the page but remember that the Tajar is sneaky. He can pop up anywhere.

WELCOME NEW STAFF

     THE FRONT PORCH - Several new staff members have joined us and we're glad they are here.
      Welcome to Katey French and Jenette Miller who are working in the Laundry.
     New staff in the Kitchen this summer are Doris, Tonya, Sheldon, Anna and Anna. Anna and Anna both have the same name but Anna spells her backwards. Brit Slater, who just finished high school, will be working in the Cookout Room.

SPOTLIGHT ON RB

     THE LAKE BRIDGE - by Grant Schell, Age 8, Raccoon Ridge - [Editor's Note: our reporter spoke with RB on a warm summer afternoon and came away with this interview.]
     REPORTER: What is it like being the editor of the Tajar Times?
     RB: It's very hard work!
     REPORTER: So, what would you think if you were the owner of Gwynn Valley?
     RB: I would have pizza all the time!
     REPORTER: Okay. So would you like to keep the camp for 20 years?
     RB: Yes!!

MEETING DUKE THE MOUSE

     THE FRONT PORCH - by Janie Friedman, Age 9, Meadowbrook - Have you ever met Duke the Mouse? Well, he has a hole in the wall of the Dining Room. When we're not eating in there, he has the whole hall to himself.
     Have you ever noticed the Mailbox outside the door by the Living Room? Well, that seems more like a house to me.
     RB (Richard Brown) says that it's dangerous to Duke's health to live in the Mailbox because he gets hit by all the mail as it comes through the slot.
     Maybe they can build him another house like the Mailbox so people will know that this is the house of the honored Duke!

HOW I KNOW ABOUT THE TAJAR

     THE FRONT PORCH - by Flynn Bolick, Age 9, Possum Manor - Last year I saw the Tajar in the woods.
      I didn't see what he looked like but I knew he was there. It was because the branches were shaking all around on the night of the Tajar Ball!

     In the last issue of the Tajar Times, Duke was getting his revenge. But last night he struck. Believe me because he did his revenge on me!
     Duke chewed half of my blanket! Then he went to Jane, the SIT! he decided to chew her finger nails!
     Suddenly I felt cold and I woke up and so did Jane. Then she put Duke in her hand and said, "Please stop. Please."
     "No," replied Duke.
     "Why not?" asked Jane.
     "Because I need my revenge!" Duke yelled.
     "Fine! You can sleep in Connestee Cove!" Jane said nicely.
     So from now on, Connestee Cove sleeps with ear muffs because of Duke's snoring.

     The Tajar is the one to pull pranks,
     And to him we give no thanks!
     For he tied together our shoelaces,
     And on the trees, clay faces!
     On the roof of the Dining Hall: canoes!
     And rocks in our shoes!
     This trickster is surely a pest.

     Duke didn't think he had done anything wrong. Oh, you know that mouse. Most of the time he doesn't do much thinking anyway so why would this be much different?
     Well, this time, Duke was actually proud. He was proud of what he had done but he picked the wrong person to brag to. He picked Sign-Up Lisa.
     Now, you must understand something about Sign-Up Lisa. She is picky about her pencils. She is VERY picky about her pencils. In fact, she is so picky about her pencils that she wants her pencils to be where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there. Just like Sign-Up.
     It all started yesterday when Sign-Up Lisa went to the Side Porch of the Living Room and couldn't find one of her pencils. She turned her back and it seemed that another one was missing.
     Sign-Up Lisa looked over at Kay to ask her if she knew where the pencils had gone and when Sign-Up Lisa looked back, ALL the pencils were gone.
     That's when Sign-Up Lisa looked out the window and saw you-know-who running up to the Owl's Nest with six pencils over his tiny mouse-shoulder. Yes, it was Duke the Mouse and he was pinching Sign-Up Lisa's pencils. Pinching is another word for stealing and that's what Duke was doing. 
     Well, I've never seen Sign-Up Lisa move so fast. She was up in the Tajar Times office in a flash and had Duke cornered.
      My pet mouse said he had no idea what she was talking about, but that didn't wash because all of Sign-Up Lisa's pencils had a little flags made out of masking tape and they all said, Program Porch.
     Busted.
     Duke said he was just starting a pencil collection and it was all an honest mistake, but Sign-Up Lisa put Duke to work sharpening all of the pencils in camp including the thousands of pencils in the Owl's Nest. You know, I haven't heard much from my pet mouse all day.
     And that's the way it is with Duke.